Distance learning has become a staple in many higher education institutions. By the fall of 2020, 75% of undergraduate students were taking at least one distance learning class, while 44% had all distance learning courses. The pandemic accelerated this move toward distance education, but some students and institutions had embraced it before COVID-19.
Online courses offer great flexibility that appeals to students of all ages and occupations. They make higher education accessible for almost everyone. But is the method effective?
For many students, remote learning works well. Some, however, still do better with in-person learning, which may offer more opportunities for personalized attention. If your distance-learning students need more assistance, you can adopt methods that make online courses more equitable and effective for all undergraduate students.
SoftChalk, a leader in distance learning, recommends adopting the following strategies to help students with all learning styles.
Check In Regularly With Your Learners
Some students need more direct contact with the instructor than others. They may try to proceed with the coursework without mastering each step, which causes them to fall behind and turn in poor-quality work. Some simply quit the course out of confusion and frustration with the technology. Although enrollment for online classes continues to increase, up to 80% of students drop out of their courses. When you check in with students, help them resolve issues before they give up on class.
Work With Cloud-Friendly Platforms Such as SoftChalk
Remote learning depends on expert use of the cloud. The right distance learning partner makes certain that your course content is easy to access, screen-readable, and simple to navigate. It should allow for easy integration with third-party tools and respond quickly to any technical issues that arise. Some platforms are just not user-friendly, which causes some learners to struggle unnecessarily. An online learning leader like SoftChalk helps you meet the needs of your institution while keeping student engagement high. With SoftChalk, you can design high quality learning experiences with the goals of your institution and unique needs of your students in mind. Start 14-Day Trial
Embrace Project-Based Learning
Successful online courses require more than videos, quizzes, and study guides. Project-based learning can make a student’s remote experience more successful and fulfilling. When used correctly, PBL encourages critical thinking and communication. These projects direct students to deeply explore a problem and find potential solutions through research and collaboration with others.
A successful PBL requires video conferencing, project management tools, and regular instructor feedback. Your students will need the proper devices to ensure unimpeded communication with others. Students with the right tools may find PBL is the best way to learn.
Partner With Community-Based Organizations
Online learning is more meaningful when it has real-life community applications. A PBL can be designed to help a local food bank, school, or charity. These projects allow students to apply their newfound knowledge to improve their own towns and cities, which tends to keep them more engaged with their remote courses. Plus, they gain invaluable real-life experience.
Support Students With Different Learning Styles and Needs
You should incorporate your understanding of different learning styles into your distance learning courses. As you know, not everyone is a visual/verbal learner. Some students are visual/nonverbal learners, while others may be auditory/verbal learners. Your cloud platform needs the ability to create exciting, interactive content that meets the needs of all students. By doing so, you will better educate them while achieving a higher retention rate. Platforms like SoftChalk offer 30+ interactives to choose from, to suit your learners’ needs.
The SoftChalk Advantage
SoftChalk is a leader in making distance education equitable. We have developed a system that simplifies and enhances meaningful course design. You can easily integrate your lessons with any LMS type, to create remote learning classes that work for all learning styles. Ongoing student engagement is the key to a successful distance learning experience.
To take SoftChalk for a test drive, sign up for a free 14-day trial or contact one of our learning experts.
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