Can Rapid E-learning foster the same engagement as traditional learning?

The e-learning industry is expanding at such a rapid pace that it has changed how education is accessed, especially with rapid e-learning, which is most sought after because of its quick turnaround. However, is it possible for this to compete in engagement when compared to in-class learning? Here, we objectively assess the rapid e-learning vis-a-vis traditional learning methods with special emphasis on learner attention, their outcome after the course and motivation to learn more.

Understanding Rapid E-learning

Rapid e-learning definition explains it as the online course development process which uses the wide usage of authoring tools, templates and design resources to finish the task faster. This approach was created against the background of a rapidly growing need to produce course content in a fast and flexible manner. This makes it very useful in sectors with ever-changing curricula such as technology, health, and corporate training systems.

Engagement in Traditional Learning

Since students and teachers are present at the same place in traditional learning, it is often regarded to be quite involved because of the contact between the student and the teacher. In this regard, one can highlight several important features The following features of active teaching and learning make up this engagement:

Real-time Interaction

Participation of students enables posing questions, getting answers, and participating in discussions that unravel difficult content.

Collaborative Learning 

Group projects, debates, and hands-on activities increase student participation.

Teacher Guidance 

The teacher needs to modify the learning pace, tone and content based on the student feedback.

In traditional learning environments, there is an opportunity to build connections, network, and receive targeted feedback, among others, which creates a more engaging experience. So, is it worth saying that it is better than the fast-paced online e-learning?

Appealing Aspects of Rapid E-learning

Nevertheless, despite the lack of face-to-face or human touch which is irreplaceable in qualitative learning, rapid e-learning does have some qualities that make it more appealing than the former: 

Engaging Learners

 Quizzes, videos, simulations and other tools that are effective in rapid e-learning allow engagement of learners through active learning. Information is learned when learners are actively involved.

Customizable Learning

 In most cases, rapid e-learning can be adjusted to fit in any course and specifically to fit the students. Learners can master lessons at their own pace since they can go back to the concepts that confused them or avoid the ones they are familiar with.

Game-Based Learning

 The use of game-like features such as rewards, leaderboards and badges creates higher chances of having learners complete the courses and try out ways in which they can perform well to earn more points.

Tiny Bits of Information

 Rapid e-learning uses a pertinent topic ahead in its training, but it is chopped down to modules hence, concentrating the inductee on the subject right on the module at hand. This allows more retention and prevents overwhelming sensations common with conventional lengthy lectures.

Use of Different Types of Media

 Rapid E-learning is rather advantageous when given text-audio-visual stimulation as it provides for the integration of three or more elements together. This enhances the effectiveness of the learning process.

Engagement Stratification on Comparison

Rapid e-learning and traditional learning will have differences in engagement levels under various users’ learning environments, content delivery and learner motivation. However, rapid e-learning has specific advantages that make it possible to encourage and sustain engagement like in conventional learning:

Use of Flexibility and Convenience

Flexibility is perhaps the most appealing engagement factor in rapid e-learning. Content can be consumed anywhere and at any time so the learners can decide to engage slowly at their own time. This is a major advantage as compared to the other rigid schedules in a classroom setting for working professionals or over-busy learners.

Round-the-clock access to Tools

Traditional learning has separate sessions that are conformed to time, while rapid e-learning removes this boundary and allows access all the time. If necessary, learners can always go back to the content to keep them engaged for a longer period.

Learning is Individualized

In this type of learning, the learners themselves dictate the rate and the order of acquiring the information which is appropriate in rapid e-learning. Rather, traditional learning is governed by a universal approach which leaves very few students happy; the rest are frustrated because they can’t keep up or the learning is too slow for them.

Learning Managed by the Learner and Not the Teacher

Whereas rapid e-learning makes people more responsible for their learning, this is usually an intrusion in that it requires a higher level of self-motivation from the learners. In the absence of the instructor, it is left to the learners to put themselves on a certain learning path that they will follow. On the other hand, a lot of these rapid e-learning apps solve this problem by having progress trackers, reminders and interactive content that will keep the learners motivated.

On the other end of the spectrum, conventional education dictates the students’ engagement with the aid of a teacher’s encouragement, interaction, and accountability. Some learners engage due to this external motivation whilst other learners prefer the autonomy that quick e-learning provides.

Addressing the Engagement Challenges in Rapid E-learning

As much as rapid e-learning offers diverse opportunities for engagement it still comes with certain engagement challenges more so for those learners that function best in an interactionist or participatory setting. 

Involving Social Learning

Platforms can adopt such social attributes as discussion boards, live Q&A, or group work to recreate the engagement that occurs in the conventional setup.

Using Blended Learning

Blended learning enables both rapid e-learning and campus or online real sessions to be used in such a way that the advantages of live interaction and self-guided learning modes are not lost.

Employing Learning Analytics

 Data analytics help in examining the learners’ actions after which the content and other factors in the course are revised about the learner’s engagement and other challenges that might present themselves.

Virtual Mentoring

The use of virtual mentoring or coaching within the rapid e-learning courses serves to enhance learners’ participation through focused attention and feedback, which is an advantage of traditional education.

Conclusion

In whichever way one looks at it, rapid e-learning can match or even surpass traditional education, especially if it is inclusive of features like interactivity, personalization, and flexibility that place the learner at the centre. While this may not provide much of the instant human interaction found in classical environments, still, newer versions of rapid e-learning continue to be developed to fill those holes.

In the end, the effectiveness of rapid e-learning as a tool of developing engagement among learners depends on its level of customization to the learners’ needs and wants. By capitalizing on its strengths such as convenience, rich media and information-based personalization, rapid e-learning can create an amazing experience that can easily compete with the traditional, classroom methods of teaching.

Key Takeaways

• Rapid e-learning possesses choices and interactivity which is constant with the level of interactivity required in conventional sitting.
• Initiatives such as gamification, employing multi-level mediums in content transfer and providing immediate response help increase the interaction of the learner with the content in the self-directed stage using rapid e-learning approaches.
• The combination of rapid e-learning, social learning, and mentoring can fill in the traditional classroom-based interactions efficiently.

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