Learning online is very different from traditional classroom learning. These are some of the differences.
| Classroom learning | Online learning |
|---|---|
| Student and teacher meet each other real-time. | The teacher often responds to the student later. |
| Fixed hours. | Students can learn any time. |
| Students live close to school. | Students can be anywhere in the world. |
| The teacher is the expert. | The mentor is a guide helping the student to apply knowledge to his life. |
| Only a few students will ask questions. | Many students will ask questions, as they cannot listen in to what others are asking. |
| Feedback on the learning process comes naturally. | Feedback needs more work. |
| You can teach a lot in one sitting. | Content needs to be delivered in smaller pieces (not more than 20 minutes at a time). |
| Students are a captive audience. | Students will quit easily. |
Yet other things remain the same.
- Students need to know what to expect from a course.
- How students engage with the content is more important than the content itself.
- It is more important that the teacher / mentor is motivational than that he knows everything.
- Genuine interest in students will lead to good relationships and great learning.