While online schooling, tutoring, and other educational courses and classes have been available online for years, COVID-19 saw a stark increase in their frequency. In the UK alone, the EdTech sector saw a 72% increase in 2020, valuing over £3.2bn, as students across all age groups began to switch to online learning and academics.
The rise in online learning, however, was a long time coming, given its ease, convenience, affordability, and flexibility, and the steady growth of technology, both in general and for this purpose. From smartphones to tablets and computers, to schooling, testing, and hobby-based apps, tools, websites, and platforms, the EdTech world is rapidly growing and evolving, and online learning is fast-replacing or complementing conventional schooling and educational methods.
According to the University of Potomac, 70% of students prefer online classes compared to conventional brick-and-mortar classrooms, while many of their peers enjoy a combination of both options. It comes as no surprise then, that so many parents and students alike are deeply in favour of this mode of learning.
Like 77% of other academic leaders across the globe, our Cambridge-based online British O level school also truly advocates for the intelligent use of technology to improve education and believes that it helps improve self-discipline, self-directed learning, and curiosity, offering the following advantages:
Our online British school encourages them to take charge of their education
Online learning and schooling encourage students to take charge of their education and schooling—engage in classes, build a routine, and apply discipline to their day-to-day lives.
Not only are they more inclined to enjoy the subjects they’re learning, but online learning will teach them to add structure to their day without the formal scheduling that conventional school systems do. They may have classes spaced throughout the day, or in the evening, and may get homework and assignments that are their responsibility to complete.
While the tutors and instructors at our online independent school are available to help, guide, and instruct students on what they need to do, students are still encouraged to take ownership of their own progress.
The more students feel involved, responsible, and accountable for their progress and results, the better they will perform because it builds a sense of personal interest and develops a greater vested interest in their academics. While challenges with attendance and participation arise in online education too, there has been a link between higher attendance and students’ verbal and psychological commitment to their class schedule.
This teaches us that students do feel ownership and act on it when given the chance to prove themselves and given a sense of independence.
Online learning at our British school helps students adapt to all environments
Another major contributor to students’ self-direction and discipline is the way online learning helps them adapt to different environments. While there have been several studies into the many ways classroom design affects focus and productivity, it’s also important to think about the alternative that our online international school provides.
Being away from a conventional classroom challenges students’ perception of a ‘learning environment’, and workspace, pushing them to find ways to adapt to wherever they may be. It encourages them to develop techniques that enable them to focus more, and increase their productivity, while also helping them explore their own learning styles.
Being outside a brick-and-mortar classroom and studying in common areas around their homes, libraries, or their bedrooms, among other spaces, will prepare them for finding what works for them and helps them maximise their productivity regardless of what and who is around them.
It doesn’t matter whether there’s noise, the humdrum of home life, other family members, siblings, and pets around them, or even free access to their gadgets and toys when they’re learning online, ultimately they’ll develop the ability to focus, and adapt.
Not only is this an important life skill during their school years, but will benefit them during their time at university, and as an adult in the workforce where they will be exposed to various kinds of environments. We offer high-quality British education online for children in locations such as the UK, Middle East, Europe, Central Asia, and other regions allowing them to study in a unique study environment, in a time zone similar to our team here in Cambridge, without the conventions of a standard schooling environment. We have students across different age groups, including Primary Prep, Lower School, Upper School, and Sixth Form engaging in our learning model.
There is a greater sense of productivity in learning at our online independent school
Speaking of which, one of the greatest perks of online learning for students is the comfort and convenience it offers, allowing students to explore new hobbies, interests, and passions without the pressure of rushing from one lesson to the next or being on a strict regimen.
Balancing the comfort of studying from their homes and safe spaces with other activities such as sports, crafts, art, etc. is a great way for students to enjoy themselves more while still meeting all their educational milestones.
Conventional schools cater to dozens of students at a time, with limited options for leisure activities that add to students’ development and progress, and pressure to abide by a schedule that doesn’t factor in their individual interests. From getting adequate rest to having spare time to socialise , improving other skills, working on their hobbies, to spending more time with their families, online learning enables students to do much more without stretching themselves thin.
Students across the world are burnt out due to a heavy academic workload, the pressure to compete against their peers, and develop multiple unique abilities, and doing that while attending standard school is extremely challenging. However, we’re helping change that by offering students located anywhere in the world a prestigious education from Cambridge, while participating in their home life and activities with minimal stress, and helping students learn at their own pace. We pride ourselves on being one of the best international schools online in our approach toward encouraging independent learning, self-exploration, curiosity about various interests, and using self-directed learning to explore hobbies and interests alongside academic pursuits.
They receive the space and support to ask questions
One of the advantages that our online British school offers is that classroom sizes are small. We teach groups of 8-10 students at a time, allowing for plenty of opportunities to stop, pause, reflect, and ask questions. When students are getting more time and individual attention in their online learning classes, they are likely to engage more, ask questions, and seek help and support—and that’s what our aim is.
By providing students with the space to receive help, they get more self-direction and identify where they’re struggling, what they can’t understand, what is overwhelming or confusing for them, and how they’d benefit the most.
Cambridge Home School Online’s team of educators is exceptionally talented, with MA/MSc/PhD degrees, and they play a vital role in encouraging critical thinking skills among students. Their guidance and support is what helps students reach their potential, and increase their chances of acceptance into top universities, and hone skills that will benefit them professionally too.
In fact, it’s because of our teachers’ commitment that our top online school holds a near-perfect score on TrustSpot.
We want students to be independent thinkers and have the ability to solve problems, raise concerns, and be used to asking for extra help. We foster an environment of meaningful learning which sets our students up for long-term success and provides them with goals and a direction to move in. Curiosity is the key to academic success and personal development, and we want our students to embrace it to the fullest, whether they’re 7 or 17. A mind with questions is a mind that’s active.
Students find new ways to interact with their peers and tutors
Being away from the conventional classroom and studying in online classes for secondary and primary education can also be lonely, however. Despite the engaging, social atmosphere we strive to create consistently, some students may struggle with interaction. But that’s where their own sense of curiosity and camaraderie comes in.
They will often find unique ways to interact with their peers and tutors, from video conversations to letters, emails, text messages, and various social media apps that bridge the gap. It’s incredible how our innate desire to be social is what drives students to build meaningful connections with their peers, despite physical distance. We work with students across the UK, parts of Europe, South Asian countries including Bangladesh and India, and other parts of the world, and many of them forge lifelong friendships through online schooling.
Friendship is a cornerstone of academic success, and peer groups have been known to foster intellectual growth, mutual respect, and development, and help students reach their academic and learning goals more effectively. Self-directed learning isn’t solely about doing homework and attending class without external reminders and discipline; it’s also about fostering key skills that students need to thrive.
Time management is a key skill that they develop this way
Time management is one of the greatest issues students face, regardless of what learning model their educators use. However, online learning has played a major role in pushing students to implement more effective time management strategies in their routines.
While classes at our online British school offer flexible scheduling, we do encourage students to take ownership of time management and scheduling more effectively. As a result, we have students from India, Bangladesh, and many other places learning from some of the top educators in Cambridge, while still managing their class schedules, assignment submissions, homework, tests, and other assessments on their own.
This is a key skill that’s a significant part of self-directed learning and focuses on choosing and implementing the most effective strategy for their individual needs, and working on ways to reach their goals without help from others. It’s not fear that makes them manage their time better; it’s greater efficiency.
They learn how to use different types of tools and technology
In today’s technologically charged and advanced climate, it’s nearly impossible to keep up with all the developments around us. New devices, gadgets, platforms, software, apps, tools are changing how we approach different aspects of our daily life. As a result of that, students engaged in online learning have a serious advantage over others. They have the latest tools and technology at their fingertips and learn how to make the most efficient use of it, saving more time, effort, and energy.
We encourage students enrolled in our online British international school to adopt technology in their lives to get closer to their learning objectives and goals. There are apps that are designed to improve memory and retention, make scheduling easier, track assignments and homework better, improve their writing and reading skills alongside regular classes and curricula, and create a learning environment that is more conducive to their goals.
Founded in 2002, our international online British school has been making Cambridge online education accessible to students across the world for twenty years, thanks to the advent of EdTech.
We have adapted the top EdTech tools to help students in Primary Prep/Key Stage 2 (ages 7 to 10), Lower School/Key Stage 3 (ages 11 to 13), Upper School/IGCSEs (ages 14 to 16), and Sixth Form/AS & A-Levels (ages 17 to 19), and offering our students and their parents many advantages.
From greater school-life balance, to top-notch academic results, healthy social interactions, time for hobbies, our students are excelling across the board. We also have a live chat box and email option for families that are looking to learn more about our technology, tools, and teaching model.
The world is their technological oyster and EdTech is the stepping stone they need to get closer to it. In fact, it’s also the way of the future, helping students use technology to minimise environmental impact from fuel costs, loss of money and time spent on conventional education, and other secondary benefits of online learning.
They can study, review material, and learn whenever they want
Seeing as how identifying human and material resources and using them effectively are also core tenets of self-directed learning, online learning helps students build a library of knowledge and information that is accessible to them.
We provide students with various kinds of educational material and content, including course material, supplementary material, tools, and the ability to interact directly with English-speaking educators from Cambridge. This allows students to go back and review material, study it again, and learn any time they want, based on their own convenience and needs.
As opposed to the conventional classroom where lessons happen once and students are expected to cope on their own, online learning creates a database of information and references that students can access and refer to independently. Additionally, they will always be able to do their own research, look for their own sources, and expand their understanding of a subject, which deepens their engagement with the syllabus.
Give your children a brighter future—get started with our online British school today!
Our British private online school offers several benefits and advantages to students and parents alike, including small classroom sizes, an incredibly talented and educated staff including subject specialist teachers with various qualifications including MA, MSc, and PhD degrees. You can take a look at our online application or explore our online classes for secondary and primary education programs, curricula, and more.
We accept enrolment at different points in the year, and you can take a closer look at our term dates and admissions process here, alongside our fee structure, bursaries and scholarships. If you’d like to speak to our team members directly, we encourage you to send us an email or reach out to us via our live chat bot.
You can also read our reviews and see what other students and parents have had to say about their experience with us!
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FAQ
What impact has the pandemic had on the growth of online learning?
The pandemic significantly accelerated the adoption of online learning, with the UK EdTech sector witnessing a 72% increase in 2020, demonstrating the growing preference for this mode of education due to its convenience and flexibility.
Why do students and parents prefer online learning?
Online learning is favored for its ability to allow students to take ownership of their education, offering flexibility to learn in various environments, and facilitating the balance between academic and personal interests.
How does online learning promote self-discipline among students?
Students are motivated to engage more actively in their education when learning online, as it requires them to create and adhere to their own schedules, leading to the development of self-discipline and time management skills.
In what ways does Cambridge Home School Online support students’ academic growth?
Cambridge Home School Online supports academic growth by offering small class sizes for personalized attention, promoting independent thinking, and encouraging the use of technology to complement learning.
Can online learning at Cambridge Home School Online prepare students for university?
Yes, Cambridge Home School Online prepares students for university by fostering critical thinking skills, enabling students to manage their time effectively, and providing a high-quality British education that is recognized globally.
