Over the past year, the coronavirus has interrupted traditional classroom learning in Canada’s largest cities, leading thousands of Canadian families to explore the possibility of enrolling their children in online virtual schools.
But while much of the media coverage of online schooling has emphasized it as a short-term solution to a deadly pandemic, comparatively little attention has been paid to the merits of virtual schooling as a sustainable alternative to classroom learning.
The truth is that even before the arrival of COVID-19, online schools were already gaining ground as a way for children to pursue their education in a more self-directed and independent way — and there is a growing body of evidence showing that virtual schools may well provide a better foundation for the modern workplace. Here are just three reasons why.
1. eLearning Encourages Self-Direction
The past decade has seen a revolution in the workplace, with more and more companies choosing to hire remote workers. While working remotely can greatly expand employment options, it also requires a greater capacity for independence and self-direction. This can be a difficult adjustment for young people who have been taught to rely on the rigid structure of conventional classroom learning.
If you want your kids to learn self-discipline and time-management skills that will stand them in good stead no matter what industry they go into, you should consider enrolling them in an online school in Ontario that will provide them with the balance of support and freedom that can help them become more self-directed.
2. Studying Online Helps Build Soft Skills
Not only do virtual schools teach students to plan their time wisely, they also help them develop a whole range of other soft skills much in demand in the 21st century workplace.
For example, attending a virtual school can also help students develop their capacity for:
- Initiative
- Organization
- Self-regulation
- Collaboration
It is no secret that schooling (especially at the secondary level) is as much about developing useful habits as it is about mastering a certain body of knowledge. In the knowledge economy, these soft skills are just as important as technical knowledge — if not more so — and developing them early will lay a foundation for future success.
3. Virtual Schools are a Good Preparation for Virtual Workplaces
Just as physical offices tend to have a distinct culture, virtual offices have developed certain protocols and ways of operating that are unique to them. As many Canadians have learned in recent months, if you’re used to interacting with your colleagues, clients, and superiors in person, it can be hard to adjust to only communicating through Zoom calls and email chains.
Studying online and working collaboratively with teachers and administrators in a remote context is excellent preparation for a career in which you rarely have face-to-face meetings with your co-workers.
According to a recent poll on eLearning and COVID-19, 64% of Canadians believe that eLearning will continue to offer benefits long after the pandemic is over. This is in no small part because may parents recognize that their children are growing up in a fundamentally different world, one that rewards independence and self-direction.
By giving students a chance to take control of their studies in a more hands-on way, virtual schools are playing a vital role in raising a generation of workers ready for the challenges of the future.
