The Rise of the Online Educational Platforms
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of online educational platforms in Australia. These institutions have been offering different ways to make lessons accessible. For instance, platforms like Thinkswap offer and pay people to upload their notes on specific subjects. The online platforms will then use these notes for their enrollees to share.
A Brief History of the Online Educational Platforms.
When people think of any transaction done online, they would automatically assume that these pieces of technology are fairly new. That is not the case with online educational platforms.
As early as the 1960s, innovators at the University of Illinois developed the backbone for the online educational platform — the Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations or PLATO.
The computer system is popular in the 1970s and was able to produce 1000 terminals all over the world. PLATO offered various coursework ranging from elementary to university-grade. Like the modern-day platforms similar to Thinkswap, PLATO is complete with online forums and chatrooms, as well as instant messaging and remote screen sharing.
After the popularity of PLATO, companies released similar platforms with the same goal. By the 1980s, Scarmadalia & Bereiter creates an offline computer-based adult learning centre — the Computer Assisted Learning Center or CALC.
The 1990s saw a boom in the online educational platforms. This is because of the rise of the Internet, making it more accessible to the general public.
Within a decade, the online educational platforms developed from simply an online tutoring class to experimental summer school, and interactive learning.
By the beginning of the new millennium, the online educational platform is now a common option many students pursue. Institutions like Rasmussen University have expanded their online degree offer, as they are aware many students are in need of options that allow them to balance work, life and school.
Advantages of Online Educational Platforms
There is an on-going debate on which type of system is more advantageous: regular school system or online educational platforms. Although there are studies that back each claim, it is best to discuss why people are starting to prefer online educational platforms like Thinkswap nowadays.
One of the most promising advantages of taking lessons from an online educational platform is that it can accommodate the needs of every student. According to an article written in eLearning Industry, online educational platforms are revolutionizing the education system through sharing courses. With online educational platforms, people can take courses anytime and anywhere.
Why People Are Choosing Online Educational Platforms
Unlike traditional classes, people are encouraged to repeat courses for as long as they like. Through the platform, it is easy for students to access the coursework for review, especially during exam week.
One of the downsides of traditional learning is, it takes forever to get an updated syllabus. Online educational platforms always provide students with the up-to-date version of the syllabus to ensure that no one gets left behind in the lessons.
Students get the freedom to choose which topics or subjects they want to learn. Online educational platforms provide specific learning materials depending on the interest of the student.
Online educational platforms are relatively consistent in terms of communicating with the students. This consistency is the key to achieving a high percentage of learning.
Compared with traditional classes, enrolling in online educational platforms is cheaper. The primary reason behind this is that classes in online platforms are 25%-60% shorter than those in traditional classrooms.