Here’s an interesting statistic for you: 95% of ACT students who attended face-to-face tuition for the CertFMM exam in April passed it, compared with the overall pass rate of 61%. Across our qualifications, average pass rates are consistently higher for those attending face-to-face learning. But the benefits of face-to-face learning don’t stop at the improved chances of passing your assessment. Over the course of a series of blogs, I want to share with you five compelling reasons why face-to-face learning will not only aid you significantly in your assessments, but also help you develop on a holistic level, personally and professionally. In this and the forthcoming blogs, I will be explaining the benefits of:
But in this blog I will start with…
In these days of online, high-tech, cloud solutions, we sometimes forget how important human interaction can really be. This is particularly the case when you’re learning. Online distance learning can be really helpful in enabling you to fit studying for your qualifications around a busy work and home life as well as being a cost-effective way of building your career. However, ultimately humans are social creatures and nothing beats face-to-face interaction. Over the years that I’ve worked with students from all sorts of different sectors, ages, geographies and backgrounds, one thing always seems to hold true: people who are able to experience social interaction in a classroom environment are likely to do much better than those studying on their own through distance learning. Although online environments aim to be interactive through the use of forums, polls and ask a question facilities, they can never replicate the interactivity of being in a room with a tutor and fellow students.
Through our ACT surveys we frequently ask students how much they use the online forums to chat with the tutor and their peers. The same answer comes back each time: there will be a few students who are very active (and often dominate) the forums and this can often put off people who are less confident from asking questions or responding. Many students don’t bother to ask questions and wait for others to ask on their behalf. In a classroom environment people generally feel more confident to interact and, of course, a good tutor will encourage those students who haven’t said as much as others to ensure that everybody get equal attention. The ACT, of course, acts on feedback from students and always strives to improve the quality of the classroom experience, but the statistics don’t lie. Whatever your learning style and however comfortable you are asking questions in a classroom setting, you’ll have a much better chance of passing your assessment if your studying includes interaction with expert tutors and fellow learners. In the next blog, I’ll be discussing the importance of being motivated and where you can find the channels of inspiration when you’re learning something new.
Call our friendly and professional advisers on +44(0)207 847 2525, or email learning@treasurers.org to discuss your needs if you are already enrolled on an ACT qualification or if you are thinking about doing so.
