Published on May 10th, 2018 | by Sunit Nandi

Engaging Courses: How is Improved Learning Connected to Engagement and Entertainment?

Since its initial inception, the internet has certainly come a long way. Nowadays, there’s a good enough connection in pretty much every country except the most underdeveloped regions, allowing many people to join in on the fun that’s known as e-learning. That being said, some of the online courses are simply more fun and engaging than others. But why is this so?

1. The course has a practical application

Unless you’re after a very specific certificate that will allow you to get a promotion or the job that you want, most people are looking to learn the type of knowledge they can apply in a practical real-life scenario. Theory, as great as it is to help you understand a certain concept, mostly doesn’t have that element of engagement to it, at least in most of the cases.

2. There are projects to complete

Building upon the previous point we’ve made, it’s important that there are projects to complete in every module, or at least at the end of the course. As long as they’re relevant, their purpose is to test your knowledge to see if you can apply the teachings of the course in practice. Unlike the tedious homework you probably remember from way back in elementary school, this one is actually well thought out and designed to teach you something you’re probably end up using later on.

3. Your questions are always answered

Whether it be through live Q&A sessions or by contacting the instructor directly, the courses must be designed in such a way that you can get clarification if there’s anything you don’t understand. The online format allows you to rewind the video and watch it again whenever you desire, so that’s already a good step in the right direction; it allows you to listen to the confusing part again to clear things up, which is one of the most important advantages of online learning. But to truly get the ball rolling, in an ideal scenario, the courses should allow for some type of community engagement so that the students can interact between one another and help each other out.

4. There’s a laid-back vibe

For example, in every IT training you will want to watch, the instructor knows enough about the subject that he or she can make the call to joke around a bit (when it’s appropriate). This creates a laid-back atmosphere that’s free of stress, but still structured and formal enough that the students actually get to learn something meaningful while having fun and enjoying themselves. The takeaway is this: by making the courses as fun as they can be, that doesn’t mean they’re any less effective, it’s just that the students are naturally inclined to be more receptive towards the instructor that way.

Conclusion

Online courses are great; you dictate your own pace, construct your own schedule, and watch as little or as many as you see fit. If you’re after a certain certificate, they are now widely recognized worldwide and hold the same weight as the ones you’d get by attending the traditional brick and mortar classroom courses. But why not save money on travel costs and enroll online instead?

Tags: courses, e-learning, engagement, engaging, entertainment, improved, learning

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.