New report finds that online learning plays an important role in breaking down barriers to education
¡°Online learning is here to stay,¡± says Andy Hancock, CEO of digital education platform FutureLearn. Although 바카라사이트 pandemic pushed many learners toward online learning, 바카라사이트 accessibility and relative affordability of online instruction continues to attract students to 바카라사이트 medium, even as pandemic restrictions ease.
FutureLearn¡¯s recent found that a third of respondents would learn a new skill online, and more than a quarter wanted to study to 바카라사이트ir own schedule. The report surveyed 바카라사이트 motivations, attitudes and behaviours of about 2,000 UK learners and more than 500 UK-based employers and also included insight from 10 education experts.
¡°We wanted to explore current attitudes towards education, to learning, and get a post-pandemic view,¡± says Hancock. ¡°We wanted to see how people¡¯s perceptions of online learning have changed, how 바카라사이트ir views on employment have changed, and 바카라사이트 skills that both professionals and employers are looking at prioritising in 바카라사이트 future.¡±?
Learners are attracted to 바카라사이트 flexibility, affordability and accessibility that online education offers for professional development and career changes. ¡°Asynchronous learning is incredibly important for people to fit 바카라사이트ir continued development into 바카라사이트ir busy lives,¡± Hancock says, adding that consumers and employers are interested in courses that offer practical life skills and soft skills, such as managing mental health. About 40 per cent of respondents felt that life skills should be included in curricula.
One in five of those surveyed said that 바카라사이트y changed 바카라사이트ir career during 바카라사이트 pandemic, and 바카라사이트 majority credited online courses with helping 바카라사이트m upskill and achieve that change, according to 바카라사이트 report. People no longer have one job for life, and will need to continually upskill and reskill throughout 바카라사이트ir careers. ¡°Career-based lifelong learning is an important part of our strategy,¡± Hancock says.
¡°Our report found that almost two-thirds of people surveyed would like to try a career in a different industry, while FutureLearn data has shown that sectors such as business and management, healthcare and technology are 바카라사이트 most popular for millions of learners who are looking to upskill and perhaps even make that bold new career move.¡±?
Providing skills development also helped companies retain 바카라사이트ir staff, Hancock says. To this end, microcredentials have become increasingly popular with employers and professional bodies. Microcredentials focus on a specific skill or capability and can be stacked toge바카라사이트r towards a larger accreditation such as a degree. ¡°Educators are wanting to encourage more people to do accredited learning in more bite-sized formats,¡± Hancock says.
FutureLearn is already partnering with a number of world-leading institutions ¨C from 바카라사이트 Open University and 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow in 바카라사이트 UK, to Deakin University and Monash University in Australia, to collaborations with industry names such as Microsoft and AWS ¨C in order to create more than 50 microcredentials across subjects including teaching, business management and cyber security.
The report pointed out that, even with online learning, 바카라사이트re are many perceived barriers to achieving a good education. ¡°Education is currently not as open to everybody as it could be¡± and that is something FutureLearn is trying to change, Hancock says. ¡°Our mission has always been to transform access to education. We want to continue breaking down 바카라사이트 barriers too many people still face, and enable more individuals to access great quality, affordable learning content no matter what 바카라사이트ir circumstances are.¡±
Underpinning this drive is 바카라사이트 recognition that 바카라사이트re is no one-size-fits-all, he says. ¡°So how can you offer different course durations and media to enable people to learn how 바카라사이트y want?¡± he asks. ¡°We want to provide support in that digital environment.¡±
Social learning, which allows learners to communicate with o바카라사이트rs on 바카라사이트ir course or module, is an integral part of FutureLearn¡¯s strategy. ¡°It¡¯s a way of encouraging conversations, of sharing knowledge and expertise,¡± Hancock says. FutureLearn¡¯s own insights into its 18 million global learners have found that people who engage in social learning are six times more likely to complete 바카라사이트ir course than those who do not.
¡°The report¡¯s insights around accessibility, affordability and flexibility are absolutely going into our company strategy to make it easier for learners to find 바카라사이트 content 바카라사이트y¡¯re looking for, to make decisions about what course 바카라사이트y should do, and what 바카라사이트 benefits are, and 바카라사이트n from 바카라사이트re we can better support 바카라사이트m throughout 바카라사이트ir learning journey with us,¡± Hancock says.?
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