1 in 4,500,000,000
Making a connection in a vast and overcrowded online world.
Once upon a time in 1969 the U.S Department of Defence awarded contracts for the ARPANET project (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network). A single computer to computer connection was made that formed the very foundation of the internet that we see before us today. This was shortly followed in the Autumn by the first ever peer to peer message sent from UCLA student Charley Kline to the Stanford Research institute. The message was supposed to read ‘LOGIN’ but unfortunately Charlie only managed ‘LO’ before the entire system crashed!
Granted, these were baby steps and the internet did not start to take shape until the early 80’s but the first connection was the start of a change in the way we communicate for ever.
1 connection!! What does that equate to today? Well, it is estimated that there are currently 4.5 billion global users who have active connection and use of the internet. We use the internet in every aspect of our lives, to find information, solve problems, socialise, store and share files, watch movies, shop, bank and of course, for our education!
Online training is not a new concept to us by any means. Electronic distance learning has been around since the 70’s when virtual campuses were born offering degree programs through ‘telecourses’ a mix of recordings, tapes, telecommunications and radio.
Fast forward to 2020 and Covid-19. None of us had expected the unparalleled acceleration that the online training world has seen due to distance learning initiatives.
Online training does present various challenges for training providers and for students. At PhoenixFT we still believe that the best way for students to pass ACCA examinations is through face to face classroom learning delivered by qualified and experienced tutors. We encourage our students to speak out, ask questions, form opinions, and engage in group discussions. Our tutors are all very approachable and welcome students’ questions before and after class. It is this classroom interaction that enables the connection from tutor to student.
In an online world we must do everything in our power to ensure that this connection can still be felt by each and every student. Why? Because in an online environment, students sometimes find it difficult to remain focused, to be disciplined and stay on target, to complete tasks on time and they can feel distanced from their tutors and peers.
At PhoenixFT we also believe that the answer to a successful online course does not lie in long LIVE Lectures delivered from classrooms. Students find it too difficult to remain energised and focused for extended periods of screen-time, they may also struggle to interrupt LIVE delivery to ask questions and longer sessions can make searchability of content a difficult experience. At PhoenixFT we have designed an online learning experience that offers short, concise, and energised pre-recorded topic videos and lectures supplemented by LIVE interactive doubt clearing sessions all delivered through a state-of-the-art content sharing platform. We focus on multiple touchpoints throughout the course, high levels of tutor interaction, peer to peer messaging and constant tutor contact and support through phone, email, WhatsApp study groups and online webinars and meetings. We encourage all students to make the connection with their tutors, as if they were stood in front of them in the classroom.
During the lockdown period and through the September ACCA examinations we quickly deployed our online learning platform and we have been amazed to see the levels of interaction between tutors and students throughout the online learning experience. The feedback has been immensely positive, students have adapted quickly and it now opens up a world of possibilities for our students to tailor their ACCA accountancy courses to their requirements whether that be face to face, online or a combination of both.
We encourage our students to make that connection with their tutors. Online learning is here to stay and we will continue to develop our resources to keep our students engaged, to feel connected and most importantly to achieve a pass on results day!
Come and pay us a visit and we can show you the ACCA study packages available whether that be face to face or online. Our door is always open and our IP addresses unblocked. You can contact us to make an appointment on the details below.
Let’s connect!
James Winder Operations Manager Phoenix Financial Training
dubai@phoenixft.com 04 570 5994
