What changes in education does COVID-19 or coronavirus accelerate? We usually talk about the educational advantages that e-Learning training brings (e.g., online learning, blended learning, etc.), but we cannot forget its societal benefits, considering its use during the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
E-Learning to Ensure Normality in Education
Those who follow our blog know that we emphasize how e-Learning training is beneficial because it is instantly accessible and offers flexible scheduling. But it is also beneficial because it is useful during times of crises such as work absences or pandemics. Though pandemics often result in people staying home for long periods of time, work has not stopped during the coronavirus pandemic. This is largely due to the implementation of telework by large and small companies alike. As with jobs, educational pursuits should not cease because of the pandemic. It is not necessary, especially since there are tools, such as video conferencing systems, that can ensure the continuity of classes.
Teachers can use virtual classrooms to teach from home with all necessary tools at their disposal. This renders their online sessions to be just as effective as traditional ones and even more advantageous since they can offer a great deal of content, interaction, reinforcement, and real-time feedback during virtual sessions.
The Virus that Accelerated Changes in the Educational System
The spread of COVID-19 has led to the closure of educational institutions all over the world. Such closure accelerated the development of the online learning environments within those institutions so that learning would not be disrupted.
The coronavirus pandemic has tested the readiness of centers to deal with a crisis that requires online and remote measures. Many were not prepared, but it is important to review the reasons for offering students online classes, which go beyond periods of confinement:
9 Reasons to Offer Online Classes
- Offer highly effective learning environments
- Offer complementary interactive reinforcements that allow students to study 24/7 and work at their own pace
- Offer flexible scheduling
- Available in any location, with an internet connection; students can attend using their devices (e.g., computers, tablets, etc.)
- use of instructor time (e.g., no time-consuming trips to companies)
- Direct teacher feedback
- Real-time student monitoring and corresponding reports
- Allow franchises to share schedules and classes online (to increase class attendance)
- Improve the image of your center by offering technological solutions that solve real problems
Online Teaching with Video Conferencing Software
Our video conferencing software is the only one on the market that was designed for language teaching specifically. As a result, teachers and tutors will find it easy to use and it will contain everything they need from comprehensive reports to the most advanced tools for teaching.
The software features a web portal that students can access to begin classes, read additional contents, engage in additional activities, and participate in conversation groups or online communities so that they can foster the social interaction component that is necessary for language learning.
CAE’s virtual classrooms feature a virtual whiteboard to project materials as well as a file repository. During sessions, there is 100% interactivity between teachers and students since video, audio and chat systems are available; also, there is a real-time notification system that allows students to communicate with their teacher at all times without interrupting the class. Furthermore, the classrooms feature class records and comprehensive monitoring reports.
When this technology is combined with the exclusive Tutor Center, the Dexway and Verxact platforms are able to offer flexible scheduling. Within the Tutor Center, details from teacher profiles (e.g., scheduling, languages, prices per class, etc.) are added and the system creates a single grid that combines all the schedules, resulting in the automatic creation of classes as students reserve their lessons.