Schoolrooms are no longer synonymous with reading, writing and arithmetic. Welcome to the digital classroom, where students independently supplement traditional book learning with podcast, chats, downloadable lectures, social networking components, web-only course content and academic blogs. Considering the curricula diversity mandated by state or school regulations, it is more important than ever that educators gain access to custom training software and adaptable applications to meet the changing technology-based needs of students preparing to enter the future workplace.
In fact, the largest needs for custom eLearning development solutions fall in classrooms serving Pre-K-12 students. A 2011 report by Ambient Insight Research predicts that eLearning implementation in classrooms will rise steadily through 2015, reflecting an industry shift from corporate clients to the 21st century academic classroom.
The same survey reveals that the trend toward the virtual classroom is not limited to the United States, but is international. India, China and Malaysia are expected to have the highest increase in self-paced eLearning by 2015, and gains are also being seen in Latin America and Eastern Europe.
Why is this trend continuing? The major factors contributing to the eLearning environment involve cost, convenience and student engagement. Course content can be retrieved anywhere, reducing the cost of school operations and personnel. New mobile app development allows students to be connected to their course material anywhere. Further, multiple learning styles can be engaged through technology, allowing students to develop deeper life-long learning strategies.
Many educators agree on these benefits, but the fact is that eLearning experiences can only be effective with clear learning goals and outcomes. Educators must have access to the proper training to clarify how to best apply eLearning solutions to their own classrooms. Therefore, schools should work with a company that can individualize custom software application development. The learning outcomes should be factored into this process.
It is best also to consider the ways in which user-friendliness can be factored into these eLearning models, particularly for students who do not have previous eLearning experience. With the right support from software developers, schools can establish web-based classroom components, or even a completely virtual classroom, to help students acquire the requisite technological skills for tomorrow’s global marketplace.
Contact Stacey Burris at sburris@csesoftware.com or 1.309.670.7595 and ask for an eLearning demo today!
