ONLINE TEACHING

Contents
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................................3
2. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION.........................................................................................4

2.1 Why people choose online education?.........................................................................................4

2.2 Pandemic and online education...................................................................................................6

2.3 Online education tools and techniques........................................................................................7

2. 4 Examples of successful online education.....................................................................................7

3. PHYSICAL VS. ONLINE CLASROOM......................................................................................................9

5. CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................11

6. REFERENCES.....................................................................................................................................12

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1. INTRODUCTION

Today, on the threshold of the fourth industrial revolution marked by technologies that
are changing extremely fast, constant development and acquisition of new knowledge are a
necessary constant in an individual's life and are a key factor in the development of his career.
The dynamics of modern society also affect the changed needs of people in the field of
education. There is a growing need of the individual for applicable, open, flexible forms of
education, which he/she can include in their fast and full rhythm of life, and immediately
transfer the acquired knowledge to the business environment. Online education responds most
successfully to these needs, so it is not surprising that online education is one of the fastest-
growing areas in the world and which is gaining ground in Bosnia and Herzegovina, albeit
somewhat more slowly, but still persistently. Online study today is not only an alternative to
classical study, but it is an equivalent way of studying which is primarily due to its
availability and flexibility more and more widespread and popular. The sudden introduction
of online studies in the world means that many higher education institutions have started to
implement programs in a virtual environment. The initial difficulties were to be expected,
given the speed with which the world’s higher education had to adapt and move its programs
to the Internet.

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2. THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION

We learn all our lives. No matter what field we work in, things change so fast that we
have to supplement our knowledge all the time. Many times we want to gain knowledge in
completely new areas, whether it is new career challenges or creative leisure time. We are
more and more often faced with the desire and need to continue our education, that is, to
further our education. And immediately afterwards we are faced with the eternal question:
When should I be educated with all the obligations? Fortunately, there is modern technology,
which steals a lot of our time unnecessarily, and at the same time this good feature, which
sometimes saves us time. Online education allows us to learn anywhere and anytime, all we
need is a computer and internet access. We can choose a short evening seminar or webinar on
a specific topic, or a week, maybe a monthly online education or you can do a complete study
online. The revolution in education known as E-Learning was caused by technological
development. According to Pearson (2020) Online teaching is the process of educating others
via the internet. Various methods can be used, such as one-on-one video calls, group video
calls, and webinars1.

2.1 Why people choose online education?

No choice runs out of reasons, which speak in favor of online education, especially in the
period when we are employed and really do not have much time for additional knowledge, but
we really need it. The reasons people choose online education are as different as we humans
are. The most common reasons why people choose this form of education are as follows:

1. Flexibility- Online education allows you to gain new knowledge despite your busy
schedule of business and family responsibilities. You schedule your time and pace of learning
yourself, and you are not dependent on pre-determined schedules. Learning is proven to be
more effective when you learn when you are motivated to do so. Turn on your computer
wherever it suits you and get started…

2. Comfort- You study anywhere and anytime, in an environment where you feel comfortable.
You don’t have to leave the house, you don’t have to dress up, sit comfortably in your home
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A seminar conducted over the internet.

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environment, and you can be in your pajamas as well. And the nervousness before the exam
is less in the home environment. It is true that exams can also be stressful, namely, you are
supervised when performing homework, but you are still in your home environment, where
you feel best.

3. Lower costs- Online education can be up to twice as cheap as traditional education. You
don’t have to pay travel expenses, tolls, parking, you don’t have to go to the library, you also
don’t have the cost of printing and copying books. You can already find many providers of
completely free online education on the market.

4. You are never alone- The technology allows you to get in touch with professors through
various communication channels, with longer forms of education they are joined by online
mentors, who monitor and guide your progress. There are also a huge number of
communication channels at your disposal, through which you can communicate practically
24/7. The materials are mostly in written and video form, and are available non-stop, so you
can review them in peace after the lecture, when you have more time.

5. Networking and competencies, which employers value- Participants in online education

are more skilled in using computers, through forums, chats and team tasks they learn to
network and use the right information. Acquired competencies, such as communication,
teamwork and time management, are also useful in the workplace, which is highly valued by
employers.

6. Health reasons- Pupils and students with special needs, with learning difficulties, with
physical and mental limitations, which prevent them from attending classical forms of
education, are also welcome in the online family.

2.2 Pandemic and online education

This "lockdown" situation has brought to light what has been known for a long time, but
has always been somewhere in the background - the digitalization of business and education
is desirable, even necessary. Digital education platforms have been around for years and it is
high time we start exploiting their potentials in all spheres of our lives.

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Even before the pandemic, the education technology industry grew regularly. Global
investment in technology development in 2019 reached $ 18.66 billion, and the overall online
education market is projected to reach $ 350 billion by 2025.

But with the onset of the pandemic, the world is rapidly turning to online education - language
applications, virtual teaching, various video conferencing tools or online learning software are
recording a massive increase in use. Online learning provides diverse groups from different
places to participate in education and training for advancement in further business careers.
Attendees, be they students, employees, directors of large companies or interested enthusiasts
can attend the same educational programs tailored to their hectic work schedules, time
differences or any other "life" factors whenever they wish. A study by Udemy, one of the
world's largest online education platforms, found that in the first month of the pandemic,
demand and the number of users of online education courses worldwide increased by a
staggering 425%, with lecturers creating 55% more new courses, while the use of online
communication and material sharing platforms in the business and government spheres
increased by 80%. Although some of the shortcomings of online education include the
complex use of online platforms and software and the need for technological knowledge, the
acquisition of new knowledge via the Internet has not changed the principle of education
itself. Attendees are still required to take exams, solve various tasks, communicate with the
lecturer and other attendees, and although most online courses include educational materials,
it is advisable for the attendee to keep their own notes. On the contrary, the advantages far
outweigh the disadvantages - the flexibility of consuming lectures is a "motive" that we must
emphasize again and again - the possibility of mobile learning is a liberating component for
many - learning from home at a time when we can best understand new knowledge is a
concept that could become standard. In response to the significant increase in demand for
digital educational solutions, many e-learning platforms have expanded the scope of their
services - BYJU2 has rapidly expanded its content offering. According to BYJU CEO Mrinal
Mohit, since the beginning of the pandemic, BYJU has seen a 200% increase in the number of
new students using their product on its Think and Learn app. The aforementioned Udemy, a
world-renowned online education platform, has also seen a remarkable increase in the number
of new users and newly installed educational content.

2.3 Online education tools and techniques

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An Indian educational technology (edtech) and online tutoring firm founded in 2011 by Byju Raveendran.

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 Zoom is a leader in modern video communications featuring a simple and reliable cloud
platform for video and audio meetings, conferences, negotiations, trainings and webinars. It
can be used with the help of various electronic devices (mobile phone, computer, laptop,
tablet, etc.). It allows the use of basic tools used in communication with multiple people.
These include: sharing documents, photos and videos, sharing screens with communication
participants, using an online writing and presentation board, recording communication with
MP4 or M4A. We use zoom to teach, i.e. to form virtual classrooms in which lectures are
held. During the classroom lecture, you have the option to turn on your microphone and say
that everyone present can hear you, turn on the camera so that others can see you, send a
public chat message to others, and leave the classroom after the lecture. By combining
multiple tools, online learning becomes real magic! So, for example, if we use Zoom and
Google Drive at the same time in class, we will wonder how computer-free education existed
at all. Google Drive is a synchronized online service that appeared on the market in 2012.
This online platform allows you to store and share documents between users. This means that
a sufficiently imaginative teacher (not just a language) can have a class via Zoom, while using
the content he shares with the student via Google Drive. If a student writes in a shared
document via Drive, the lecturer can follow the entire written activity at the same time.

2. 4 Examples of successful online education

I would like to refer to four examples of successfully conducted online education. In terms of
academic education, traditional and distance education have long been equated. Since
academic online education has existed, BA, MA and PhD degrees obtained by attending
college or online have the same credibility. In Italy, the online University eCampus
(Università degli Studi eCampus) is well-known, which provides basic and master's academic
studies. This school is famous for its online approach. The university was founded in 2006 in
Lombardy. It is accredited and has several offices throughout Italy. Attendees can study on
campus, combined or only online, which is especially important for citizens living outside
Italy or the European Union. The online programs are organized in such a way as to enable
regular meetings with professors who cooperate within five existing faculties, twenty-two
graduate and fourteen master modules. Students who opt for online studies are required to
take exams several times a year at a specific time at one of four locations. All learning
materials are shared between professors and students on online platforms designed for
discussions, exchange of teaching content, papers, ideas, etc. In addition to examples of
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formal academic education, referring to the Courser and Italki projects, I would like to
mention a few quality examples of non-formal online education. How do these three models
of education work? What do they have in common, and how do they differ? Courser's site has
universal access to the world's top education. This is an educational platform through which
the world's best universities offer MOOC3 programs. The programs are led by professors from
universities such as Harvard, Princeton, Oxford, Cambridge… They are usually thematically
summarized courses in the field of natural, social, technical sciences, art or design. Each
participant can choose completely free courses, follow the proposed literature and video
content through the digital platform on which they log in. Participants do not have to take
exams during or at the end of the course. However, all those who successfully pass the online
exams in accordance with the set deadlines receive a certificate. The project encourages the
idea of lifelong learning. On the other hand, it enables getting to know certain scientific fields
through cooperation with the world's most famous experts. In that way, the individual has the
opportunity to get to know a certain discipline that he believes he is interested in, before he
decides to deal with it in more detail. The Italki site is also a valuable example of online
education. While Courser is a free platform that provides various educational programs to
potential attendees, Italki is a profitable online marketplace for those who learn or teach
foreign languages. The site is focused exclusively on language and cultural education. It is
open not only to individuals who receive knowledge, but also to those who are willing to offer
intellectual services. Those interested in learning foreign languages are invited to open a
profile in Italki and get in touch with speakers and language experts who are interested in
them. Regardless of whether he is learning foreign languages, anyone can become a lecturer,
respecting the set criteria. There are two types of lecturers in Italki: Community Tutor and
Professional Teacher. The Community Tutor can teach his / her mother tongue without
adequate education, while the Professional Teacher is obliged to enclose documents proving
the qualification to teach his / her mother tongue or foreign language in the application
process

3. PHYSICAL VS. ONLINE CLASROOM

One of the biggest cultural changes in education has occurred with the transition from the
traditional classroom to the digital field. The development of modern technologies and the
Internet has enabled not only creative, functional and interactive teaching, but also changed

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A course of study made available over the internet without charge to a very large number of people.

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the way of teaching, as well as the relationship that a modern individual can have towards
education, but also self-education. According to Duggleby (2000) Face - to - face
education is teaching and learning where a significant component requires the presence of
both, learner and teacher, in the same physical space at the same time. This definition also
includes a physical classroom whose advantages and disadvantages are as follows:

 Schedule is fixed and pre-decided

 Class duration is fixed
 Classes are teacher–driven and teacher-centric
 Evaluation involves taking tests
 Handing in manually-graded assignments
 Students can be a homogenous group, sharing overlapping social circles and customs
 Students typically fall within a similar age profession, or academic background
 Traditional teaching tools are used, such as lecture notes, charts, blackboard writing,
showing physical models, laboratory experiments, etc.
 It’s hard to address the needs of different levels of learners in a single class. If there
aren’t additional resources available for groups such as slower or gifted students, they
often have to make do with a one-size-fits-all average class
 Common distractions include breaks, student interruptions, and administrative details
 It is difficult for professionals to attend courses for professional development, due to
work and other commitments making it impossible to find something that fits their
schedule and location. (Banerjee, 2021)

In online classroom:

 Schedule can be flexible, according to the needs of both teacher and students.
 Class duration is easily extendable, instructor and student time permitting.
 Schedule extra classes at your convenient time and study from the luxury of home.
 Students can be a heterogeneous group, even global, with a variety of non-intersecting
(and perhaps conflicting) social circles and customs.
 Classes can be technology-driven and learner-centric, with the teacher as a facilitator.
Teachers have better teaching tools to effectively engage learners. Virtual classrooms
allow students more freedom to create, experiment, explore and steer the class.

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  Teachers and students collaborate online via audio, video, and text chat.
 Automated evaluation conducted through online tests. Results are quick, accurate, and
completely transparent. Generate feedback through online polls and immediate results
so that further class learning is steered accordingly.
 Classes are recorded, including audio, video and even screen. Students can review the
instructor’s exact explanation and methods, and administrators can review both the
instructor’s and students’ performance.
 No travel costs. Teach and learn from anywhere. (Banerjee, 2021)

''There are differences between physical and online learning, in the hands of a well-trained
teacher, both delivery methods can be used to achieve the same goals. Which one you choose
depends on the logistics of delivering your training as much as the subject matter being
taught. However, in an more and more globalized workplace, live online lessons are
becoming an increasingly obvious choice for any professional development program.'' (Will,
2021) Indeed, online teaching can be of the same quality, in some cases even better than
traditional teaching, but only if it is planned and implemented in the right way. Online
teaching enables the continuation of education to a larger number of the population, not only
during the pandemic, but also in cases when pupils or students live far from educational
institutions, when they work and support their families, to mothers on maternity leave.
Perhaps it is best to take advantage of everything. Online enables a wide flow of information.
However, one should attend traditional schools, at least while they still exist. If for no reason,
we will meet the right people there. We will have the opportunity to socialize, and we need
that, because despite the progress, we are still human. Live communication is natural, and
through it one can also learn immensely.

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5. CONCLUSION

Is online education the future of learning? Opinions about the future of online learning
are divided. A minority believe that an unplanned and rapid transition to online learning will
result in a poor user experience that is not transient for sustainable growth, while a majority
believe that a new hybrid model of education will emerge, with significant benefits such as
easier and more efficient access to chat groups, video meetings, document sharing and many
others. For a population that has access to adequate technology, online learning can be more
effective in a number of ways. Some research shows that students on average retain 25-60%
more material when learning online compared to only 8-10% in the classroom. The Internet
allows students to learn faster online - e-learning requires 40-60% less time to learn than
traditional because students can learn at their own pace, going back and reading again,
skipping or accelerating through their own concepts. We have yet to see whether the transition
to online learning can be a catalyst for creating a new, more effective method of education
and whether online learning will become the "new normal".

6. REFERENCES
1. Banerjee, G. (2021, January 10). Traditional and Virtual Classrooms – What’s the
Difference? Retrieved on 5/01/2021, from WIZ IQ: https://blog.wiziq.com/traditional-
and-virtual-classrooms/

2. Braine, . G. (1999). Non-native Educators in English Language Teaching. Routledge .

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3. Duggleby, J. (2000). How To Be An Online Tutor. Routledge.

4. Pearson, C. (2020). Perfect guide for teachers to learn everything you need to know
about online teaching. Dario Fantauzzo.

5. Will. (2021, January 10). Key differences between classroom and online learning.
Retrieved on 10/01/2021 from :https://www.ef.com/wwen/blog/general/key-
differences-classroom-online-learning/

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