“The E-concept in modern Virtual Jobs”
Over the past few years, Freelancing has become a popular mode for online jobs. Instead of being employed by a company, freelancers tends to work as self-employed delivering their services on a contract or project-basis. This is an efficient way to deliver services to the clients with the support of technology. It allows workers and clients or business owners to communicate in any location. Instructions can be recorded and will allow workers to readily access the material at any time. Various software such as google meet, cloud meeting, zoom conferencing, and other media platforms assist workers and clients adapt to the new normal. However, this is a bit challenging for both client and freelancers who are more involved in this type of business experience. There are pros and cons that comes with freelancing jobs. Let’s mention a few.
Advantages.
Working at the comfort of your home. Rushing to take a shower and most often missing the most important meal of the day trying to avoid rush hour is not a problem any longer. Goodbye traffic! The time spent to travel from home to workplace is now a minute away in the new normal. No more stress to catch an early morning office meeting. A day’s routine is much simpler. You can refresh your knowledge with the previous lessons on a loud speaker while sitting at the table enjoying your favorite meal before classes begin. Resting during noon breaks in a lax sofa is a comfort. Enjoying home cooked snacks prepared by your mother in between classes is a joy.
Teaching methods become a lot more creative. With the help of modern technology, learning is never boring. Kahoot and Quiziz can be access for educational interactive games! There are a lot of applications that can contribute such as YouTube, Canva, PowerPoint presentations to enhance the method of the teachers and indulge students to listen to the lengthy topic during classes. Students in return participate more actively while learning.
Learning responsibility. Students and teachers meet via online, so we have to involve ourselves and set a daily routine. Take time to set up the gadgets use for learning and log in earlier. Make sure that all devices like speaker, mic, headset, and camera are readily available and functioning. If in any cases that you will be having troubles with connectivity, inform your teachers that you won’t be able to join classes. Imagine the feeling of the teacher talking to their students without seeing anyone on cam. Even opening the cameras during class discussions is a responsibility for an online student. Having to manage our time wisely without the constant reminder of the parents is one big example of being responsible.
Lesser distractions. Online distance learning limit the disruption normally happening in standard classrooms. Disturbances inside the classroom especially in a large group can be the source of stress for many students. Some fail to focus on the subject matter because of the improper behavior of some classmates, or the noise that students have to bear through the rest of the subjects in standard classrooms. Through online modality, these can be narrowed. Students can concentrate more and participate well in class if they are at home where there is much less noise and distraction.
Disadvantages.
Technical difficulties are unavoidable. Stable internet connection or strong mobile data at home is needed to participate in class. A backup is necessary should there be sudden power interruption during discussions. There are also devices that have to be considered. Just when we think that we are ready, things start to complicate like malfunctioning of speakers and headsets, or laptops and tablets crash. Not just that, the online platform that the school use encounter system maintenance. There are a lot of things that need to be considered. Unlike in a classroom set up where you attend normal classes, listen to the teachers, take down notes, and pass the subject without worrying too much.
Limited electronic resources. Consider family members sharing one yes, only one computer to be utilize at home. What about those students who are less fortunate to have their own devices? There are some who would only borrow phones to attend classes. Some could not meet the deadlines of the required tasks because of the unavailability of gadgets. Another problem is the data allocation. Parents has to provide extra so that their children can attend school. Although there are local internet café that provide free access, this in not always reliable to complete the requirements of the school.
Being complacent. Students tend to become lazy to attend classes. Some choose to play online games during discussion. Others lose focus. They become distracted of the many website readily available over the internet. Most of them have no parents or guardians to monitor them of their activities. Unlike in the normal classroom where students’ action are always monitored, guided, and disciplined by teachers.
Excessive exposure to screen time. This is the biggest concern of online learning. Having to spend so many hours in front of the screen is a health hazard. Children will develop bad posture by sitting hunch in front of the computer for hours. Small breaks from the screen in between classes is helpful to the students especially to their health and wellness.
In this new modality, learning will never be the same. The typical way of integrated knowledge has evolved. Education together with technology introduce us to the modern world of E – learning, where digital platforms and brilliant minds collaborate to help us better understand the new concept of education. Change is everything. We must learn to embrace the digital culture of the new normal. This innovative experience will bring us closer to our dreams sooner than we expected.