Digital learning in Germany.

Learning a language, studying at a German university, or refreshing your education online is increasingly possible thanks to e-learning and Distance Learning. And as a bonus: you can do this from anywhere in the world. Education went global. Digitization has changed the way we learn and teach. A range of interactive, innovative, and flexible formats have emerged online in recent years.

Let’s dig deeper into the topics of e-learning and Massively Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and think about the advantages and disadvantages of digital learning. We will discover different types of e-learning and emerging trends for the post-corona era.

There are a couple of types of e-learning.

Individual eLearning

The goal of individual eLearning for learners is to learn without the interference of their peers. The advantage here is personalized learning which helps learners achieve their goals without relying on the expectations of their teachers and peers.

On the other hand, restricted communication leads to isolation. The biggest challenge here is to complete set goals and learn alone. The absence of feedback from the lecturers means that individual work is only beneficial when learners are highly motivated and skilled.

Collaborative eLearning

In collaborative eLearning, learners work together in a team environment. They must collaborate to understand the information conveyed within a course and achieve set objectives. Moreover, learners have to consider their strengths and weaknesses alongside those of their groupmates to succeed.

Advantages:

• Learners can communicate and work together, which is often missing in classical online learning.
• During the collaboration, the process of critical thinking improves, which is a requirement to accommodate the different perspectives of peers. Its design unites international learners with various backgrounds.

Cons:

• It can cause some learners to over-depend on it. Learners might take a back seat and allow others to handle their tasks since they rely on a combined effort. To some learners, this may seem unfair, keeping in mind the individual workload.

Blended learning

The features of blended learning are easy to summarize under 3 points:

1. Several courses are delivered online, where learners control the pace and way they engage with the material;
2. Other courses take place in a teacher-led classroom in person;
3. An integrated learning environment comes from a combination of online and face-to-face classes.

A practical tool to assist universities in blended and collaborative learning is LearnSlice. It creates an engaging environment for learners and lecturers to work mutually on learning material. Sounds interesting? Then get in touch with us or click here to get more insights.

Each e-Learning method matches a specific environment or preference. Understand what works well for you and your learners before choosing an option.