Being an introvert in today’s fast-paced world can be extremely challenging. Wherever you go and whatever you do, people expect you to be outgoing and network. This can be a real pain for someone who prefers listening rather than talking. In fact, forcing yourself to be extroverted in stressful and exhausting for introverts.

Introverts can face issues in many different extrovert-biased environments, but schools and colleges are probably the toughest. Both teachers and peers can’t really understand us and our character, which can lead to issues.

In addition, it’s worth noting that the very concept of “introvert” has long had a negative connotation. Not only do people find it hard to understand introverts, but also they often assume we are always quiet, asocial, and even less intelligent. This explains why quiet children are often considered to be “problem kids.” They also find it hard to fit in while at college or school.

With all of this in mind, it would be fair to think that online learning is a much better solution for introverts than a traditional learning environment. Is it really so? Let’s figure it out!

5 Ways That E-Learning Benefits Introvert Students

As we discussed earlier, introverts are often misunderstood by others. With that being said, it’s quite clear that meeting our specific needs in the learning environment isn’t easy. This, of course, affects the performance of introverted students.

Recently, due to the global outbreak of Covid-19 and strict quarantine measures in many countries across the world, schools and colleges experienced a massive transition to an online learning model. While for many people, this change felt rather uncomfortable, for most introverts, this experience was very beneficial.

Why is that? Let’s look at some of the biggest reasons that prove why e-learning is perfect for introverts:

1. It Lets Us Learn at Our Own Pace

If you think about the main character traits that distinguish introverts from extroverts, the top qualities that come to mind are that introverts generally tend to be more thoughtful, concentrated, and even somewhat dreamy. We are not in the habit of talking or acting quickly, without thinking everything over well. That’s why we may find it hard to keep up with a fast-paced academic program.

For this reason, some introverts fall behind our peers in the class. Of course, we can always get some extra help. For example, introverts can hire tutors or an essay writer to keep up with the pace. Introverts do our best work when left to do things at our own pace. That’s why e-learning is a perfect solution, because the possibility to study at one’s own pace is one of the biggest benefits of this learning model.

2. More Work, Less Talking

Another big factor that helps introverts perform better when learning online is that it eliminates the need to do unnecessary talking.

Introverted people are known to be more concerned about saving our inner energy. That’s why we don’t like talking too much. For some introverts, talking isn’t just draining, but can also be extremely stressful. This fact influences how we perform at schools and colleges, where students are forced into doing lots of talking.

In the online classroom environment, on the other hand, introverted students can feel less stressed. We can finally do what we do best – listen deeply and focus on doing our work, without wasting our energy on unnecessary chit chat

3. It Allows Us to Ask Questions

Introverts are usually less likely to raise our hands in a class. This is one more factor that can hold us back from reaching academic excellence. However, e-learning eliminates this problem.

Online learning makes it possible for introverted students to ask questions without talking and drawing unwanted attention. We can start a private chat with a teacher and get an immediate response whenever we need help. This is something that is impossible during a traditional lecture. It’s one more reason we introverts can benefit from online learning.

4. It Helps Us Participate More

There are several reasons why introverts find it hard to speak up in the classroom. Part of the reason is the social anxiety many of us feel when forced to speak in public. But, there is also another, much bigger reason—unlike extroverts, who tend to speak before thinking, introverts are more thoughtful. We prefer thinking before speaking.

According to a comment from an introverted student, posted in this article by U.S.News, a big benefit of online learning for introverts is the ability to take time to organize our thoughts and craft an argument before presenting it to the class. This helps us participate in the process more without feeling too stressed or pressured. If you’re feeling lonely, there are ways to participate in real life, such as joining one of the top sororities, a student club, or starting your own small group.

5. It Can Use Gamification to Boost Motivation

We all know that a little competition can do wonders for people. Whether it’s in school, college, or the workplace, having a sense of healthy competition enables us to stay motivated and do our best. That’s why teachers often use this trick to spark up students’ interest and help them perform better.

But do introverts enjoy competing against other students as much as our peers do? In most cases introverts prefer competing against ourselves, trying to better ourselves each time.

That’s one more area in which e-learning can be beneficial for you. It can go hand-in-hand with gamification elements that allow students to see how they are making progress and celebrate their wins, big and small. This can help introverted students feel a sense of competition, feel motivated, and truly excel.

The Bottom Line

Of course, not all introverts are the same. Not all of us feel social anxiety, and not all feel stressed when talking. But one thing is true for most—we feel more natural and confident when learning from the comfort of our own homes and at the pace that works best for us.

As discussed, there are many ways that introverted students can benefit from online learning. Namely, it enables us to study at a suitable pace, get more engaged, ask questions, get a sense of competition, and perform better in general. And even these are not all benefits that there are.