In the past decade, e-learning has enhanced classroom experiences dramatically for children across the world, and even provides a virtually endless source of resources for teachers.

Let’s go through a few examples of how e-learning has improved our children’s abilities to learn new concepts and retain information.

E-learning As A Learning Aid

Clear memory recollection can be challenging to instill in our young children.

Therefore, when it comes to helping our children remember information more clearly, e-learning has attained the position of a learning aid because of the highly visual nature of e-learning platforms, software, and smart hardware that have been extremely helpful in recognition and recollection.

Learning through practical visuals are important because most children are visual learners; 80% of what they learn is through visual reception, according to VLCA (The Visual Learning Centers Of America)¹.

This is why e-learning is one of the most effective teaching tools that we can use to support our educational efforts and maintaining our children’s attention.

Many research studies have validated the positive impact of e-learning on helping children form clearer mental images and retain important information.

One such study on early childhood education discovered that children who had watched a video of a trumpeting elephant had much longer lasting and clearer recollection compared to children who had only seen a picture of that elephant.

Additionally, videos in general provide children with a broader aspect of the presented topic/object, compared to a plain 2D image.

E-learning’s Positive Impact On Learning Skills

Apart from remembering information, children are more motivated to follow and work with schedules when they are provided with the support of e-learning.

Group work is also augmented with the help of e-learning when children are working together on e-learning platforms that encourage them to collaborate to reach a collective goal.

E-learning can also support children mentally and emotionally, no matter if they’re winning or losing. When performing a task or solving a problem with e-learning, the lack of finality and the ability to try again can help to foster a more resilient and pragmatic mindset from a young age.

In addition to scheduling, group work, and emotional support, another edge that e-learning has over traditional learning is helping children develop better hand-eye coordination and motor skills, which can improve their capabilities to solve problems.

Practical E-learning For Bright Path’s Students

At Bright Path Inclusive Preschool, we provide e-learning at specific times to enhance certain learning objectives, such as during:

1. “Circle Time”, where we gather children around to learn new concepts in relation to the curriculum and daily living skills.

2. Small and large group learning when introducing new concepts.

3. Visual representation of abstract concepts.

4. Music time (visual of the music is not shown in this case, as it takes away the element of auditory learning)

The Future Of Education

In today’s post-digital era, it is no question that the usefulness of digital media have become a permanent part of not just our own day-to-day activities, but our children’s lives as well.

Likewise, schools are investing more in learning with digital media, with a rapid incorporation of e-learning in various subjects and programs. At the fast pace where e-learning is developing rapidly, traditional fixtures like blackboards may very soon be replaced by interactive whiteboards and other digital tools.

While a child may differ in learning styles from one another, most children are visual learners, which makes the visual presentation of e-learning extremely purposeful in your child’s early childhood education.

Disclaimer: The benefits of e-learning have their place, but the amount of time and exposure to e-learning should and must be based on parent’s discretion as prolonged exposure may be disadvantageous to children.

References

¹ Visual Learning Centers of America. The Connection Between Vision & Learning.  Accessed 19 December 2019. https://www.vlca.com/visionlearning.php/