A survey recently commissioned by NBN Co of about 1000 students has found that 75% use the internet to assist them with school courses at home.
It also showed 51% used online videos to help research subjects they were studying.
So what is driving this preference for students?
Jack Goodman, founder of YourTutor told The Educator that students were increasingly turning to online help due to the demands of a changing world, especially in terms of technology.
“The world is changing fast, and students and their learning behaviours are no different,” Goodman said.
“Students nowadays - the so called Netflix generation - expect help on demand, and don't expect days of frustration between challenge and resolution.”
He said YourTutor ensured that students are receiving ethical support in a form that aids their academic growth and development, whilst aligning to the standards and expectations of teachers and parents.
“With a growing number of progressive schools, YourTutor is the trusted out-of-hours study support, providing the on demand service students need, in alignment with school expectations and standards,” he said.
The NBN Co report also found that while many remote students still struggled with internet connection, more than 60% of those surveyed said online learning had helped level the playing field between different locations.
Peter West, director of e-learning at Queensland’s St Stephen’s College, told The Educator that online distance learning was crucial in addressing students who lived in rural areas or had been absent and needed to catch up on missed classes.
West’s Online Learning Environment (OLE) allows students to login and learn at a time, place and pace of their choosing, freeing up valuable time for teachers as well as busy parents.
“We want to give kids the opportunity to learn outside the classroom and even work ahead if they wanted to,” he said.