What is Online Learning? Pros & Cons, Top 10 platforms to study online

Online Learning is a process of studying & gaining knowledge through Internet without meeting a teacher in a classroom. With the help of online learning, students can get full access to all the services of Classroom Coaching wherever and whenever they want as per their busy schedule.

To make the learning easier and convenient for students, most of the traditional classroom coaching have started providing education over Internet. This entire process is called Online Learning or e-Learning which is more flexible from offline learning.

Using an online learning platform, students can do the following -

·        Acquire knowledge about any topic

·        Request or answer questions

·        Interact with other people(students/teachers) by using e-mail

·        Group activities and studies

·        Join online discussion forum by using their computer, mobile or any other device

Computer based learning gives control of lectures to the students, so that they can replay or stop the lectures as per their own choice. Today, thousands of students are connected to the online learning.

Here, I am describing the complete information of E-Learning with its resources, pros and cons, and sharing the top 10 platform to study online.

Online learning/ E-learning Resources

Online learning/ E-learning provides the following resources, which help the students to learn in an easy and fun way. These resources are:

Videos

• E- Learning provides the information through video lecture.
• A study examines from a classroom which shows that videos have slower and step by step lecture style so that students can easily get and improve their knowledge.
• Video learning environment is designed in three ways.
  1.) In first way of designing, videos have complete absence of attention not a user friendly. Students can’t interact with others.
  2.) In second way of designing, videos include graphics/ cartoons and sound clip that provides a strong learning technique. In this type of designing students learn in a simple and easy way and can interact with many other students.
  3.) In third way of designing, less graphics/ cartoons were used and sound quality is not so good.
• Learning benefits are consistently best with design 2.

Text format

• Online learning provides the complete information in test format in which students can read, discuss, and make notes.
• Many sites provide the Test format learning and discussion forum, where students can read the articles, blog posts and discuss queries from others all over the world.

Images

• Online image learning gives the knowledge through an image.
• Students can make an illustration and learn easily and quickly.

Audios

• Audio includes recordings from online sources.
• Podcast recording from instructor or other narrated presentations.

Assessments

• Students take interest in tests and quizzes
• Projects can be completed individually or as part of a team
• Written, video or audio assignments are also a part of it.
• Proctoring tools to ensure the academic integrity of course assessments.

Pros and Cons of E-Learning

E-Learning is different from offline learning. It has many benefits and some disadvantages.

E-Learning Advantages

There are several advantage of E-Learning which is given below:

Faster delivery

• E-Learning provides quickly information whatever students want.
• In E-Learning, students can find the exact information which they want to know.
• Skip the information that they already know.  

Time and money saving

• Save your time in unnecessary travelling. 
• Reduce time from workplace.
• Save money in cost of travel.
• Students pay only for that information which they want.

Scalable and flexible

• Learn anywhere anytime.
• E-Learning provides the students to create and communicate the new ideas, concepts etc.
• E-Learning easily fits in your daily schedule.

More effective E-Learning 

• E-Learning increases productivity and learning capacity.
• Increase students’ development and personalized learning.
• E-Learning encourages to share your ideas.

High Learning Retention 

• Students can easily learn for long duration.
• Knowledge is transferred from short term to long term memory.
• Students can apply the learning to the real world.

Improved collaboration and interactivity among students

• E-Learning provides collaboration with experts.
• You can interact with others to increase your knowledge.
• You can discuss your problem through many discussion sites.

Avariety of Program & Courses 

• E-Learning provides you a variety of courses.
• It is connected globally so you can learn any course your place.

Career Advancement

• Students can get a degree/ certification from any country.
• You can grow your career to learn more.

E-Learning Disadvantages

E-Learning grows your career but have some disadvantage. Major disadvantages are given below:

• No face to face interaction with experts, fellow mates, and Less interaction with video conferencing because students can learn courses through videos, audios, images etc.
• Students always need motivation to grow their success but E-Learning doesn’t provide the motivation.
• Students always need reliable Internet connections. Without internet you can’t see your lecture videos, audios and discuss your queries.
• Students always required self-discipline.
• Computer knowledge is very important because only those students can learn online who have computer skills.

Top 10 Platform to study online

Eduncle

• It is India’s Largest Online Learning Platform which currently provides all the information of government entrance exams like IIT JAM, UGC NET, CSIR NET, SSC, IBPS, RRB and GK, Current Affairs through blogs/ article/ video tutorial.
• In future, it will be providing information of all entrance exams.
• It provides previous year question papers, mock test series of all entrance exams at free of cost.
• Study materials are provided in an easy to understand format through E-Learning, Printed Material, SD Card, Pen Drive, and Tablet in and reasonable price for both users who have the internet access or not.
• It includes 2200+ practice questions with solutions from which students can easily practice without giving any other mock tests.
• Eduncle provides full time (24*7) highly experience and qualified faculties to solve and discuss the users’ problem. 
• It develops the user skill and provides the COD for study materials and sometimes gives discount to buyers.

Bankers Adda

• It caters all Banking, SSC, and Insurance related exam and provide all the information of exams through the articles. 
• Students can get the knowledge about any topic through a video which is provided in both Hindi / English language.
• Students can get the current affairs and practice the test series of any exams.

BY JU’S

• It provides all the information of some courses and competitive exams like CBSE, ICSE, CAT, IAS, GMAT, GRE, JEE, NEET, and Bank Exam through videos and articles.
• Students can discuss about any courses and exams with experts and other students through discussion forum.
• It provides mock test series to prepare for the exams.

Meritnation

• It provides the information of JEE/ Engineering, NEET/ Medical, CA- CPT, BBA, NDA etc.
• In meritnation, students can ask questions and answer to others’ queries, get the study material, books, solve the practice papers, mock test. 
• It also provides video solutions, testbook solution, live sessions for various courses.
• Students can call anytime and take guidance from experts.

Shiksha.com

• It caters various exams which are JEE Mains, UPSEE, COMEDK, BITSAT, WBJEE, JEE Advanced, GATE, and all engineering exams. 
• In this platform, students can easily select the colleges according to their undergraduate and post graduate courses in India and abroad.
• It provides authenticate information of 14,000 institutions for 40,000 plus courses and 3.5 million students has registered.
• Students can ask questions, participate in discussion from experts, and stay updated to latest news, articles etc.

India Education

• It is a largest network which offer all the news related to education. 
• It provides some courses details, colleges list and cover government exam related to management, civil services, law, engineering, medical etc.
• Students can take guidance from experts.

Jagran Josh

• It helps the students for preparing the entrance exams and provides the study material, E books, previous year question papers with answer, mock tests, and discussion forum.
• It provides tips and strategy, notification on examination, experts’ advice, GK, and current affairs.
• Its study material is available in video tutorial.

Khan Academy 

• It provides all the information in more than 36 languages so that students can easily understand in their own language.
• It caters the SAT, MCAT, GMAT, IIT JEE, NCLEX-RN, CAHSEE exams for test preparation.

Testbook 

• It includes all the courses which is related to Banking, SSC, Insurance, CIL, GATE, Railway, RBI, GK and Current Affairs etc.
• It provides Testbook and Current Affairs application, mock test series, and all the details of all courses through blogs.
• Students take advise from experts and discuss any topic from other students.

Gradeup

• It includes Bank & Insurance, SSC & Railways, UPSC civil services, MBA Preparation Exams, JEE & BITSAT, Medical Entrance, GATE, and Teaching Exams and provide all the details in both Hindi/ English language.
• Gradeup provides experience faculty for guidance.

Here, I have described all the information of E-Learning with pros and cons. I hope, now you have complete information of E-Learning. If you have any doubts please comment below, I will always be there to solve your problems.

Thank You for Reading!! J