There has been a rapid surge in the popularity of online courses, especially post the COVID-19 pandemic, when several things moved online. So, as an expert educator, if you aspire to offer online lessons, or as a student, if you want to take some sessions online to develop new skills, you must be familiar with the types of online learning formats. There are several kinds of online courses that you can prepare for or take.
This guide will discuss some of the popular formats for online learning sessions. Let us get started and explain one by one.
Self-paced online-only course
As is apparent, these are 100 per cent, web-based classes. So, the course content, exercises, quizzes, activities, and every part of this session will all be imparted via the internet. You will never have to step out of your home to take any lesson of this course at a learning or training centre, campus, or university.
Since you do not have to move from your couch to take this course, it is vital to possess the discipline and motivation to take them because no one will ever push you to adhere to the timelines. It is an online self-paced course.
So, you can take it as you find the time. There is higher flexibility, and you can learn anytime and on the go.
For instance, if you wish to make a career in graphics, you must know about the available career options and then pick which best free online certification courses you want to enrol in. Once you decide on the course, you can take the class, beginning to the end, from the comfort of your home. You can pause the video as you like, rewatch it, and learn at your convenience.
Instructor-led, engaging online courses
In contrast to the self-paced online courses, there are several reasons for the popularity of instructor-led online classes, especially when you take a technical session. Let us understand with an example.
So, if, for instance, you take a course to build a technical writing portfolio, it can be challenging to learn merely from the video online course. You have an instructor speaking, and you cannot instantly halt them and ask your queries.
Of course, the instructor reverts to the doubts, but it usually does not happen instantly.
On the other hand, if you take an instructor-led session, you have an instructor available on the other end of the screen. So, anytime there is a doubt, you can pause them, ask your queries, and then move forward. For the professors also, these formats make it easier to keep the viewers engaged and motivated.
In contrast to traditional learning, you will never have to grade your student’s progress. Instead, you can prepare several MCQs on what you have taught in the class, feed the answers into the system, and let the software handle the assessment work.
On platforms like edX, you can find several university-style instructor-led but 100% online courses.
MOOCs as one of the Online Learning Formats
MOOCs or Massive Open Online Courses are 100% free courses and are accessible to everyone who aspires to learn online. These are recorded classes managed by a computer. TangoLearn has some of the best suggestions for free courses. While most free courses do not bag you a certification, some do.
If not, you can pay a small fee and get a shareable certificate to validate your skills and improve your chances of getting hired. In these sessions, there will be discussion forums wherein you interact with other learners and clarify your doubts. You can also send your questions to the instructor, who will revert timely.
Typically, companies provide these courses in trademarked topics like Microsoft and Google. It may surprise many, but several recognized colleges and universities like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT provide free courses. You can take them directly from their online learning platform or via platforms like edX, Udacity, or Coursera.
Though the free versions may not provide you with university credits, if you aim to learn and train better, you cannot find a better option.
Online Learning Formats like Hybrid classes
If you are new to online learning and feel that you may not have the discipline and motivation to take the course independently, you can opt for a hybrid session. Such courses are an amalgam of a web-based course and a university class.
So, while, for some sessions, you have to go to the campus, you can attend maximum online. Typically, the on-campus ones involve clearing your doubts and acquiring knowledge on some complicated topics you could not understand well in an online session.
Collaborative online course
It is a more new-age online learning method. Herein, students take an online course, work together as a group, and collaborate to materialize their learning objectives. As part of this class, several students work together. They have shared learning objectives and incorporate teamwork to achieve them.
Group learnings are the focus of these classes. However, the educator or the student themselves consider the strengths and weaknesses of other students to work together, materialize their goals, and make the most of the course. They clear each other’s doubts and learn together. The popularity of the collaborative online class is high in the traditional classroom setup. But, given their offline rage, it will prove beneficial in an online medium.
Webinar
Webinars also see vast popularity because they present an option for the learners to interact with educators. Further, via a question and answers session, following the class, the instructor usually takes the doubts from the viewers and clarifies them.
Thus, they are one of the most interactive, real-time learning mediums. However, they are not the most flexible online learning option. The presenter will show a presentation and detail to the audience on the facts in it. The audience will comprehend it and ask doubts. Viewers find this learning medium engaging and friendly as they are short and less time-consuming for the learners.
Accredited online course
Strictly pick courses accredited by a renowned body or institute. It adds to the credibility of the class and ensures that as a student, you receive quality for what you pay.
Let’s Conclude Online Learning Formats
So, these are the seven most popular formats in online learning. It is an inclusive list, and many sub-types of these broad categories exist too. If you have any kind to add to the list, please share in the comments below.