By: Teacher Rexhina
With the rapid advancement of technology, online learning has become a solution to many problems related to education. Undoubtedly, in the present days, there is no person who hasn’t heard of or used this method of learning or gaining some new knowledge. It refers to remote or distant learning with the use of the internet, without being necessary to attend a class or university in person. Yet, certain drawbacks affect the process of learning and teaching online.
On the one hand, the benefits brought by this type of learning are countless. Starting from efficiency, where the lesson is transmitted to the students using a variety of tools such as PDFs or videos, moving away from the traditional way of using only a textbook. Moreover, it offers flexibility and convenience. This means that a student can attend lectures on his/her schedule just by connecting any device to the internet and getting a certification or degree at the end of their studies, as well as reduce the number of absences as they plan their time accordingly. Based on a survey in 2021, it resulted that 73 % of students were very satisfied with their online experience and would like to take more remote courses in the future. Furthermore, these types of courses are affordable as they reduce expenses coming from transportation, meals, or paying rent.
It is worth mentioning that online courses teach to a person self-discipline and allow them to interact with people from all corners of the world. Human nature tends to procrastinate things that have to be done, but this isn’t the case with online learning. You have to learn to do things in time because there is not a teacher over your shoulder telling you what to do or how to do a certain task. Students are “obliged” to motivate themselves and take responsibility for their performance in a subject. In an online class, you are virtually connected and interacting with people who share the same goal or have the same interests. During this period, a person not only learns about their area of interest but also, how different cultures, characters, or ages perceive the same things.
Nonetheless, this method of learning might bring some downsides. One of these is the inability of some people to stay focused on a screen for many hours. They might be easily distracted by social media or different sites; therefore, the classes have to be quite interesting and gripping to attract students’ attention. Another disadvantage is the issues related to technology, such as internet connection, and the training of teachers to use different digital platforms as not all of them are up to date with the latest advancements. Last but not least, online classes might create a sense of isolation for some people. There are no peers around you whispering or a teacher walking around the class, thus video conferences which are closer to face-to-face interaction must be used.
To wrap up, whatever the future holds, online learning seems like a safe haven regarding the challenges education might face. Being aware of the positives and negatives will help students and institutions in ensuring a simple and effective process for both sides.
References:
https://www.educations.com/study-guides/study-online/
https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/online-learning/3-benefits-online-learning/