Online training is on the rise 🚀 If the trend is not new, the health crisis we are currently experiencing has of course accelerated the phenomenon. Training from home, at your own pace, while benefiting from teacher support, this is the promise of most distance learning courses. But are they all valid?
For you Prep Academy has compiled a list of criteria to keep in mind when comparing the offers of different training centers.
At a time when the health situation requires training centers to digitize their content, it is wise to direct your choice towards specialists in online courses. Indeed, the OF-Covid survey, conducted by the Ministry of Labor and Regions of France , relating to the remote maintenance of the training activity, revealed that the training institutes originally offering only face-to-face had great difficulty adopting an online format. The main problems were technical and human: lack of content adapted to distance learning, poorly functional platforms, speakers not sufficiently trained in digital… It was the learners who paid the price.
So make sure that the schools that offer the training you are interested in have a technological and pedagogical mastery that will guarantee you optimal results.
You must then check the status of the online training center that interests you, in particular by ensuring that it:
The value of the title issued should be carefully considered . Are you promised a title or diploma recognized by the State? Take the time to check that it is registered with the RNCP (National Directory of Professional Certification). If it is a certifying training, it should preferably meet ISO 9001 and AFNOR standards , guarantees of quality.
The accompaniment
This is an essential criterion when the lessons take place remotely. Because training from home does not mean that you have to be alone, on the contrary. At PrepAcademy , we are convinced that online training makes it possible to be better followed than face-to-face, which is why our students benefit from:
But not all online courses offer this much. This is why it is essential to know what follow-up you will be able to claim exactly: how many copies will be corrected, will you have direct contact with the teachers, how can you reach an educational adviser… Your success depends on the level support offered.
The simplicity of the training platform
The internet platform of your future school is another determining factor in your choice. Finally, when it exists! Because many centers do not hesitate to present training by correspondence as online training with only a few online services! However, it is not enough to offer an email service or a few PDFs to download from a site to compete with the e-learning pros.
So what is a good platform?
The first criterion is simplicity. You must navigate the platform without difficulty, in an intuitive way.
The following should therefore be avoided: exchanges with teachers by e-mail and the sending of paper documents, in particular copies for which the correction time is thus considerably lengthened.
If your training center gives you the possibility, test it. Keep in mind that this is your future work tool.
The content of the training
If the preference for a type of content is personal (video, revision sheets, multiple choice questions, etc.), the quality of the courses and exercises offered is one of the criteria to be taken into account when choosing your online training. If you have the opportunity to test the school’s platform, take the time to consult the content offered. If not, ask for a lesson to be sent to you.
Do the contents of the training seem clear, complete and at the same time accessible to you? Then it’s perfect. On the contrary, avoid online training courses whose courses do not seem up to you.
You will indeed spend many hours using the content made available, they must inspire confidence in you. If they are not clear and complete, you will waste more time.
Contact the institute that offers this online training and try to find out who is behind the content : are they written by teachers from the school? Developed in partnership with a publisher of specialized textbooks? With a university?
However, not all schools offer this possibility, in particular those which are not originally specialized in distance education. Indeed, offering a personalized learning experience requires mastering advanced technological and pedagogical tools. And to benefit from it, it is necessary to favor the most innovative schools.
Why is this an important criterion?
Personalized training is not just about being able to decide on your schedule, the number of hours of lessons per week, etc. No, it is a question of adapting the proposed content and the learning path to your way of working, your availability and your possible difficulties. In short, to offer you training that looks like you, and which will not necessarily be the same as that of another student.
Of course, some lessons are compulsory, especially when it comes to obtaining a state diploma. But the training experience does not have to be standardized.
Learner engagement is always higher when their online training is personalized.
The possibility of going to the field Opting for online training does not mean that you will necessarily cut yourself off from the reality on the ground. Indeed, it is quite possible to follow the courses alternately or to carry out observation internships. For this, the training institute must be able to provide you with an internship agreement or offer a course eligible for work-study .