Hurdles in the creation of an effective online learning environment

The unprecedented growth of the World Wide Web and the availability of fast-speed Internet have enabled the development of online learning environments. However, a closer look suggests that the majority of online education portals fall flat. They make an entry on the web and then disappear after a couple of months or so.

There are various reasons why the majority of online educational platforms fail in making an impact. In this blog, we are trying to find out what distinguishes successful online learning environments from the ones that couldn’t make it.

Lack of Originality in the Content

The Internet is overflowing with information, and most of it is free. Let’s not get into the discussion of the accuracy of all of it. But the truth of the matter is you can find pertinent information on every possible topic that you can think of. With this exponential proliferation of information and easy access, it has become a challenge for online learning portals to develop courses that could offer something new, unique and prolific which users can’t find through simple Google searches.

If you are just copy-pasting content in your portal from the sources operating in the public domain, then don’t expect that users will keep returning back to you. This hunch can only pay off for a while. So, make sure you devise your courses and guidebooks by consciously taking care of its originality.

Non-Interactive Interface

Technology has enabled the educators to make online learning as interactive as much as they can. From using live feed and non-text formats to the gamification of the whole process, there are many ways to make online learning more interactive.  Studies have proven that learning curve is in direct proportion with the level of interaction. Offering courses in monotonous document-based formats won’t help in engaging the enrolled students.

Poor Support Services

Most of the online learning environments work in the absence of two-way communication. This means students are not in constant touch with teachers, which is a feature of normal classroom settings. Amid this extensive virtual environment, it is necessary to ensure students that they can find a person on the other side that can steer them through any learning impasse. So, make sure that you are setting up a responsive helpdesk to answer their queries and resolve their issues.

Developing a Fruitful Testing Protocol

Like traditional learning practices, online education programs also conclude on tests and quizzes. So, make sure you are using effective online exam software to devise your exams. You can find several quiz creators that can help you in assessing the aptitude and learning stage of the enrolled students. Make sure you are picking online exam software that can be integrated with different APIs.

Non-Adaptable Interface

 

Gone are the days when only desktops were used for academic purposes. The ever-increasing computation capabilities of smartphones have enabled usage in complex learning as well. So make it certain that your online learning environment is adaptable to every device and operating system. Also, pick the online exam software application that can seamlessly work on every type of device.