Throughout this course, I have been able to learn and gather lots of information about education, online learning, and technology. One of the main takeaways I had from this course was that receiving an education online does not mean you are learning alone. There are many, many ways that students are able to connect virtually in order to learn together. Other than sending an email and requesting to meet in person, students can use technology to communicate with each other. Some forms of communication over the internet could be Zoom or Google Hangouts. These methods would allow students to conference each other virtually, as well as share their screens and see what the other is working on. These services definitely help bridge the gap between students who receive educations online and allow for more personal connections. There are always ways to access support for students who are receiving an online education. Learning online does not mean you are learning alone.
Another main takeaway I had from this course was learning that each student is a unique learner. There are many different ways that students are best able to learn and digest material effectively. Many students learn that they are visual learners, audio learners, kinesthetic learners, or a mix of a few. Each student must understand and begin to learn how they are able to best receive their education. While not all students can be specifically catered to for their education, an online platform allows students to customize and modify their learning method and style.
Although it may seem like online learners are left on their own, there are many, many pieces of technology that are out there for students to utilize that make learning much more efficient. One such technology would be One Note, the online note-taking service that is provided by Microsoft. This platform allows users to access their typed or handwritten customized notes anywhere they have access to the internet. Another tool that is very useful during the online learning process is Screencast – the free screen recorder. This tool allows students to record what is on their screen, as well as use their webcam, to create virtual lectures and info-sessions. This tool allows students to basically be face-to-face and show others what is happening on screen as well as give an explanation during this process.
https://screencast-o-matic.com/screen-recorder
This course taught me that learning online does not need to be done alone. There are multiple tools out there which allow students to connect with each other and communicate and collaborate efficiently. Additionally, online learning allows students to customize their education type and method of receiving information. With this, online students are better able to tend to their preferred learning style and optimize their educations. With the technologies in place, online education is more accessible and customizable for all students.