E-Learning for Kids: How to Make Online Education Engaging and Effective for Young Learners

Introduction

During the pandemic, people were introduced to the system of online learning and how it could benefit students from across the globe without having to attend classes in person. While online education was very much available even before the pandemic, its popularity became multifold when kids couldn't attend schools and take classes in person. Online education is a standard deviation from traditional classroom methods of teaching.

It's more flexible and employs presentation tools that can help the teacher make knowledge dissemination easier. It's also very timesaving for both the teacher and the learner as one doesn't have to travel to a particular destination. Kids also have the flexibility of attending online lectures and clearing doubts at their convenience.

How Does Online Education Benefit Kids

While one of the most obvious benefits of online education is flexibility and accessibility, there are a plethora of other benefits that parents must consider. E-learning platforms can cater to the individual requirements of a child offering them customized learning experiences. These classes may also adjust to the individual learning pace of a child.

The kid also gets the opportunity to be induced in an environment where they get the liberty to choose the trajectory of learning. There is no stubborn structure that is imposed on the child. A child can see a particular lesson over and over again until they don't fully grasp the concept. Additionally, the use of multimedia such as the incorporation of engaging visuals and sound helps in keeping the child more attentive. This makes learning heuristic and enhances conceptual clarity.

How to Make Online Education Engaging and Effective for Young Learners

Here are some ways through which parents can make online education engaging and effective for young learners.

• Establishing A Routine

While online learning platforms provide the child with the liberty of taking lessons at their convenience, it is important to have a fixed learning schedule. Many times, a child may procrastinate learning which can lead to the accumulation of multiple lectures. Hence, structuring the learning process and making sure that the child is attending their lessons on time is something that parents may look after. This also helps the child maintain the habit of staying focused and not taking online learning lightly.

• Collaborative Learning

Taking online lectures continuously may lead to social isolation and boredom. This may impact the motivation levels of a child. Hence, parents must encourage the child to step out and get involved in real-life experiences. Instead of just facilitating one-on-one lectures between the child and the teacher, you may encourage your kid to take part in online group activities.

These activities allowed the child to meet kids from across the world and get the needed global exposure while sitting at home. It also helps in developing online social skills that may positively impact real-life conversations as well.

• Rewarding

Appreciation of kids for their efforts is a type of positive reinforcement and a great way to ensure consistency. Kids can be awarded small badges, certificates, or a gift token that can act as an incentive. Having this sense of accomplishment will also make a child feel more confident and targeted. Additionally, it may also help a child maintain their routine and work on their weak areas to get further appreciation.

• Setting Goals

Before heading onto an online learning experience, parents need to first set the end goal. This helps in establishing the track that needs to be followed and can also help the parents monitor the progress of their child with each lecture that they attend. Try to implement various activities such as quizzes, assignments, and short tests to check the conceptual clarity of the child about a particular topic. Parents may also focus on revision for better retention of concepts.

• Referring to Quality Content

A child's engagement and consistency during online learning are also dependent upon the quality of the content that is being provided. An online course that is supported by clear audio and relevant illustrations instantly makes learning more fun and exciting for the child. Also, parents must try to check the accuracy of the content and information that is being provided. The teacher should be able to explain the concept in a way that's easily understandable for the kid.

• Using Games

Learning that is supported by games, such as clearing levels and scoring a certain number of marks in quizzes to obtain virtual badges or trophies can encourage a child to stay focused. Certain learning platforms come with leaderboards where kids are ranked based on their weekly or monthly performances. Several quizzes are also organized where kids from across the world compete to attempt a test or quiz. All these can serve as a constant source of motivation for a child to learn and do better than their contemporaries.

Conclusion

The world of online education offers unlimited learning possibilities to kids. It not only focuses on the quality of education but also helps in creating customized study experiences for kids, keeping individual differences in mind. Through parent involvement, online education can tremendously benefit a child's development while also ensuring they are having a fun time.