Gone are days of sitting in a somewhat dreary looking lecture hall drinking copious amounts of coffee to stay awake and in are the days of educational sofa surfing.
But how lucrative is the online learning process in comparison to physical teachings?
Becoming accustom to the ever-speedy world of digital media, our brains cerebral cortex is facing a demise of our long-term memory and expansion of our short term, creating havoc in being able to concentrate for long periods of time and focusing for a sustained period without distractions.
Online courses have long been recognised with those who perhaps are unable to fully commit to a University or College programme, or some whom have family commitments and full time jobs. However, during the lockdown whether it is language apps virtual tutoring, video conferencing tools or online learning software, there has been a significant surge in usage since Covid-19.
Society as a whole has transformed into obsessing over on-demand teaching, with access to Ivy League programmes and virtual tutorials available in nearly every imaginable sector.
I, like many others have been drawn into the copious amount of online options, successfully completing four courses run by Google, HubSpot, Edx and Kering all of which gave me fluid insight into significant areas of growth needed to pursue my career as a luxury consultant. Tailoring my approach to weekly live lectures and handwriting my notes has enabled me to become accustom to the new age of digital learning.
However resourceful and extremely cathartic, I am reluctant to believe online learning is the way forward for education, if anything I find it extremely difficult to sustain, remain motivated and hold back from web browsing. It seems lightyears ago when daily lectures would consist of twenty something student’s attention glued to the professor at the front for hours on end, hand in hand with industrial sized appendices and a library card.
Looking back to the notion of attending University, it gave meaning and purpose to the thousands of pounds spent on fees in creating your lasting and most significant achievement, the dissertation, alongside spending endless afternoons in the paragraphs of psychological novels with a workspace cluttered with sticky notes and highlighters. Not only have my studies shaped my career today but also condition my working ethic and perseverance for development.
Sparing a few hours each day to focus on learning a new skill through lockdown is a proactive and profitable way to increase your personal brand and elevate your skillset, conditioning yourself to finish the course in a timely manner and reiterating your learning throughout is crucial to sustain your newly absorbed knowledge.
Although the process of watching video clips and completing end of session quizzes can seem laborious, there are some courses that use an array of mediums to aid in teaching using a combination of functional diagrams, video explanation and tests, to which I have personally found to be the most engaging.
With a hazy and tumultuous time ahead online learning gives positive direction to those unsure of where their careers may be heading, those looking to upscale their current knowledge and bring relief to those behind the times of digital expertise, online learning technology can play a role in expertise transition and is incumbent upon all of us to explore its full potential.
Here are some of my recommendations:
Fashion and Sustainability: Understanding Luxury Fashion in a Changing World by ual: London College of Fashion. On this course you will get an introduction to sustainable fashion design, research and business practice and explore key sustainability issues, agendas and contexts associated with luxury fashion.
Participants will learn the basics of inbound marketing, SEO, landing pages, blogging, conversion optimization, lead nurturing, and email marketing, as well as how they all work together for a cohesive and more effective inbound marketing strategy.
A free online learning resource that helps to build your PPC and digital marketing skills.
Learn strategies and skills for managing luxury brands within the hotel and tourism industry. Learn to analyse the essence of a luxury brand and learn marketing techniques and trends to better position your services.