Why e-learning doesn’t work for me?
As a German language learner, I started learning German in 2015. I attended a German language school in Hong Kong for a year and passed the A1 exam. Due to my busy work schedule, I could not make it to school anymore, therefore, I decided to study online on my own. The program I enrolled was using the e-learning method. I got access to learning materials via their system. I went through the materials on my own pace and completed the grammar and vocabulary tests online as the system assigned.
After a few months of studying alone with the computer, my German did not progress. Below are the reasons why traditional online learning didn’t work for me!
- Long, dull and boring
I had to study on my screen for an hour to complete a chapter. Reading the long paragraphs and complicated grammar rules on my computer screen was really tiring. And there was no one actually explaining the language and the grammar to me! The learning process was really tedious and boring.
- Lonely and isolating
There were some online assignments and they were corrected by the system automatically. When I had a problem, I could either find out on my own or send an email to the language support center. I did not have any classmates as well. It was very lonely and isolating as I could not find anyone to practice and discuss together.
- Lack of motivation and pressure
Since there was no actual class schedule, I just had to study at my own pace. It was really a challenge for me as I relied on my self-discipline and motivation. At the beginning, I tried to study 2 hours every week. But later on, I became lazier and lazier, my progress was slow and I couldn’t even complete the course.
- Not evaluated properly
Language is all about communication. But the problem of using the e-learning material (same goes with gamified sources) was that I could only study with the computer, not with an experienced native teacher. Even if I completed the pronunciation exercises online, there was no one evaluating me and correcting me, my progress was not evaluated properly.
- Generic and passive
The materials offered by the system are universal, everyone gets access to the same learning content. The approach was nice as I could get all the basic knowledge of the language. However, sometimes I found the content a bit outdated and irrelevant. As I actually had to use German at work, I did hope for some more personalised training.
After a tough self-learning period, luckily I found FluentUp online. The FluentUp model really works for me as the learning method is revolutionary and innovative. I can find, book and take live lessons with video conferencing! Thanks to their great school connections, I found a school in Berlin which I would have never found without them. Via FluentUp, I could take classes online in Hong Kong with the school in Berlin. The school is really nice and experienced, they had all the updated materials, cool content and right teacher method to help me progress. My German teacher is also very qualified and supportive, and she is backed by the quality materials, methods and resources from the school. She knows that I need to use German at work, so she specifically gives me some related exercises and materials. It makes the course very practical. This kind of learning allows me to enjoy the interactive benefits of school learning in the comfort of my own home (It really saves me a lot of transport time and fees!)
If you are looking for some effective online language learning, your can try what worked for me. It’s easy as you can book a free trial with any school on FluentUp! Do you have any experience of online language learning? Feel free to share with us!
(The article was written by our student Mandy on November 2017 )
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