GuruLab is unearthing the treasures of online learning
The explosion of online learning has opened up a treasure trove of innovations, which allows tutors to teach more effectively, and students to learn more efficiently.
Let’s face it – the COVID-19 pandemic has changed society as we know it. Movement restrictions imposed by governments (like our MCO) have forced businesses and organisations to shift everything to online platforms. Hawker stalls have turned to GrabFood and retailers have relied on Shopee. But what does this mean for education in Malaysia?
In Malaysia, schools were closed for nearly 35 weeks as of September 2021 – the longest school closure in the world! It comes as no surprise that online learning has become a necessity to ensure teaching and learning remains uninterrupted. In fact, the explosion of online learning has opened up a treasure trove of innovations, which allows tutors to teach more effectively, and students to learn more efficiently.
So what exactly are the treasures of online learning?
1. Tutors teach more efficiently
The teaching and learning experience can be made more enjoyable and efficient with various digital tools like YouTube videos, BBC podcasts and gamified quizzes. By coming online, teachers can move beyond the conventional blackboard and textbook. Tutors can employ various tools to conduct their lessons in ways that they never imagined before! When students complete gamified quizzes like Kahoot! during lessons, they understand (rather than just passively memorise) the study materials better in a fun and interactive learning environment.
2. Accessible by students anywhere, anytime
Rushing to school and tuition centres used to mean having to commute for long periods of time, especially when taking into account the possibility of getting stuck in traffic (Klang Valley jam is no joke). With online learning, students can roll out of bed and attend classes with the click of a button (not that we recommend this but you know what I mean). The accessibility allows students who were previously absent from classes because of geographical restrictions to learn from anywhere. Students can even watch recordings of classes they missed or rewatch lessons whenever they want. Remote learning also allows parents to be aware of what and how their children are learning (so no more MIA students!).
3. Various options to meet students where they are
Obviously, no one student is the same! The beauty of online learning is that you can identify where students are and cater to their needs. When students learn online, they no longer have to be forced into a singular one-size-fits-all classroom.
We at GuruLab believe that no student should be left behind, and we do this by employing data and learning analytics in the design of our proprietary programmes and the conduct of our classes. Our tutors are empowered to identify skill gaps among our students and differentiate instructions based on the students' proficiency levels. This way, we ensure that we cater to the unique needs of every student so that they can have an effective, enjoyable and effortless learning experience with us.
Treasures of online learning might be hidden or buried by surmounting limitations. But we at GuruLab want to turn those limitations into opportunities.
1. Customised Support
In a conventional classroom setting, students attend in-person classes and interact with their teachers and peers directly by making small physical movements. However, in online classes, students may turn around to see their siblings arguing or their pets trying desperately to get their attention. As a result, students may feel more detached from the classroom because they may not have the chance to ask questions or follow up on lessons and homework on a one-on-one basis with teachers.
Rest assured that, at GuruLab, features on our proprietary app include assignment trackers and teaching assistant support during and after classes, supporting students whenever needed. Arranged in small classes of 25, students will also feel more personally connected to our tutors and each other. Not only does our GuruLab app offer an in-app chat function for students to contact tutors about any problems they have with classes or homework, but it also allows tutors to send personalised reminders, scores and feedback to the students directly!
Our GuruLab personalised experience makes in-class activities fun and engaging, resulting in improved learning retention for our students.
2. Make classes fun and engaging
When a student’s learning space is just a 13-inch display screen, it is easy to get distracted by the sound of a phone message notification, or their siblings having a fight behind them. Staring at a screen may also feel tiring, making it harder for students to focus for long periods of time.
That is why GuruLab has Education Specialists employed to design proprietary methodologies and materials to provide an effective teaching and learning environment for our students. GuruLab’s lessons are accompanied by ‘checkpoints’ every 15 minutes throughout a session, in the form of polls, quizzes, videos etc. to encourage participation and interaction among students. These methods and materials are tailored to be engaging and fun to help students stay focused and enjoy their lessons.
Our lessons are also structured to not overload and overwhelm students, to avoid negatively impacting students’ attention spans.
3. Equip tutors with knowledge and skills needed
Online teaching may pose challenges for teachers who are not fully equipped with the skills and knowledge to navigate the complexities of video-conferencing tools and education-related softwares. This will thus affect their ability to conduct their lessons effectively, which often leads to a mere replication of a conventional classroom setting on an online platform. After all, tools remain mere tools without the proper training to effectively use and engage them.
We train our tutors on how to leverage technology to better engage our students as we pave the way forward for a more efficient and effective learning experience.
What we offer at GuruLab is much more than an online “classroom”, and our tutors are not your average teachers. Besides being graduates from top-tier universities (e.g. University of Cambridge, Imperial College London and University of Malaya) with many years of teaching experience, our tutors have also been trained to effectively use online tools and resources in their arsenal of teaching techniques. This includes our exclusive GuruLab app, an app in which students can attend classes, participate in in-class activities, complete assignments, pay their fees and more.
The growing usage of technology in our society and the disruptive effects of the global pandemic have highlighted the importance of the virtual world. Online learning is definitely here to stay. Here at GuruLab, we aim to provide the most effective online learning experience which paves the way forward for the advancement of your children’s education.