How do you like online home-based learning? What do you like, what don't you like? What do you enjoy the most?
Closing schools and starting what is known as “online learning” was something of an unexpected “adventure”. Even more unexpected was the duration of this adventure, which lasted more than a year. However, it has been an absolute pleasure for an introvert like me to be able to study from the comfort of my own home, where my personal space does not get violated. I was able to communicate only with the people I wanted to communicate with. What I found very beneficial about online learning was that it enabled me to manage my time better. This saved me the journey to school - on average an hour a day - and as a result, I had much more time for relaxation and hobbies, which normal school often does not allow me.
Nor was the online school any obstacle to participation in various seminars and competitions. While learning online, I took part in a national competition - “Ambassador for a day” run by the British Embassy in Bulgaria, and I was chosen as the winner. This enabled me to take part in online seminars organized by UNICEF and the Association of European Journalists with people from all over the world. As a result, I have improved my key skills and made important new contacts.
To my great regret, however, this award, like any other, has its downside. While everything was more than wonderful in the beginning, I gradually began to notice that my level of concentration had dropped while studying online. One reason for this was the fact that classes were interrupted too often due to connection problems. However, I also believe that this was also due to the fact that this freedom and the lack of strict control gave us the opportunity to do several things at the same time. We also learned how much easier e-learning was compared to face-to-face school, which significantly lowered motivation. Nevertheless, I am by no means against online learning. To be completely honest, I would say that I enjoyed it the most because of this fact - I did what I wanted and when I wanted to. In my cosy pyjamas, I could follow the class while drinking hot chocolate.
What do you think are the advantages / disadvantages of studying from home?
In the two years, students became familiar with both the advantages and the disadvantages of online learning. Personally, I think that online home learning could be described as a double-edged sword. The most important advantages consist of the time saved and the freedom that goes with that. This enabled me to personally manage my time better, while I learned flexibility and independence. Another argument in favour of this was to be able to study at my own pace, which is not possible in school. There was no time pressure, which gave me enough space for my individual progress. There was also much less stress than in school. On the other hand, I was more easily distracted at home because I never focused on just one task. I also have to say that working for long periods at the computer was tiring because we were also expected to present our homework digitally.
What kind of teaching or learning would you like for the future?
I would like to be able to study online at least 2 days a week in the future, if not all the time. I would add that I need my privacy, which is not possible at school. In my opinion, combining online learning with face-to-face schooling is the best option and also represents a step into the future.
Describe what a digital school could look like for you in 10 or 20 years?
If you asked me two years ago what the digital school of the future might look like, my answer would be very different from what it is today. I might have written about 3D holograms. Today, however, I think that there will be no essential difference between today's online learning and the digital school of the future. 10 or even 20 years is not enough time for great inventions. That is why I believe that the digitization of schools will be expressed in the fact that digital devices will become an integral part of learning. The students will then use tablets instead of exercise books.