Since the Covid pandemic online study has taken off. We caught up with Konstantinos Samiotis, Online Programmes Director for our Business School, to discuss how we provide online teaching to our students and the benefits of digital learning.
By Cara Fielder. Published 7 December 2020. Last updated 24 May 2023.
Years ago, I studied an online programme which gave me the worst impression of online education. Since then, I’ve committed myself to improving online students’ learning experience. It’s now a whole new world. My days tend to be particularly busy now, as online education has become more important than ever, for both institutions and students. I share my time between ensuring our students get the best online learning experience and planning and developing the Business School online programmes.
My involvement in online education dates back to 2010. I had a long engagement with Laureate International Universities, both as online faculty and as an academic manager and director for the online business and management programmes for its UK partner institutions. Later, I worked for the Open University which immersed me in the intricacies of educational inclusion and enabled me to offer my expertise in the success of the MSc in human resource management, the development of the new online MBA, and the use of massive online open courses (MOOCs) for degree-learning purposes.
Online education has become more and more popular among learners, even before the pandemic. Learners opt to study online because it provides the opportunity to study in places, and with institutions, they could never have imagined. They can also study subjects they have never thought of. However, the most important driver for choosing online studies has been flexibility and convenience. Learners can choose the pace of learning, adapt it to their lifestyle and commitments, receive it in their own space, and without having to abandon or pause any of their income-generating activities.
Online education allows students to plan their studies around their commitments. Its strongest benefit is that students don’t need to interrupt their careers, and it offers them opportunities to reflect on their practices and their effectiveness. Online study also offers opportunities to integrate modern lifestyles with learning environments, for instance learning through their smartphones, and interacting using social media. It also tends to create stronger inquiry skills as engagement with the learning materials and activities are continuous.
I’ve heard many students’ stories during my career in online education. The first-time experience of learning online is always critical for the formation of the final impression. During the first time, online students tend to have to cope with several challenges: time management, academic skills etc. The initial frustration quickly turns to confidence to cope with autonomous and self-paced learning. Students feel grateful for the acquired skills and how they can apply them beyond their online study.
Online education has gained strong ground among study and self-development preferences over the last few years and can now more confidently meet contemporary learning demands. At the same time, more and more people are seeking learning opportunities that fit their life context and objectives. It isn’t just the preferred choice of distant students anymore. It has become a life necessity for all.
Online study has awakened people’s learning appetites. Our online students should be reassured they will receive the highest level of pastoral attention a university can provide, together with the best online learning experience. At the UG level, we emphasise helping our students become more autonomous and self-driven while reinforcing basic and modern business imperatives. At the PG level, students take a critical and co-creative stance on learning. Besides our learning methodology, our online offering is earmarked by our state-of-the-art learning platform as well as our subject matter experts and student services.
Discover more about studying online with The University of Law.
