Even though we deeply believe in the power of online learning, this new educational paradigm that is becoming more and more powerful every day, can be sometimes challenging for our kids.
Not every kid understands from the very first second how beneficial this new way of learning can be, and in many cases, the learning environments they experience while learning online does not empower them to become the best version of themselves… and we get it, that might be frustrating for these little souls.
Since we totally understand that there are numerous challenges children face when learning either remotely, or online, we decided to bring them up in order to show you not only what those challenges are, but also how to solve them.
If you want your children to have an enriching online learning experience that’ll help them strengthen all the skills they will need in the future, take a look at these recommendations. Are you ready to enable your children to climb even higher? Here we go… Because we are here to help!
Motivating our kids while learning remotely
One of the most important things you must take into consideration is that your role as parents includes a number of things you might not even be aware of. Motivating your kids while they are learning online is fundamental, if you want them to really enjoy that experience and benefit from it.
But how can you do this? How can you motivate your kids to learn online or to enjoy the process? A good idea is to get involved in their projects. If, for example, your children are learning online to create their very own app, you could hold a brainstorming session at home, right before or after dinner. Share some ideas with them, ask them how they are going and understand from them, how you can help them achieve their goals.
Motivating your kids, in every aspect of their lives, and also when they are learning online, includes a number of details. If you know they are working on a project that involves animals, for example, you could come home one day with a book that’s related to the subject and give it to them as a present. If, on the other hand, they are creating their very own video games, you could encourage them to play board games with you and their siblings to get inspiration and understanding of how games should be structured.
See? Motivating your kids to learn online doesn’t require you to go online. As you already know, there are multiple unplugged activities that can assist you in the task of motivating your children.
The most important thing, is to make them realize that the screen time they are spending on this kind of activity is worth it, important, and not harmful at all. In short, be there for your kids. They should always know that you are there to support them, to give them ideas, and to understand that whatever they choose to do while learning online is worth it and important.
New educational paradigms
Online learning and gamified learning appears to show us that the days of the old, traditional classroom are numbered. It is impressive to think that our kids learn in classrooms that are structured in the exact same way as the classrooms our grandparents had, when they were studying.
The world has changed, and the pace in which new technology appears can leave anyone breathless, very easily. If we try to comprehend education as a “process of social interaction”, just as Vygotsky did, then we should go the extra mile and start thinking about how social interaction works these days. How are our children building relationships with their peers? In what kind of educational environment will they learn better and faster? What kind of problems do they need to solve in order to become future-ready?
What is clear is that we are living in the middle of the 4th industrial revolution, and that doesn’t only mean that the way our kids learn should be adapted to the current reality, but it also means that they will have jobs that, today, don’t even exist.
The traditional classroom isn’t relevant anymore. Online learning will become stronger every day. With the correct integration of elements from the Vygotsky or the Montessori approach, our kids will be much better prepared than us, to face a future we know very little about.
Online learning is here, now. Are your kids ready for the world of tomorrow?
Main challenges kids face with online learning
According to recent research, there are a few items you need to take into consideration to assure an optimal online learning experience for your little ones. If you do something to solve these matters, the learning experience your kids will have online will be phenomenal.
Can you imagine your children planning, creating, and editing their very own YouTube content? Or do you see them better designing and creating video games? Regardless of what they want for themselves, these points will help both you, and your kids.
Physical space and distracting elements
The physical space is important. Even if your kids are learning online, the space they use to do so is extremely relevant. As we also shared in our article about Homeschooling Tips, we recommend you prepare a nice environment for your kids to learn in.
When learning online, it is very easy for them to get distracted. Therefore, the space they have to do their online learning sessions should be clean, with the least possible amount of distractions, with lots of light, and if you can: with a very comfortable chair.
One of the main challenges children face while learning online is how easy it is to get distracted. That is why the physical space is so important. To also assure less distraction, make sure you pick an online learning environment for kids that constantly encourages them, and that has well-prepared instructors who will enable them to truly enjoy the class they’re participating in.
Make it fun! Gamified learning elements
Your kids want to have fun while learning. If they wanted to spend more time in a traditional classroom, they would just stay at school and online learning wouldn’t be an option (unless we are in a global pandemic).
Adding gamified learning elements to your children’s experience can provide them with advantageous skills to perform both academically and socially. For example, when one of your kids decides to create an app, the learning environment should be encouraging, supportive, entertaining, adventurous and interactive… but that is not enough! If that kid doesn’t have fun while gaining these numerous new skills, there is a big chance that those skills won’t be as effectively understood.
To assure your kids have fun while learning online, without turning the class into a big circus, but into a space where all students have the space to express themselves, to interact with each other, and to create stunning things together, pick a place that knows about online learning and that has been doing it for several years.
Teachers who are not prepared enough!
It is very important to have a well-prepared instructor. Another one of the challenges our kids face when learning online is seeing teachers or guides who don’t know anything about online teaching. That is why it is extremely important to make sure that your kids’ instructors know how to prepare an online lesson, and how to deliver it in the best way possible.
When teaching online, in a live class, all kids should feel comfortable to speak, talk, and participate in class. Making sure this happens is entirely the responsibility of the instructor. The instructor in charge of the online class should be trained not only to solve technical difficulties, but also to coach, encourage and push kids to reach their full potential.
The best way to learn is having a charismatic, well-prepared, and encouraging instructor who shows you that there are multiple ways to solve one same problem, and that all opinions are valid.
Learning by doing: Homework while learning from home?
Homework is old-fashioned. Why should our kids spend hours and hours learning either online or in a traditional classroom, to then spend even more hours at home applying what the teacher explained so slowly?
The most effective way to learn, especially considering that we are facing new educational paradigms being developed in front of our eyes, is to learn by doing. Learning by doing can help our kids reach their full potential, and prevent them from spending hours doing homework the traditional teacher didn’t even explain well.
When you give your children the possibility to experience hands-on learning, while learning online, you are giving them endless possibilities to create whatever they can imagine, and to become whoever they want.
If you want to, truly, empower your children, then let them learn with their own hands, and experience the content they are receiving from their instructors from an active and very interesting perspective.
Think differently. Coding can help!
The most important thing is to think differently, that is the key to reach the skies and to become a thought leader in tomorrow’s world. Thinking differently is something that can be learned, and even online. How? By learning how to code.
Coding is much more than just coding. While learning to code, your children gain numerous soft and hard skills that will be able to use and implement in the near future and through the long haul.
If you want your kids to have an extraordinary online learning experience, learn coding and strengthen a number of useful skills for the future, take a look at the online, live courses offered by Tekkie Uni. You won’t regret it, and your children will truly appreciate it. The time is now!
