What is digital education and how is it transforming at-home learning?
As the world progressively shifts into new and emerging digital platforms, the need for an equal shift in our education systems has become apparent. Learning is everywhere, and as we continue to evolve, we are faced with the task of educating students on how to access and extract that unlimited information in a safe way. The pandemic had an impactful and positive influence on this shift, opening the door to new online resources and ultimately making it more mainstream and socially acceptable to learn from home. Now, we are experiencing a global shift in at-home learning as students are able to engage with digital resources like never before. This brief overview will provide some insights into what digital education is, its different aspects, and how it can be utilized as a tool for at-home education.
What is digital education?
Since it is a fairly new concept within the last decade, digital education does not have a clear and confined definition. One definition that has been commonly used comes from the Florida Virtual School, stating that digital learning is, “learning facilitated by technology that gives students some element of control over time, place, path and/or pace.”
Through digital education, students are able to digitize their learning by engaging through online platforms. To say it plainly, learning can take place anywhere and at any time, allowing students to immerse themselves through various platforms when it best suits their needs.
The different types of digital education
There are many different branches to digital education, including e-learning and blended learning. E-learning programs are ones that are completely online while blended learning combines face-to-face interactions with online learning. Many school programs offer blended or hybrid learning programs along with enrichment programs outside of school that offer both. Students are all using different forms of digital education whether they are enrolled in an existing online school, a public charter or independent study program, are homeschooled, or are simply submitting their assignments through an online platform.
Novel Education Group, for instance, provides at-home tutoring, test prep, and homeschooling that can be virtual or blended to best fit each student’s educational needs. Through our homeschooling service, students enroll in an entirely online private school, yet receive in-person instruction with a professional teacher. A great way to merge the benefits of both forms of education.
Why it’s important for at-home learning
While the influences of social media platforms and the availability of information throughout the internet can be daunting, it’s revolutionizing at-home learning for parents and students. It allows students to engage on these digital platforms in a safe way, whether that is through parental or teacher monitoring or through specific programs.
Below we’ve highlighted some of the many benefits of at-home learning and how it’s revolutionizing education for students who choose to learn from home.
- Wider Education Range: At-home learners can access diverse curriculums more easily than ever before. Through digital education, students all over the world can use platforms such as Khan Academy, the Outschool or Novel Education’s partner, Laurel Spring, in order to learn from home. Parents no longer have to organize or plan lessons and worry about appropriate curriculums for their student’s age.
- Parental Freedom: Parents do not have to teach. Instead of having parents or guardians faced with the task of balancing multiple durities, students are granted access to a network of teachers and resources from all over the world. Students can learn through an online school, receive instructions from a virtual private tutor or learn directly from a computer-led program.
- Adequate Support: Digital education provides fast feedback. Technology can offer students quick assessments of their learning to better guide them as they work. Some programs even adapt as students submit answers, automated to get harder or easier depending on their responses. Such individualized resources provide students the active support they cannot get on their own or without a teacher working with them one-on-one.
- Cultural Connection: Students can connect to different cultures and those with diverse backgrounds. It is a great misconception that students who learn at-home lack social skills or are alone. Because of digital learning, students can connect virtually to students of all ethnicities and backgrounds from all over the world. Novel Education for instance, works with students in London, Riyadh, Costa Rica, and Spain. Virtual group courses allow them to interact and deepen their sense of cultural empathy.
- Advanced Development: It develops an independent thinker and encourages creative expression. Digital education helps develop a sense of autonomy and enhance accountability. It gives students more control over what they learn, how they learn, and what they study, creating intrinsic motivation, and ultimately a genuine passion for learning.
The popularity of digital education has significantly increased these past few years, and will continue to enhance students’ learning experiences in a number of ways, especially those learning from home. As more learners reap its benefits, it’s apparent that it’s becoming a dominant force that’s shaping our future. At Novel Education, our students have traveled, completed two grades in one school year, perfected their chosen sports, and regulated their anxiety towards school by choosing to learn at home. Our alternative approach is made possible with the use of regulated technology and trained professionals who make the learning experience fun, convenient, and personable for each student. .
Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about our use of digital resources in advancing your student’s education!
