Chapters
Before we start with the real deal, let’s start with some interesting technological facts!
Did you know that distance learning in Canada has increased by over 58% since 2015? According to Marguerite Wotto, from the Journal of Educational Technology Systems of The University of Québec, it has experienced a massive increase across the country in the last few years.
By 2017, at least 65% of Canadian institutions, including universities, experienced significant growth in their online learning over the previous years. It’s not a secret that nowadays, almost all Canadian universities and other educational centers provide online learning. There are a lot of growing expectations for higher education and other educational centers to migrate little by little. Well, it seems that the future is now!
But how do you know if online education is right for you? Online education will give you a lot of alternatives to continue updating your studies or to obtain the training you want, however, online education may not be for everyone.
Do you want to find out if online education is for you? Let’s make a little test!
- Do you consider yourself a very organized person?
- Do you have the self-discipline to keep yourself on track?
- Is it easy for you to stay focused?
- Do you consider yourself a self-taught person?
- Do you feel comfortable with technology?
- Do you stay comfortable staying on your own for long periods?
Online education can open many doors for you by giving you a more flexible schedule and the possibility to go at your own pace. However, you need to analyze yourself and figure out if online education is right for you. Maybe before signing up for any online course, you can ask yourself these questions to find out if you are ready to become an online student.
How does technology impact learning?
Let’s start from the beginning. Nowadays, technology has impacted almost everything in our lives, and education is not the exception. The technology it's a great opportunity for students to access millions of learning tools anytime, from anywhere. In contrast with past decades, today we have the great advantage of massive educational tools at our fingerprints. To have the best education is not necessary for you to even leave your bedroom. You have no more reasons not to start studying mathematics as soon as possible!
Surfing the Internet you can come across great online libraries, audios, videos, podcasts, study blogs, just a click away from you. Learning through the Internet allows you to choose when, where, and how you will learn. All the educational tools that you can find on the net are generally very flexible and easy to use. Not all of them are free, but you can be sure that you can choose which option best suits your budget and the one that works best for your learning process! Studying today is far from being boring!
Moreover, you can also find great opportunities for formal education such as online learning platforms, MOOCs, and even online degree programs, with the possibility to be awarded a certificate at the end! Online courses can help you boost your professional career by continually updating your skills, or working as a source of learning. Let's imagine you work in the banking sector but your passion has always been the psychological sciences. Online you can find very interesting MOOC courses about positive psychology, behavioral change, and the history of mental illness, for example, that can help you start immersing yourself in this interesting discipline. Now you just have to organize yourself with your time at the office, and voila!
No matter what you want to study or what skills you want to learn. If you are looking to upgrade your Mandarin skills, learn how to play piano, learn how to make ravioli pasta, or sign up for a master's degree online, go ahead! Take advantage of all these possibilities that the internet offers you, you won't regret it!
Technology has revolutionized the way of learning forever. In today's education, students are more responsible for their learning. And, to be one step ahead, schools and universities across the country are adapting their learning spaces to establish these new models of distance learning, without losing the interaction during the study sessions. The correct use of technology can make the teaching and learning process more enjoyable if we know how to use it to our advantage.
To get deeper into this, we can review one by one the advantages and disadvantages that online learning can have.
Pros and cons of online learning
As you see, online learning has become more and more popular in our education system. If you are still hesitating about going for it or not, you can go through the following advantages and disadvantages of online learning and make up your mind. Like this, you can decide to give it a try!
Pros:
- Online learning will give you access to unlimited resources. You will be able to access the most up-to-date information about a specific topic. You have no more need to go to your classroom or spend hours in a library to understand algebra; you are just a few clicks far from becoming the math expert you want to be.
- Online learning could be more affordable. Since the demand for virtual learning continues rising, educational resources have become more accessible for everybody. The Internet helps everyone stay on board, without their academic performance being affected by other circumstances.
- You can choose between real-time learning or going at your own pace. One of the best advantages of online learning is the flexibility it can provide you. You can gain control over your learning process while finding a balance between your other activities.
Cons:
Well, since perfection does not exist, here are some not-so-great points to stick with if you decide to study online.
- Excessive interaction with technological devices: Using mobile phones and other technological devices throughout the day may cause negative effects on the brain. The daily exposure to a huge amount of information, social media, video games, etc. may reduce the attention span, and this could affect the teaching and learning process.
- Inability to perform daily cognitive activities: Maybe we need to start putting some restrictions on the use of technology since we will not be able to perform day-to-day activities without it, gradually losing our problem-solving abilities.
- Isolation: The excessive use of technology can affect our social interaction. As the impact of technology keeps on growing, the diagnosis of some form of depression does too. As a result, we need to engage in face-to-face interaction with other people. Let's throw a party!
- Technical Issues: Nothing is worse than audio, video, or network connection problems during an important online meeting, during class time, or worse, during an exam, and the thing is, it's something you need to get used to if plan to enroll in online courses. But do not worry! You can adapt to all circumstances if you have the motivation!
Well, maybe after spending a whole day in front of your screen trying to learn the basics of algebra, you can decide to put on your runners and go to do some physical activity with your friends! Like this, you can avoid feeling overworked, you can oxygenate your brain to be better focused, and most importantly, help reduce the risk of suffering from depression by producing some lovely endorphins!
The best ways to learn online
Taking online courses can be one of the best ideas to acquire new skills. However, it may be a bit challenging for some people to complete their education. If online learning is the best method for you to study, go through these practical study tips to stay the most focused and motivated possible.
- Keep yourself organized: It is important for you to set goals at the beginning of your study, and prioritize the most urgent things to address. It is very recommended to write down visual reminders of your assignments and their due dates. Like this, you will have enough time to finish all the tasks and avoid working under pressure.
- Create your schedule: You need to know how to manage your time. Designing a weekly schedule may be a great way to keep your mind organized. Having good time management skills is one of the keys to success. Give priority to your study time, and to the tasks that are most important, but also to other activities that bring you happiness. Especially, to outdoor activities that push you to go out of your house. Changing the environment constantly is also recommended for better concentration. What is better than going to your favourite nearest park?
- Create an optimal environment to study: Having a good internet connection, a laptop, earphones, a webcam, and a quiet and illuminated space can boost your productivity and promote your online learning successfully.
- Avoid any distractions: For staying focused, you need to put aside your cellphone, log out from your social media and turn off the TV as long as you are studying. An active study time without distractions will help you get better marks and a greater satisfaction process.
- Do not procrastinate: We tend to procrastinate because we feel afraid, insecure, or we are passing through a lack of motivation to accomplish a certain task. However, having temporal distractions and avoid doing your task on time, will make things worse, ending up stressed and paralyzed. To prevent this, try to make a plan and write down the main ideas to know exactly when you have to sit down and face them.
All these recommendations must help you to make the most of your online study sessions, and also make some time to chill out. The secret of happiness is in finding the balance!
Where to study online in Canada?
On the Internet, you can find Canadian educational platforms that offer great online learning. In OntarioLEARN, eCampus Ontario, Contact North (Ontario), eCampus Alberta, BCampus (British Columbia), and in the Virtual University of Canada (UVC), you can find high-quality online education to upgrade your skills, get a diploma or degree, and improve your professional opportunities. Through these platforms, you will join an extensive network of online students, so if you are interested in disciplines such as administration, education, health, information, and technology, sign up to be part of the community!
Moreover, some of the most recognized Canadian universities also offer online learning, such as The University of Toronto, University of Alberta, McMaster University, Queen’s University, and the University of British Columbia. You can also be registered to educational platforms such as Coursera, Linkedin Learning, Khan Academy, Udacity, and edX to follow online learning for free. However, if at the end you want a certificate of attendance, you can pay for it online. And no worries, most of them are affordable for all pockets.
On these learning platforms, you can filter the results to get better findings, as well as the level of education that suits you the best. You will find programs for beginners, intermediate, or advanced learners, and courses associated with health and medicine, computer science, business, engineering, programming, education, social sciences, mathematics, and personal development. And even, you will be able to practice your language skills! These online learning courses are also offered in English, French, German, and Russian!
In addition, these platforms are also MOOCs providers. MOOCs are massive open online courses with unlimited participation and open access to anybody. Usually, they are free or not so expensive and were designed by different recognized Canadian universities, such as The University of Toronto, University of Alberta, and the University of British Columbia. According to the Journal of Educational Technology Systems of The University of Québec, 50% of French-Canadian institutions already offer great MOOCs courses. Definitely worth a look!
Why online tutoring is a good idea?
You decided that studying online was a good method for you to score good marks at school. However, you find yourself still struggling to understand differential and integral calculus. You have already decided to go through the official site of Coursera Canada, and you found a course called "Differential Calculus through Data and Modeling" offered by Johns Hopkins University. You attend the first course, you panic a little and you start wondering when you got lost in life.
Hey, take it easy! You are not alone! We have all struggled with a certain subject during our school years. Maybe the best next step for you is to improve the learning of that specific subject that is making your mind crazy, such as Calculus, but with the help of a private online tutor!
What is online tutoring?
Online tutoring is academic support provided by an expert tutor, and usually, the classes are delivered through the Internet, computer, or tablet, etc. The tutor and the student meet online rather than face-to-face, giving great flexibility for both to start the study session from anywhere.
Private online tutoring will help you to address those topics that are not letting you sleep at night. A private tutor will provide you supplemental help to clarify all the doubts you may have with the best-personalized sessions, following suitable study methods, and giving you the mental peace to finish your class assignments just in time! Having a private online tutor can be a great decision for you to score the best marks! Or maybe just so that your life goes by calmly.
Here you will find some great advantages that a private online tutor can provide to you and your education.
Benefits of having a private tutor:
- The flexibility of online tutoring: Online tutoring will offer you way more flexibility than traditional teaching. Since everything is done virtually, you can decide where and when to take your study lessons. Even if you are not at home, you just need a good internet connection and a laptop to avoid skipping any tutoring sessions.
- Practicality: You can take your online sessions from the comfort of your home, skipping all the public transportation and the never-ending traffic jams. Online tutoring will be the most convenient option for you to save some time since the furthest you will have to go is to your laptop!
- Access to the best tutoring: It does not matter in which part of Canada you are living. With private online tutoring, you can have access to the most qualified and experienced tutors. Even if they are located on the other side of the country!
- Price: Private traditional lessons are expensive sometimes. However, with private online tutoring, you can feel free to choose the most convenient online tutor for you, and your pocket.
- Instant fit: With online tutoring, you can choose the tutor that better adapt to your study goals, schedule, and level of knowledge. Online tutoring platforms make it easier for you to find the tutor that best fits your needs.
- Safe and secure: Online tuition platforms meet the highest safety standards for you to feel safe during the payment of your online sessions.
Did you need any more good reason for you to try it out? Check out more advantages of private online tutoring with Superprof!
Where to find the best online tutor?
Give it a try with Superprof! Superprof is an online tutoring platform where you can find more than 16 million tutors across the country. Amazing, right? Well, we are just warming up! In Superprof, you can find the perfect tutor for you to attend online or even face-to-face lessons. It does not matter what you want to learn or improve. You can choose among hundreds of subjects!
It is a perfect opportunity for you to try yoga classes to relax, or maybe start those chemistry lessons to get ready for the Canada Science Fair (CWSF) (maybe you can figure out how to make a volcano burst with the help of your chemistry tutor!), or learn how to cook the best beaver tail for winter! (Hurry! the cold season will arrive in a blink of an eye!)
Do you want to know more? Go to the official site of Superprof Canada. Choose a subject, and add your address, city, or neighbourhood. You will have access to all the tutors available near you who teach the subject of your interest. In addition, you can consult each profile to find the perfect tutor for you. Learning has never been this easy!
What more advantages you can get with Superprof!
- Access to the background of each private tutor and the reviews that other students left about their experience with them. You can go through their professional experience and studies to pick the best for you.
- Compare the price of a one-hour lesson between tutors and select the best option for you. It’s all about being friendly to your pocket.
- Possibility to have the first private lesson for free. This free try-out will help you to find the perfect match. It’s all about chemistry and compatibility! And it is going to be the perfect moment for you to express questions you may have and get to know their way of working.
- Select the best tutor for you according to your skill scores. Here there is space for beginners, intermediate, and more advanced levels of study. If needed, our private online tutor will look for the perfect tools for you to improve from scratch. There are no excuses for not achieving it!
Find the best online learning in Canada with Superprof! The best study sessions and the perfect online private tutor is a click away from you. It's just a matter of you trying! and believe us, you won't regret it for a second! Superprof is here to team up with you.
The platform that connects tutors and students
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