The benefits of online learning

Quarantine has forced many of us to assess the state of our lives and how we can improve ourselves. Online learning is a fantastic opportunity to broaden your skill sets and increase your chances of getting hired.

If you're willing to invest in yourself to attract higher paying clients on Freelancer, read on.

E-learning or online learning is an innovative form of education conducted solely online. With online learning you can complete courses whenever you want, wherever you want - even from the comfort of your own bed! Besides the convenience of location, e-learning is also incredibly easy to set up. All you need is a computer and an internet connection and since you're currently reading this post, you've got all the tools required to get started.

There are many types of online courses available across a wide range of industries. Some popular examples include marketing, graphics design, software development, content writing and even foreign languages.

There are four different styles of online - synchronous, asynchronous, linear and collaborative.

Synchronous online learning takes place in real time, so the lessons are streamed live in accordance to a learning schedule. Asynchronous learning, on the other hand is not streamed live but pre recorded and accessible 24/7. 

Because you are not expected to follow an attendance schedule with asynchronous online learning, it does require a higher degree of self discipline to complete.

With linear online learning, students must follow a specific learning pathway without skipping ahead to other modules. For example, in a linear online learning model, module's A and B would need to be completed in that order before progressing to module C and beyond. This is a great option for those that prefer to follow a clearly structured learning roadmap.

With collaborative online learning, there is a strong emphasis on inter-student communication and group work. If you struggle with motivation, working with other students may encourage you to power through your online course. Collaborative learning also allows you to get instant help and feedback from other students to further accelerate your development. 

The obvious benefit is more work opportunities on Freelancer. The better you become at your craft the more demanding your services will become. You can list all of the online courses you complete on your Freelancer profile. Clients often check the education history of a freelancer before hiring and they LOVE to hire freelancers that make an effort to improve their skill sets.

Even if you've already completed the necessary education to work in your industry, it is still commendable to continuously cultivate your skills with online courses. This is particularly important for fast evolving industries like software development and marketing.

Apart from listing your completed online courses on your Freelancer profile, it's very important to verify your skill sets by undertaking a Freelancer exam. Anybody can simply list education history, freelancer exams verify all of the expected skills in a specific industry. Passing these exams increases the credibility of your freelancer profile, and as a result, increases your chances of getting hired.

Every time you pass a freelancer exam a new skills badge will be prominently displayed on your profile, so the more exams you pass the more skills badges your profile will display! This is one of the best methods of attracting a steady stream of clients.

Online learning is a fast and affordable method of cultivating and broadening your skill sets. If you're serious about earning a living on Freelancer, take the initiative to invest in yourself by enrolling in online courses and verifying your new skills with Freelancer exams.