opinion essay about online learning

Essays About Online Learning: Top 6 Examples And Prompts

If you are writing essays about online learning, you can start by reading some essay examples and prompts in this article. 

People often regard online learning as kids stuck at home, glued to their devices. However, there is so much more to it than this simplistic concept. Many parents may see it as an “easy way out” for students to slack off on their studies while still passing their classes, but online learning has not reached its full potential yet. 

It has dramatically impacted how education is handled globally, for better or worse. It has forced teachers to take on extra work , while students say it has helped reduce their stress levels. It is undoubtedly a contentious topic. 

If you need help writing an essay about online learning, here are some essay examples you can use for inspiration.

1. Disabled Students Urge Universities To Make Online Learning More Accessible by Lucia Posteraro

2. why are more and more students taking online classes by perry mullins, 3. the benefits of online learning: 7 advantages of online degrees by kelsey miller, 4. why is online learning important by clare scott, 5. is online learning as effective as face-to-face learning by kelli wilkins, 6. i’m a high school student. i don’t want online learning to end. by rory selinger, prompts on essays about online learning, 1. how has online learning affected you, 2. compare and contrast online and in-person classes., 3. what can you learn from an online setup, 4. what is the future of online learning, 5. which is better- online or face-to-face learning, 6. can online learning be sustained long-term.

“Autism may hinder the ability to follow complex conversations, especially with background noise – but Charli’s lectures did not have subtitles. Moreover, extensions for group projects were too short for her extenuating circumstances.’

Posteraro tells the stories of students who want online learning to be more accessible. For example, Charli, a student with autism, was greatly affected by the transition from in-person to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, online learning has not catered to her special needs, so she urges schools to take action to make online education more inclusive. You might also be interested in these essays about knowledge .

“The result of taking online classes is that students who take them become more proficient and comfortable with using computers. Students can learn to connect with one another online and with information in meaningful and useful ways. With that said more and more students are taking online classes because it’s the best way to save money work at your own pace and not have to be stressed about going to class.”

In his essay, Mullins discusses why more students prefer online learning. First, it lessens expenses, as students learn from the comfort of their rooms. Second, it helps students avert the fear of talking to strangers face-to-face, helping them communicate better. 

“It’s clear, then, that learning online helps prepare professionals for this shift toward online work. Below, explore what online courses entail, explore seven key benefits, and get the advice you need to determine if online courses are right for you.”

Miller briefly explains what online learning is, then proceeds to discuss its advantages. These include a self-paced schedule, improved communication, and new technical skills. However, he reminds readers that everyone is different; regardless of the benefits, they should only choose online learning if they believe it will work for them.

“Boil it right down and the answer is simple: change is constant. You must move with it. The true beauty of online learning is that it lends itself perfectly to your lifestyle. By its very nature, it can fit around you. Also, no longer are we taught how to do a job, it’s usually a case of figuring it out for yourself—and that’s where online learning can amplify your skills.”

Scott presents the importance of online learning. Similar to Miller, she mentions self-paced, giving students new skills. However, the most important lesson is that change is constant. Online learning exemplifies this precept, and these skills help us move along.

“While both ways of learning have advantages and disadvantages, what is more effective is based off of the student themselves. Students can weigh the costs and benefits between online learning and face-to-face learning. They can decide for themselves what would be best for them. Online learning can be as effective as face-to-face learning if the student is committed to putting their time and effort to study alone.”

Wilkins questions the notion that online learning is inferior to a face-to-face classes. She begins by listing the benefits of online classes, including comfort and easier schedules, as with Miller and Scott. However, she also mentions its disadvantages, such as the possibility of students being distracted and a lack of bonding between classmates. But, of course, it’s all up to the student in the end: they should decide which type of education they prefer.

“One thing I hope people now realize is that education is not a one-size-fits-all model. While the self-disciplined nature of remote learning is not for everyone, it has allowed students like me to flourish unimpeded by the challenges presented by typical classroom settings.”

A 14-year-old student, Selinger wishes to continue her education online as schools return to physical classes amid the pandemic. She discusses the relief she feels from the lack of peer pressure, judgment, and a rigorous schedule. Controlling your study schedule relieves students of pressure, and Selinger believes this is optimal for success. She believes online learning opens a path to be better rather than to “return to normal.”

In this essay, you can write about your experience of online learning. Whether you have had online coursework from school or college or taken an online course for your own interests, we’ve all had some experience learning online. Discuss how you benefited from online learning and the challenges you faced. For a compelling essay, conduct interviews to back up your experience by showing others who felt the same way.

Create an exciting comparative essay between online and in-person learning. You can compare and contrast the experiences and show the positives and negatives of each. Start by making a list or Venn diagram, and organize your essay. Include the structure, advantages, and disadvantages of each method of learning. 

Online learning can teach you some skills to succeed in the real world. In this essay, write about the unique skills you can gain from online learning. Perhaps you learn valuable IT skills, virtual note-taking, and basic administrative skills. Then, look into how these skills can benefit you in future studies or when trying to step into a new career path. 

We have barely scratched the surface of technology. In this essay, look to the future and imagine how online education will look. Then, research up-and-coming online learning technologies and see what will come next. Will the development of more online learning technology benefit students? Look into this exciting topic for an engaging discussion.

For this topic, writing an excellent argumentative essay is easy. First, from research and your own experience, list the benefits and downsides of each type of learning and determine which is more effective. Then, you can use Google and the essay examples above to support your argument.  

Online learning is most commonly used for students who are ill or during situations such as a global pandemic. It is meant to be temporary; however, can schools stick to a completely-online method of instruction? Include some advantages and disadvantages of online learning in your essay.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

If you’re still stuck, check out our general resource of essay writing topics .

Martin is an avid writer specializing in editing and proofreading. He also enjoys literary analysis and writing about food and travel.

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The Future of College Is Online, and It’s Cheaper

The coronavirus forced a shift to virtual classes, but their continuation could be beneficial even after the pandemic ends.

By Hans Taparia

Mr. Taparia is a clinical associate professor at the New York University Stern School of Business.

Forty years ago, going to college in America was a reliable pathway for upward mobility. Today, it has become yet another 21st-century symbol of privilege for the wealthy. Through this period, tuition rates soared 260 percent, double the rate of inflation. In 2019, the average cost of attending a four-year private college was over $200,000. For a four-year public college, it was over $100,000. To sustain these prices, more students are now admitted from the top 1 percent of the income scale than the entire bottom 40 percent at the top 80 colleges. Universities have also opened the floodgates to wealthy international students, willing to pay full tuition for the American brand.

Covid-19 is about to ravage that business model. Mass unemployment is looming large and is likely to put college out of reach for many. With America now the epicenter of the pandemic and bungling its response, many students are looking to defer enrollment. Foreign students are questioning whether to register at all, with greater uncertainty around visas and work prospects. The “Trump Effect” had already begun to cause declining foreign student enrollment over the past three years.

The mightiest of institutions are bracing for the worst. Harvard, home to the country’s largest endowment, recently announced drastic steps to manage the fallout, including salary cuts for its leadership, hiring freezes and cuts in discretionary spending. Most other universities have been forced to make similar decisions, and are nervous that if they continue with online teaching this fall, students will demand at least a partial remission of tuition.

Up until now, online education has been relegated to the equivalent of a hobby at most universities. With the pandemic, it has become a backup plan. But if universities embrace this moment strategically, online education could expand access exponentially and drop its cost by magnitudes — all while shoring up revenues for universities in a way that is more recession-proof, policy-proof and pandemic-proof.

To be clear, the scramble to move online over just a few days this March did not go well. Faculty members were forced to revamp lesson plans overnight. “Zoom-bombers” took advantage of lax privacy protocols. Students fled home, with many in faraway time zones prolonging jet lag just to continue synchronous learning. Not surprisingly, the experience for both students and faculty has left much to be desired. According to one survey , more than 75 percent of students do not feel they received a quality learning experience after classrooms closed.

But what surveys miss are the numerous spirited efforts to break new ground, as only a crisis can be the impetus for.

One professor at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts taught a drama course that allows students to “act” with each other in virtual reality using Oculus Quest headsets . A music professor at Stanford train ed his students on software that allows musicians in different locations to perform together using internet streaming. Professors are pioneering new methods and ed-tech companies are developing platforms at a pace not seen before, providing a glimpse into the untapped potential of online education. Not to be forgotten, of course, is the fact that just a few years ago, a transition to online learning at the current scale would have been unimaginable.

Before the pandemic, most universities never truly embraced online education, at least not strategically. For years, universities have allowed professors to offer some courses online, making them accessible through aggregators such as edX or Coursera. But rarely do universities offer their most popular and prestigious degrees remotely. It is still not possible to get an M.B.A. at Stanford, a biology degree at M.I.T. or a computer science degree at Brown online.

On one hand, universities don’t want to be seen as limiting access to education, so they have dabbled in the space. But to fully embrace it might render much of the faculty redundant, reduce the exclusivity of those degrees, and threaten the very existence of the physical campus, for which vast resources have been allocated over centuries.

For good reason, many educators have been skeptical of online learning. They have questioned how discussion-based courses, which require more intimate settings, would be coordinated. They wonder how lab work might be administered. Of course, no one doubts that the student experience would not be as holistic. But universities don’t need to abandon in-person teaching for students who see the value in it.

They simply need to create “parallel” online degrees for all their core degree programs. By doing so, universities could expand their reach by thousands, creating the economies of scale to drop their costs by tens of thousands.

There are a few, but instructive, examples of prestigious universities that have already shown the way. Georgia Tech, a top engineering school, launched an online masters in computer science in 2014. The degree costs just $7,000 (one-sixth the cost of its in-person program), and the school now has nearly 10,000 students enrolled , making it the largest computer science program in the country. Notably, the online degree has not cannibalized its on-campus revenue stream. Instead, it has opened up a prestigious degree program to a different population, mostly midcareer applicants looking for a meaningful skills upgrade.

Similarly, in 2015, the University of Illinois launched an online M.B.A . for $22,000, a fraction of the cost of most business schools. In order to provide a forum for networking and experiential learning, critical to the business school experience, the university created micro-immersions, where students can connect with other students and work on live projects at companies at a regional level.

To do this would require a major reorientation of university resources and activities. Classrooms would need to be fitted with new technology so that lectures could be simultaneously delivered to students on campus as well as across the world. Professors would need to undergo training on how to effectively teach to a blended classroom. Universities would also be well served to build competencies in content production. Today, almost all theory-based content, whether in chemistry, computer science or finance, can be produced in advance and effectively delivered asynchronously. By tapping their best-rated professors to be the stars of those productions, universities could actually raise the pedagogical standard.

There are already strong examples of this. Most biology professors, for instance, would find themselves hard pressed to match the pedagogical quality, production values and inspirational nature of Eric Lander’s online Introduction to Biology course at M.I.T. That free course currently has over 134,000 students enrolled this semester.

Once universities have developed a library of content, they can choose to draw from it for asynchronous delivery for years, both for their on-campus and online programs. Students may not mind. It would, after all, open up professor capacity for a larger number of live interactions. Three-hour lectures, which were never good for anyone, would become a thing of the past. Instead, a typical day might be broken up into one-hour sessions with a focus on problem-solving, Q. and A. or discussion.

Many universities are sounding bold about reopening in-person instruction this fall. The current business model requires them to, or face financial ruin. But a hasty decision driven by the financial imperative could prove lethal, and do little to help them weather a storm. The pandemic provides universities an opportunity to reimagine education around the pillars of access and affordability with the myriad tools and techniques now at their disposal. It could make them true pathways of upward mobility again.

Hans Taparia is a clinical associate professor at the New York University Stern School of Business.

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OPINION: Online learning is impacting student experience

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Hannah Horowitz, Contributing Writer October 11, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has left quite an impact on the way that students learn across the country. In lieu of limiting the number of students on campus, colleges and universities have offered all or some of their courses in an online modality. This switch has caused conversations surrounding the cost of college to resurface. These concerns are defensible considering the economic hardship COVID-19 has created. It is becoming increasingly clear that the cost of college does not equate to what a student is receiving in educational value, especially when it comes to online formats. 

UNCW is remaining open for in-person classes despite a majority of students having their classes taught virtually. The university released a statement to students addressing concerns regarding the spring semester, saying that it will look very similar to the fall semester in regard to the course format offerings. However, there appears to be a sharp increase in online course options, especially in my own department of public health studies. In the fall semester, there were few online options available to take as a distance-learning student. The spring semester will be much different, as most of the courses will be offered in an online format. Students who are already experiencing difficulty with their current online courses are wondering how they will be able to endure another semester of it. 

Online classes have left me feeling as if I’m simply going through the motions of learning, rather than actually retaining the information. To be able to handle the flexibility of online learning, students need to be self-motivated, disciplined and organized. The number of hours we spend at home has only increased, and the distractions are endless. We are facing an extremely consequential election season, a global pandemic and the ongoing cries for racial justice in this country. There is a heavy emotional toll that comes with the effects of all of those events, yet we are expected to adapt quickly and keep moving. Universities have the largest amount of resources for online learning in comparison to elementary, middle and high schools, yet they were still unprepared for the fall 2020 semester. The large amount of planning for students to return to campuses overshadowed the ability of universities to plan successful and functional online courses. 

“I think that the administrators put in thought for some online courses but not for others. I personally feel like they could have handled things much better by making a decision earlier on whether they were going all online or not,” says Madeline Miller, a UNCW sophomore. “If they made the decision earlier it could have given the teachers and students more time to prep for going online, which could have helped us have a more successful school year.”

Miller also goes on to discuss the implications of asynchronous courses. Asynchronous means that the class has no assigned meeting time, nor does the class meet as a whole over Zoom. This can be very difficult for students to develop a daily schedule, which can lead to the formation of bad habits such as procrastination. She stressed the importance of students needing time to connect with their fellow classmates and the professors, as COVID-19 has left many feeling isolated and lonely. Students are finding it difficult to be productive, and some feel that they are receiving more work than they would have gotten in a regular in-person course. This tends to be “busy-work,” which does little to supplement or reinforce online learning. 

Even in classes that have online meeting times, many students have noticed professors teaching to “black screens,” alluding to the fact that students often refrain from turning on their cameras during class. Not only is this disheartening for professors, but it also leads to a lack of engagement in class. If students are asking professors and administrators to construct a better plan for the spring semester, it is only fair for the students to at least meet them halfway in their efforts. 

Parents, who are also upset by the prospect of a mostly online spring semester, tend to blame the university and professors first. In my experience, professors do not cater to the student’s every need from the beginning. They simply provide them with resources and leave it up to the student to attend office hours and reach out if they need assistance. I believe that college students should have that level of self-accountability, but I also acknowledge that there are some professors who do not feel as if those efforts on their part are necessary. However, that is a very small population of faculty and I have not had that experience thus far. Freshman students especially tend to fall victim to that type of thinking, as they have just come out of high school and are not yet acclimated to college-level courses. 

“I really think that synchronous classes are the way to go for next semester because it is really hard to stay motivated with classwork if you don’t have any other peers or your professors to talk to,” says Miller. “I think some professors have done a good job if the classes are asynchronous by making students do discussion posts and participate that way, but I think there is more that they can do to keep their students engaged in their classes.”  

Students who have experienced online courses prior to the pandemic are having less difficulty in terms of time management, organization, and productivity. Despite having experienced a partly online spring semester, most students are still not well acclimated to the delivery of the courses. Organizational skills often take time to develop, and students are already under a tremendous level of stress to meet deadlines and expectations. However, students also have more flexibility in terms of scheduling. They now have more time for work or activities, given that they previously had to work around their tight class schedules. Time management will always be a necessary skill, and students can take advantage of this time to build upon those skills. 

“Time management is the greatest way to tackle online classes,” says Kolby Edwards, also a UNCW sophomore. “Taking time to understand the schedule and how students need to pace their academics is the best way for students to tackle online classes.” 

Edwards has had experience with online classes, as he has taken them for the last three years. He suggests that colleges examine how their students are handling their online courses rather than just shoving busy work in their direction. It seems as if there is a certain level of overcompensation for the lack of planning efforts, and the students are the ones paying the price.  

With one full semester of online learning underway, universities now have a model to base the following semesters on. The cases of COVID-19 are only expected to rise in the coming winter months, and with a lack of rapid testing I do not foresee the spring semester being a success story. UNCW is already planning for this outcome, seeing that a large number of classes are already being offered in an online format. The administration is unfortunately continuing to mislead students by stating that the spring will be “very similar” to what the fall semester is like. They are not acknowledging that viral transmission will likely be higher due to the numbers of people who will be congregating indoors because of the colder weather. If UNCW is planning to have students remain on campus for the spring semester, it is essential that they increase levels of testing and conduct tests prior to student return. The administration has zero excuse for continuing to put students in harm’s way once again. 

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Marilyn Goldberg • Oct 12, 2020 at 2:39 pm

Excellent article by my talented granddaughter.

Hannah continues to amaze me with her writing skills.

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How Effective Is Online Learning? What the Research Does and Doesn’t Tell Us

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Editor’s Note: This is part of a continuing series on the practical takeaways from research.

The times have dictated school closings and the rapid expansion of online education. Can online lessons replace in-school time?

Clearly online time cannot provide many of the informal social interactions students have at school, but how will online courses do in terms of moving student learning forward? Research to date gives us some clues and also points us to what we could be doing to support students who are most likely to struggle in the online setting.

The use of virtual courses among K-12 students has grown rapidly in recent years. Florida, for example, requires all high school students to take at least one online course. Online learning can take a number of different forms. Often people think of Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, where thousands of students watch a video online and fill out questionnaires or take exams based on those lectures.

In the online setting, students may have more distractions and less oversight, which can reduce their motivation.

Most online courses, however, particularly those serving K-12 students, have a format much more similar to in-person courses. The teacher helps to run virtual discussion among the students, assigns homework, and follows up with individual students. Sometimes these courses are synchronous (teachers and students all meet at the same time) and sometimes they are asynchronous (non-concurrent). In both cases, the teacher is supposed to provide opportunities for students to engage thoughtfully with subject matter, and students, in most cases, are required to interact with each other virtually.

Coronavirus and Schools

Online courses provide opportunities for students. Students in a school that doesn’t offer statistics classes may be able to learn statistics with virtual lessons. If students fail algebra, they may be able to catch up during evenings or summer using online classes, and not disrupt their math trajectory at school. So, almost certainly, online classes sometimes benefit students.

In comparisons of online and in-person classes, however, online classes aren’t as effective as in-person classes for most students. Only a little research has assessed the effects of online lessons for elementary and high school students, and even less has used the “gold standard” method of comparing the results for students assigned randomly to online or in-person courses. Jessica Heppen and colleagues at the American Institutes for Research and the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research randomly assigned students who had failed second semester Algebra I to either face-to-face or online credit recovery courses over the summer. Students’ credit-recovery success rates and algebra test scores were lower in the online setting. Students assigned to the online option also rated their class as more difficult than did their peers assigned to the face-to-face option.

Most of the research on online courses for K-12 students has used large-scale administrative data, looking at otherwise similar students in the two settings. One of these studies, by June Ahn of New York University and Andrew McEachin of the RAND Corp., examined Ohio charter schools; I did another with colleagues looking at Florida public school coursework. Both studies found evidence that online coursetaking was less effective.

About this series

This essay is the fifth in a series that aims to put the pieces of research together so that education decisionmakers can evaluate which policies and practices to implement.

The conveners of this project—Susanna Loeb, the director of Brown University’s Annenberg Institute for School Reform, and Harvard education professor Heather Hill—have received grant support from the Annenberg Institute for this series.

To suggest other topics for this series or join in the conversation, use #EdResearchtoPractice on Twitter.

Read the full series here .

It is not surprising that in-person courses are, on average, more effective. Being in person with teachers and other students creates social pressures and benefits that can help motivate students to engage. Some students do as well in online courses as in in-person courses, some may actually do better, but, on average, students do worse in the online setting, and this is particularly true for students with weaker academic backgrounds.

Students who struggle in in-person classes are likely to struggle even more online. While the research on virtual schools in K-12 education doesn’t address these differences directly, a study of college students that I worked on with Stanford colleagues found very little difference in learning for high-performing students in the online and in-person settings. On the other hand, lower performing students performed meaningfully worse in online courses than in in-person courses.

But just because students who struggle in in-person classes are even more likely to struggle online doesn’t mean that’s inevitable. Online teachers will need to consider the needs of less-engaged students and work to engage them. Online courses might be made to work for these students on average, even if they have not in the past.

Just like in brick-and-mortar classrooms, online courses need a strong curriculum and strong pedagogical practices. Teachers need to understand what students know and what they don’t know, as well as how to help them learn new material. What is different in the online setting is that students may have more distractions and less oversight, which can reduce their motivation. The teacher will need to set norms for engagement—such as requiring students to regularly ask questions and respond to their peers—that are different than the norms in the in-person setting.

Online courses are generally not as effective as in-person classes, but they are certainly better than no classes. A substantial research base developed by Karl Alexander at Johns Hopkins University and many others shows that students, especially students with fewer resources at home, learn less when they are not in school. Right now, virtual courses are allowing students to access lessons and exercises and interact with teachers in ways that would have been impossible if an epidemic had closed schools even a decade or two earlier. So we may be skeptical of online learning, but it is also time to embrace and improve it.

A version of this article appeared in the April 01, 2020 edition of Education Week as How Effective Is Online Learning?

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Is online education good or bad? And is this really the right question?

Associate Professor, Warner School of Education, University of Rochester

Disclosure statement

From 1995-2002, Eric Fredericksen was a Principal Investigator for grants received from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for ALN (Asynchronous Learning Environments). Eric is a member of the Board of Directors for the Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan Consortium), the professional society in higher education focused on quality online education. In 2013, he was honored as a Sloan-C Fellow.

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For the past twenty years, I’ve heard this question asked many times about online education. It might be tempting for enthusiasts to say “of course it is good,” but I see this as a kind of “trick question.” We should consider asking this question in the context of the traditional classroom.

Have our experiences in traditional classroom been stellar? All of us have had great classes in traditional settings and perhaps some that were not. I would suggest that quality and effectiveness of learning are not tied to “mode” of instruction.

In the same way that we can have good (and not so good) traditional classroom courses, we can also have good (and not so good) online courses. Further, re-conceptualizing and converting a traditional classroom course to an online course doesn’t necessarily make it better or worse.

What does the research tell us? And what are the lessons for teaching – and learning – in the future?

Research about online education

An abundance of studies have examined online education. They explore effectiveness through a number of criteria including satisfaction, retention and achievement.

An objective review published by the American Educational Research Association ( How Does Distance Education Compare with Classroom Instruction? A Meta Analysis of the Empirical Literature ) examined the literature between 1985 and 2002.

The authors analyzed 232 studies at all academic levels (K-12 and higher education) examining achievement (based on 57,019 students), attitude (based on 35,365 students) and retention (based on 3,744,869 students) outcomes. This meta-analysis highlighted that some applications of online education were better than classroom instruction and some were worse.

Another notable analysis was published by the US Department of Education in 2010. The Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.

What should we conclude from this?

I believe it tells us that online learning can be effective – but that alone is not a guarantee that it will be effective. It is not predetermined that online education is better (or worse) than a physical classroom.

Perhaps a more important question to ask is, “ How can online education be effective?”

Developing an online course

After two decades of work in and dedication to this field, I believe that we can positively impact the learning experience for students in online courses. A vital aspect of this is the support and assistance provided to faculty who are designing online courses and that we openly discuss the advantages and constraints of this “type of classroom”.

Effective online courses are developed through the systematic design of instruction with emphasis on the achievement of course learning objectives. This rigorous approach to course development and the creation of learning activities (which vary by course) is fundamental to create an effective learning environment and increases the potential for student learning and their construction of new knowledge.

Thoughtful course planning takes best practices (e.g., consistency of course interface and similarly structured course modules) into account and should be complete prior to the start of the course. In one research study it was interesting to note that faculty who go through the process acknowledge that this conscientious approach to pedagogical review also has positive impact in traditional classrooms.

Admittedly, one great advantage of online learning is the enhanced access for students: removing the constraint of commuting to a specific location at a certain time. Annual studies document that millions of students are able to enroll in online courses. But what are the educational advantages of the online classroom?

A common misperception of online education has been that it is an isolating experience for students. In fact, research studies that I have conducted with colleagues show quite the opposite.

Through asynchronous discussion boards, there can be increased interaction, both in quantity and quality, with and among students. These class discussions are not constrained to a small window of time but can transpire over a week or two. This environment allows all students to engage and actively participate in the discussion.

Compare this to a traditional classroom where the discussion might be dominated by a subset of students, while the rest of the class is passive. Every online student can have a voice and be heard. In addition, expanding the time for discussion permits students to reflect and explore additional information, thoughtfully consider the views of their classmates, and then take the time to construct their own contribution, which can lead to higher quality responses.

Another advantage is the ability to facilitate peer review – a beneficial instructional strategy for learners to share their individual views and knowledge with their classmates regarding papers or projects. This feedback benefits the student author and the student reviewer. Managing peer review is significantly easier in my online classroom (a discussion board enables exchanges) compared to my physical classroom with the corresponding constraints, where students would need to bring hard copies of their work to distribute to their classmates and then need to create an additional event to somehow exchange feedback.

Focus on learning

This is not meant as a criticism of the traditional classroom. I have enjoyed teaching in physical spaces for more than 25 years and found the experience rewarding and valuable. I will continue to do so. But I believe we need to be careful not to romanticize the traditional classroom.

Not all traditional learning experiences are equal. There is a significant difference between a lecture in a large auditorium with hundreds of students and a small seminar room with 15 students.

The physical classroom has one advantage – the “spontaneity” of the discussion that can occur. These occasions can be wonderful learning opportunities. This lack of spontaneity has been a constraint in online classes due to the limitations of required bandwidth for live (synchronous) web conferencing. However, some of the technological challenges have recently been alleviated and I am able to complement my online courses with class discussions where students can see and hear each other, regardless of their physical location.

So what’s the future for online classes? My hope is that we continue to evolve different models of online learning. The spirit of “blended” or “hybrid” online courses strives to capture the best of online with the best of traditional classroom experiences.

Ultimately, I believe we will progress and develop instruction to the point where these historically based distinctions and categorical terms will blur and become less meaningful, and we will simply just focus on learning.

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Argumentative Essay: Online Learning and Educational Access

Conventional learning is evolving with the help of computers and online technology. New ways of learning are now available, and improved access is one of the most important benefits available. People all around the world are experiencing improved mobility as a result of the freedom and potential that online learning provides, and as academic institutions and learning organisations adopt online learning technologies and remote-access learning, formal academic education is becoming increasingly legitimate. This essay argues the contemporary benefits of online learning, and that these benefits significantly outweigh the issues, challenges and disadvantages of online learning.

Online learning is giving people new choices and newfound flexibility with their personal learning and development. Whereas before, formal academic qualifications could only be gained by participating in a full time course on site, the internet has allowed institutions to expand their reach and offer recognized courses on a contact-partial, or totally virtual, basis. Institutions can do so with relatively few extra resources, and for paid courses this constitutes excellent value, and the student benefits with greater educational access and greater flexibility to learn and get qualified even when there lots of other personal commitments to deal with.

Flexibility is certainly one of the most important benefits, but just as important is educational access. On top of the internet’s widespread presence in developed countries, the internet is becoming increasingly available in newly developed and developing countries. Even without considering the general informational exposure that the internet delivers, online academic courses and learning initiatives are becoming more aware of the needs of people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this means that people from such backgrounds are in a much better position to learn and progress than they used to be.

The biggest argument that raises doubt over online learning is the quality of online courses in comparison to conventional courses. Are such online courses good enough for employers to take notice? The second biggest argument is the current reality that faces many people from disadvantaged backgrounds, despite the improvements made in this area in recent years – they do not have the level of basic access needed to benefit from online learning. In fact, there are numerous sources of evidence that claim disadvantaged students are not receiving anywhere near the sort of benefits that online learning institutions and promoters are trying to instigate. Currently there are many organisations, campaigns and initiatives that are working to expand access to higher education. With such high participation, it can be argued that it is only a matter of time before the benefits are truly realised, but what about the global online infrastructure?

There is another argument that is very difficult to dispel, and that is the response of different types of students to the online learning paradigm. Evidence shows that there are certain groups of students that benefit from college distance learning much more than other groups. In essence, students must be highly motivated and highly disciplined if they are to learn effectively in their own private environment.

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The pros and cons of online learning

What to look for in an online course.

By: MIT xPRO

If you’re at a point in your life where you’re considering continuing your education, you may wonder if online learning is the right path for you.

Taking an online course requires a notable investment of time, effort, and money, so it’s important to feel confident about your decision before moving forward. While online learning works incredibly well for some people, it’s not for everyone.

We recently sat down with MIT xPRO Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager Luke Hobson to explore the pros and cons of online learning and what to look for in an online course. If you’re waiting for a sign about whether or not to enroll in that course you’ve been eying, you just might find it here.

Pros of Online Learning

First, let’s take a look at the true value of online learning by examining some of the benefits:

1. Flexibility

Online learning’s most significant advantage is its flexibility. It’s the reason millions of adults have chosen to continue their education and pursue certificates and degrees.

Asynchronous courses allow learners to complete work at their own pace, empowering them to find the optimal time to consume the content and submit assignments.

Some people are more attentive, focused, and creative in the mornings compared to the evenings and vice versa. Whatever works best for the learners should be the priority of the learning experience.

2. Community

When Luke asks people about their main reason for enrolling in a course, a common answer is networking and community.

Learners crave finding like-minded individuals who are going through the same experiences and have the same questions. They want to find a place where they belong. Being in the company of others who understand what they’re going through can help online learners who are looking for support and motivation during challenging times and times that are worth celebrating.

Some learners have created study groups and book clubs that have carried on far beyond the end of the course-it’s amazing what can grow from a single post on a discussion board!

3. Latest information

“Speed is a massive benefit of online learning,” and according to Luke, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

“When we say speed, we don’t mean being quick with learning. We mean actual speed to market. There are so many new ideas evolving within technical spaces that it’s impossible to keep courses the way they were originally designed for a long period of time.”

Luke notes that a program on Additive Manufacturing , Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality , or Nanotechnology must be checked and updated frequently. More formal learning modalities have difficulty changing content at this rapid pace. But within the online space, it’s expected that the course content will change as quickly as the world itself does.

Cons of Online Learning

Now that we’ve looked at some of the biggest pros of online learning, let’s examine a few of the drawbacks:

1. Learning environment

While many learners thrive in an asynchronous learning environment, others struggle. Some learners prefer live lessons and an instructor they can connect with multiple times a week. They need these interactions to feel supported and to persist.

Most learners within the online space identify themselves as self-directed learners, meaning they can learn on their own with the right environment, guidance, materials, and assignments. Learners should know themselves first and understand their preferences when it comes to what kind of environment will help them thrive.

2. Repetition

One drawback of online courses is that the structure can be repetitive: do a reading, respond to two discussion posts, submit an essay, repeat. After a while, some learners may feel disengaged from the learning experience.

There are online courses that break the mold and offer multiple kinds of learning activities, assessments, and content to make the learning experience come alive, but it may take some research to find them-more on what to look for in an online course later in this article! Luke and his colleagues at MIT xPRO are mindful of designing courses that genuinely engage learners from beginning to end.

3. Underestimation

Luke has noticed that some learners underestimate how much work is required in an online course. They may mistakenly believe that online learning is somehow “easier” compared to in-person learning.

For those learners who miscalculate how long they will need to spend online or how challenging the assignments can be, changing that mindset is a difficult process. It’s essential to set aside the right amount of time per week to contribute to the content, activities, and assignments. Creating personal deadlines and building a study routine are two best practices that successful online learners follow to hold themselves accountable.

Experience the Value of Online Learning: What to Look For in an Online Course

You’ve probably gathered by now that not all online courses are created equal. On one end of the spectrum, there are methods of online learning that leave learners stunned by what a great experience they had. On the other end of the spectrum, some online learning courses are so disappointing that learners regret their decision to enroll.

If you want to experience the value of online learning, it’s essential to pick the right course. Here’s a quick list of what to look for:

• Feedback and connection to peers within the course platform. Interacting regularly with other learners makes a big difference. Luke and the MIT xPRO team use peer-reviewed feedback to give learners the opportunity to engage with each other’s work.
• Proof of hard work. In the online learning space, proof of hard work often comes in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or specific certifications. MIT xPRO course participants who successfully complete one or more courses are eligible to receive CEUs , which many employers, licensing agencies, and professional associations accept as evidence of a participant’s serious commitment to their professional development.

Online learning isn’t for everyone, but with the right approach, it can be a valuable experience for many people. Now that you know what to look for in an online course, see what Luke and the MIT xPRO instructional design team have to offer by checking out the latest MIT xPRO courses and programs .

Originally published at http://curve.mit.edu on August 8th, 2022.

The pros and cons of online learning was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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• Published: 25 January 2021

Online education in the post-COVID era

• Barbara B. Lockee 1  

Nature Electronics volume  4 ,  pages 5–6 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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The coronavirus pandemic has forced students and educators across all levels of education to rapidly adapt to online learning. The impact of this — and the developments required to make it work — could permanently change how education is delivered.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world to engage in the ubiquitous use of virtual learning. And while online and distance learning has been used before to maintain continuity in education, such as in the aftermath of earthquakes 1 , the scale of the current crisis is unprecedented. Speculation has now also begun about what the lasting effects of this will be and what education may look like in the post-COVID era. For some, an immediate retreat to the traditions of the physical classroom is required. But for others, the forced shift to online education is a moment of change and a time to reimagine how education could be delivered 2 .

Looking back

Online education has traditionally been viewed as an alternative pathway, one that is particularly well suited to adult learners seeking higher education opportunities. However, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has required educators and students across all levels of education to adapt quickly to virtual courses. (The term ‘emergency remote teaching’ was coined in the early stages of the pandemic to describe the temporary nature of this transition 3 .) In some cases, instruction shifted online, then returned to the physical classroom, and then shifted back online due to further surges in the rate of infection. In other cases, instruction was offered using a combination of remote delivery and face-to-face: that is, students can attend online or in person (referred to as the HyFlex model 4 ). In either case, instructors just had to figure out how to make it work, considering the affordances and constraints of the specific learning environment to create learning experiences that were feasible and effective.

The use of varied delivery modes does, in fact, have a long history in education. Mechanical (and then later electronic) teaching machines have provided individualized learning programmes since the 1950s and the work of B. F. Skinner 5 , who proposed using technology to walk individual learners through carefully designed sequences of instruction with immediate feedback indicating the accuracy of their response. Skinner’s notions formed the first formalized representations of programmed learning, or ‘designed’ learning experiences. Then, in the 1960s, Fred Keller developed a personalized system of instruction 6 , in which students first read assigned course materials on their own, followed by one-on-one assessment sessions with a tutor, gaining permission to move ahead only after demonstrating mastery of the instructional material. Occasional class meetings were held to discuss concepts, answer questions and provide opportunities for social interaction. A personalized system of instruction was designed on the premise that initial engagement with content could be done independently, then discussed and applied in the social context of a classroom.

These predecessors to contemporary online education leveraged key principles of instructional design — the systematic process of applying psychological principles of human learning to the creation of effective instructional solutions — to consider which methods (and their corresponding learning environments) would effectively engage students to attain the targeted learning outcomes. In other words, they considered what choices about the planning and implementation of the learning experience can lead to student success. Such early educational innovations laid the groundwork for contemporary virtual learning, which itself incorporates a variety of instructional approaches and combinations of delivery modes.

Online learning and the pandemic

Fast forward to 2020, and various further educational innovations have occurred to make the universal adoption of remote learning a possibility. One key challenge is access. Here, extensive problems remain, including the lack of Internet connectivity in some locations, especially rural ones, and the competing needs among family members for the use of home technology. However, creative solutions have emerged to provide students and families with the facilities and resources needed to engage in and successfully complete coursework 7 . For example, school buses have been used to provide mobile hotspots, and class packets have been sent by mail and instructional presentations aired on local public broadcasting stations. The year 2020 has also seen increased availability and adoption of electronic resources and activities that can now be integrated into online learning experiences. Synchronous online conferencing systems, such as Zoom and Google Meet, have allowed experts from anywhere in the world to join online classrooms 8 and have allowed presentations to be recorded for individual learners to watch at a time most convenient for them. Furthermore, the importance of hands-on, experiential learning has led to innovations such as virtual field trips and virtual labs 9 . A capacity to serve learners of all ages has thus now been effectively established, and the next generation of online education can move from an enterprise that largely serves adult learners and higher education to one that increasingly serves younger learners, in primary and secondary education and from ages 5 to 18.

The COVID-19 pandemic is also likely to have a lasting effect on lesson design. The constraints of the pandemic provided an opportunity for educators to consider new strategies to teach targeted concepts. Though rethinking of instructional approaches was forced and hurried, the experience has served as a rare chance to reconsider strategies that best facilitate learning within the affordances and constraints of the online context. In particular, greater variance in teaching and learning activities will continue to question the importance of ‘seat time’ as the standard on which educational credits are based 10 — lengthy Zoom sessions are seldom instructionally necessary and are not aligned with the psychological principles of how humans learn. Interaction is important for learning but forced interactions among students for the sake of interaction is neither motivating nor beneficial.

While the blurring of the lines between traditional and distance education has been noted for several decades 11 , the pandemic has quickly advanced the erasure of these boundaries. Less single mode, more multi-mode (and thus more educator choices) is becoming the norm due to enhanced infrastructure and developed skill sets that allow people to move across different delivery systems 12 . The well-established best practices of hybrid or blended teaching and learning 13 have served as a guide for new combinations of instructional delivery that have developed in response to the shift to virtual learning. The use of multiple delivery modes is likely to remain, and will be a feature employed with learners of all ages 14 , 15 . Future iterations of online education will no longer be bound to the traditions of single teaching modes, as educators can support pedagogical approaches from a menu of instructional delivery options, a mix that has been supported by previous generations of online educators 16 .

Also significant are the changes to how learning outcomes are determined in online settings. Many educators have altered the ways in which student achievement is measured, eliminating assignments and changing assessment strategies altogether 17 . Such alterations include determining learning through strategies that leverage the online delivery mode, such as interactive discussions, student-led teaching and the use of games to increase motivation and attention. Specific changes that are likely to continue include flexible or extended deadlines for assignment completion 18 , more student choice regarding measures of learning, and more authentic experiences that involve the meaningful application of newly learned skills and knowledge 19 , for example, team-based projects that involve multiple creative and social media tools in support of collaborative problem solving.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, technological and administrative systems for implementing online learning, and the infrastructure that supports its access and delivery, had to adapt quickly. While access remains a significant issue for many, extensive resources have been allocated and processes developed to connect learners with course activities and materials, to facilitate communication between instructors and students, and to manage the administration of online learning. Paths for greater access and opportunities to online education have now been forged, and there is a clear route for the next generation of adopters of online education.

Before the pandemic, the primary purpose of distance and online education was providing access to instruction for those otherwise unable to participate in a traditional, place-based academic programme. As its purpose has shifted to supporting continuity of instruction, its audience, as well as the wider learning ecosystem, has changed. It will be interesting to see which aspects of emergency remote teaching remain in the next generation of education, when the threat of COVID-19 is no longer a factor. But online education will undoubtedly find new audiences. And the flexibility and learning possibilities that have emerged from necessity are likely to shift the expectations of students and educators, diminishing further the line between classroom-based instruction and virtual learning.

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Student essay: Why online 'learning' could never compare to the real deal

Editor's Note:   This research paper was written by a Nordonia High School senior enrolled in College Writing 1, a dual-enrollment course with college credit awarded through Kent State University.  It has been edited due to space limitations. The views expressed are those of the student and not necessarily of Nordonia High School or the News Leader. 

Online learning is one of the biggest cop-outs schools have come up with to date. Schools that think giving kids worksheets to fill out or video lessons to watch can measure up to in-person schooling, are doing it wrong. Students have countless barriers to climb through when experiencing online “learning” and yet expectations are kept the same. And those who believe a video call can compare to a lesson given in the flesh are obviously not up to date on the drawbacks of online courses. Even though COVID-19 has forced some schools into a fully remote learning model, the way it is being conducted is not acceptable for the students and teachers involved.

Students have enough distractions in classrooms already. Stick them at home and it is like a little kid at an amusement park. Looking past their cell phones, students also now have access to TVs, video games, and the most problematic distraction for many students - their beds. With all the options at hand, it is not hard to see why students often struggle with setting priorities. Eight A.M. online class vs sleeping until noon…I know which one I would choose, but that does not mean the same for all students.

Three psychologists, Rachael Blasiman, Donald Larabee, and Dianah Fabry conducted a study of the effect of six different distractions on students’ test scores (including folding laundry, playing a computer video game, texting on a cell phone, engaging in conversation, watching a low-arousal video, and watching a high-arousal video). They found an average of 25% decrease on test scores across all distractions tested. Therefore, showing that no matter the length of time, or mindlessness of the distractions, they can still have a serious effect on the knowledge a student can acquire while preoccupied.

Although multitasking is encouraged in some light, doing so while trying to learn online is not a smart idea for students. I find myself in the same predicaments. I put on a video lesson and think I can make myself lunch or play video games while this is on and still understand the material. It typically results in having to replay the video multiple times to understand the lesson being “taught.” If I, a senior in high school, can be so easily distracted from my online classes, how are middle school and elementary students expected to learn from videos? Without a teacher keeping them focused face-to-face, it is not hard to see why their short attention spans will get the better of them. Even the best of the best students in high school find themselves getting easily diverted from their work. With no classroom environment and in-person instructors to keep students engaged in learning and on track, interruptions find their way to the top of the priority list and less learning is occurring.

School is not just about academics. For many people, it is their main source of social interaction. Whether that is being student to teacher, student to student, or even teacher to teacher. Just being around others is enough motivation for some individuals to come back each day. Online “learning” takes this away. Some instructors use “breakout rooms” during lessons as a means for interaction between students, but it is not the same (and coming from a student’s perspective, nothing productive happens in those rooms). Other teachers use group projects to practically force students to find a way to communicate with other students in their class. But with today’s technology, students simply text one another, and no real form of social connection takes place.

Without face to face interaction regularly, the mental health of both students and teachers can be greatly affected. A study of 12 students with a diagnosed mental health disability showed that the barriers produced from online learning can largely impact the already bad mental health of some students. The study indicated that the students involved chose to do online learning because of what they thought would be a better environment for themselves but discovered that the online schooling more negatively impacted them than they believed it would. Some effects the participants noticed were memory difficulties, disrupted study patterns, and increased stress and anxiety. These effects can be boiled down to the sense of isolation online learning creates and the lack of social support usually received by other students and teachers in a physical classroom. Being on a video call does not compare to the interaction in a classroom setting, and that is one of the mistakes that schools are making when they plan their remote “learning” schedules.

The temptations of the positive side of remote instruction are sometimes too good to resist. It seems so easy to just pop online, give directions to students, and tell them to finish their work. Students who are sick can participate. Students in other countries or states can participate. All at the same time a greater feeling of safety is felt by all those involved. The University of Illinois at Springfield says, “the main advantage of asynchronous online learning is that it allows students to participate in high quality learning situations when distance and schedule make on-ground learning difficult-to-impossible,” which in cases like online colleges, where courses have been perfected for years on end and students know what they signed up for, this statement is most likely true. But for high schools affected by COVID-19, the same methods more often have flaws when they are thrown together for both the students and teachers. It is incredibly hard to keep students engaged and valuing their learning when they signed up for an in-person class in the spring and now must try and be excited about a Zoom class every day. Although these are unexpected and difficult times, our nation is made up of millions of creative and intelligent individuals, and by settling for simple online meetings and worksheets, we are doing our students and teachers an incredible disservice.

From an outside perspective, it could easily be assumed that students are the only ones suffering from the lack of “learning” that goes on in the online classroom model. Teachers, however, are equally, if not, more affected during these times. They must work to please students, parents, administration, and their colleagues while also trying to preserve their morals of teaching and learning. Parker J. Palmer, an expert on education who has written many books about the teaching profession, states, “Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.”

Providing “good teaching” in a normal classroom setting is hard enough, but then put teachers in front of 30 kids with their cameras and microphones off and it must be extremely difficult to keep their identity and integrity as instructors intact. Most teachers enter the profession because they enjoy teaching their content area and they want to help children learn. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to watch students’ value of learning decline so rapidly with the input and option of online schooling.

Even though this is “just another year” for educators, whereas students are missing a year they only get to experience once (senior year, freshman year, etc.), it still must be difficult for teachers to know their students this year are not getting the full experience and knowledge of in-class learning. In order to try and compensate for the lack of excitement and engagement among students, teachers have to put in more than maximum effort to redesign their lessons for an online learning environment.

For teachers to feel content with the amount and quality of instruction they are giving to students, they need to make sure the lessons are as effective through a screen as they would be in person, and that is often extremely difficult to accomplish. Hence, it is not hard to see why many teachers are struggling with how exactly to go about teaching on their new online platforms.

Another disadvantage to both teachers and students in an online schooling environment lies in the limitations and requirements that come with technology. Our society has advanced so that the technology tools available today were not even imagined as possible in the past. Even with new innovative devices, however, there are many obstacles that those involved must face when dealing with technology all day. In-the-flesh classes allow teachers to give students a break from technology with activities that do not require it. Online schooling, on the other hand, whether it being group work over a Zoom call, a task on a website, or just checking in with a teacher (on Google Classroom or any other site) to see what the work for the day is, requires students to use technology for every class, every day. There is only so much one can do with the technology available to them; students do not have unlimited access to whatever type of machinery they’d like. Some students do not even have enough internet connection at home to use the computer given to them by their school. And on the teacher’s side, the technology available cannot be deemed 100% reliable for everything they want to accomplish with their students. A study of 200 learners across 16 organizations and 14 countries reported that 68% of participants participated in online courses at their desks and 77% revealed they were unable to complete or pass the course in one attempt. The learners in this study were out of high school, either in college, or doing an online course for a workplace, so if adults, like the ones in this study, had trouble completing an online course in one try (for many reasons), how can the expectations be the same, or even greater, for high school or middle school students?

The moral of the story is that students may be listening during online classes, but they are not learning. Teachers can try their best to adjust their instructions and find technology-friendly activities, but without the interaction and the relationships of a face-to-face classroom, it is extremely difficult for students to understand and ultimately learn the material. Some administrators and those “in charge” of teachers most likely get frustrated with feedback they receive from both students and teachers (that is, if they ask all those involved) about the effectiveness of online schooling, but from any outside perspective, it may not look as strenuous and ineffective as it is. “In-person meetings provide a sense of intimacy, connection and empathy that is difficult to replicate via video” says Brandon Wu, a staff writer from The Paly Voice, “It’s much easier to ask for attentive listening and presence, which creates the psychological safety that people need to sense in order to engage and participate fully.” 

Online schooling cannot measure up to the real thing, and both government officials and administrators of the schools themselves should take into consideration the importance of in-person schooling when making educational decisions. If those in the highest positions devalue the significance of face-to-face learning, students will go along and do that right with them.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning: IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic

You must write at least 250 words for IELTS Writing Task 2. You will be given a topic and evaluated on your abilities to answer by expressing and defending your viewpoint, explaining the topic, summarising facts, describing challenges, identifying potential alternatives, and illustrating what you write with explanations, claims, and specific examples from your own expertise or experience.

Today we will read about a very popular topic “Advantages and disadvantages of online learning essay”.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes

Let us help you in your IELTS writing preparation with an interesting and informative topic. Read all the 3 sample answers and learn how to approach a topic in different ways.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes Sample Answer One for IELTS Writing Task 2

Online teaching and learning have grown in popularity among students in recent times, and this is viewed differently by different learners. Many students see this as a helpful learning tool, although others believe it is not as successful as classroom instruction. This article would explore the benefits and drawbacks of digital education.

Also Read: Importance of Art in Society: IELTS Essay Sample for IELTS Writing Task 2 Explained for Band 8

Advantages of Online Classes Essay

Students who study online have more flexibility in their schedules and spend less money on their education. They will study their desired courses and subjects at their own pace. This is a fantastic opportunity for learners to learn new skills and expand their experience while remaining in the comfort of their own home. For example, a Nepali student seeking an Australian degree in business administration does not need to travel to Australia; he can train and complete the course while remaining at home. As a result, distance learning is both cost-effective and time-efficient.

Disadvantages of Studying Online

That being said, online classes offer more emphasis on the analytical aspect of learning and there is less instructor and student contact. It ignores realistic learning elements and encourages passive learning. It is clear that students perceive it to be less successful than classroom instruction. According to a new survey, a larger percentage of students considered classroom instruction to be much more successful than digital education.

Conclusion: Merits and Demerits of Online Teaching

In conclusion, the ever-increasing availability of digital education has gained traction among young adults for many years and is viewed as helpful by many and less successful by others. The focus should be placed on its efficacy in order to identify it as the most cost-effective learning method other than classroom instruction.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes Sample Answer Two for IELTS Writing Task 2

Recently, the course has grown in popularity, resulting in more excellent learning options for students. While this movement may have some benefits, it may also have some risks and challenges as a result. Both sides of learning will be addressed in more detail in the following chapters. On the one hand, distance education has certain benefits. For starters, the simplicity of distance learning is essential.

Also Read: IELTS Essay in Writing Task 2: Here’s How to Organize it Well

There is no time constraint and the online classroom and teacher are (theoretically) accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a result, students will stick to their schedules without impacting their learning outcomes.

Second, the advantage of learning is that it saves resources. Tuition at online schools is often smaller than at conventional universities. Building repairs, grounds maintenance, food service, class accessories, and other expenses that impact the cost of credits are not needed.

Learners, on the other hand, may suffer from a number of disadvantages of simulated learning. To continue, students can encounter technical issues, which can have a variety of implications.

Furthermore, some students are not equipped with the good internet access that online courses necessitate, and therefore fall behind their simulated classmates: poor monitors find it difficult to obey the course Management.

The system, as well as their learning process, becomes troublesome. Another downside to digital education is the scarcity of accreditation and the poor standard of instruction. The growing demand for digital education has resulted in an uncontrollable proliferation of colleges, including some unregulated schools, and there is no way to check the content of all courses. As a consequence, illegal organisations can con several students out of money.

Finally, online education can be helpful in terms of scheduling flexibility and reduced tuition. However, immersive learning has some drawbacks, including poor student conditions and a lack of quality control over classes.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes Sample Answer Three for IELTS Writing Task 2

These days, online learning is becoming increasingly popular. Many conventional colleges began to make their classes available for free. It represents a simple and convenient way to gain expertise in almost any area, from law and accounting to social sciences such as sociology, anthropology, and history. Digital education is a fantastic alternative to conventional universities, particularly for people who do not have the time or resources to attend traditional universities. So what are the benefits and drawbacks of online learning?

Also Read: Opinion Essay for IELTS: How to Plan and Write a Perfect Opinion Essay?

While many people still believe that traditional colleges are the only way to gain expertise and obtain a diploma, digital education has proven to be an excellent option. Students should study on their own time, and particularly for free. It is an excellent way to learn a variety of subjects while still increasing self-motivation. Online learning is so successful because students can complete their assignments easily, leaving more time for hobbies or job search.

Access to all of the opportunities of a typical course allows learners to practise wherever they are, giving them the opportunity to prepare wherever they choose. An individual may attend various courses with only an Internet connection. Students’ accountability and self-discipline are among the benefits of digital learning.

Limitations of Online Learning

An individual can only learn properly in a small group. Learners learn at school how to make new friends, be polite, deal with failure, and, most importantly, compete. Competition among colleagues can be very exciting, and students can learn greatly from it. Human contact is not possible for digital learning.

Another drawback is that online classes cannot handle the thousands of students who attempt to participate in debates. Furthermore, if digital education is intended for disciplines that need preparation, it can be challenging.

Conclusion of Studying Online

Finally, digital education can be seen as a supplement to and expansion to traditional ways of learning. Even the best online course cannot completely substitute physical interaction with an instructor or the human connections formed in a group. As a result, standard classes can not be replaced by digital learning.

Any essay can be satisfactory if addressed correctly. It is critical to remember in IELTS writing that each type of essay necessitates a different approach. In the case of an ‘advantage and disadvantage’ essay, a mixture of solid structure and appropriate data is a game-changer. As a result, in order to achieve a 9 band in your exam, you must devote some time to planning and structuring your essay.

If you need more assistance on this, you can simply visit IELTS Ninja .

Also Read: How to Write Agree and Disagree Essays in IELTS? Tips to Write the Perfect Essay

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Thank you for providing the advantages and disadvantages of the online learning, but many prefer online learning over self study, what do you think about it?

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Opinion: Online learning should be the new norm

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Photo courtesy of Getty Images. Student in online class.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, educational institutions transitioned to online learning. Although this transition revealed the in-person learning styles possessed by some students, it also brought to light the advantages of online learning.

One of the main benefits of online learning is the flexibility offered. Online education encourages a greater balance thereof, particularly for those who manage multiple commitments at once–such as work, family life and school. Individuals can work at their own pace, which allows them to manage their obligations suitably while also optimizing the retainment of the information being taught.

As Northeastern University states, “You can work through the lesson plan at your own pace to ensure you’re mastering the material before moving on to the next section. This added flexibility allows online learners to move through the course work at their speed and get the most out of the degree program.”

Another advantage of online learning is time management and honing such skills. With the flexibility offered by online classes, students can create their schedules. It is up to the individual to stay on track with assignments and deadlines and learn how to manage the demands of said “self-paced” classes. Nonetheless, online courses allow students to plan and work ahead, which can be particularly beneficial for those who are also managing the demands of their career, such as travel. In the instance of travel, one can work ahead in their classes–if possible–to complete the necessary work, or they can bring their electronic device with them to keep up with their assignments.

The ability to bring school with you, and access it from wherever you are, is another notable benefit of online learning. Such unlimited accessibility encourages individuals to continue their education as they can essentially work at any time and place–a level of flexibility that allows them to fit school into their life and other commitments. As Melanie Kasparian, associate director of assessment at Northeastern College of Professional Studies, says regarding online learning, “Working on the train, during a lunch break, or in the morning—there’s no right time to study, as long as it fits your life.”

From my experience with online learning, I reaped the benefits of flexibility, balance and time management. I have spent the past three years of my educational career as an online student, and I can speak first-hand to the advantages. With the flexibility and “self-paced” nature of my classes, I have managed school, work and my personal life much more smoothly than I previously had when I was attending traditional brick-and-mortar schools. If a personal event or commitment demands my attention, I bring my computer with me and complete my school work during any free moment. Thus, where I previously had to miss the event–such as a wedding–due to needing to be physically present at school, I can now build my school schedule around the event to partake while also staying on track with my school work.

Online school also honed my time management skills and self-discipline, as it is essentially up to me to get the work done whenever I want or can, before the deadline. Lastly, the online school awarded me the opportunity to graduate a semester early from high school and kickstart my higher education, which is an achievement I will always be grateful for.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience with online learning. It is an important and beneficial option for those who want to continue their education without neglecting other aspects of their life, such as their career. With that being said, I think all educational institutions should offer an online option for all courses to encourage individuals to continue their education by providing a suitable environment and resources.

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• Education /

Online Classes vs Offline Classes

• Updated on  
• Jan 15, 2024

The Covid-19 pandemic brought a dynamic shift in the world education system . The imposition of lockdown led to the shutdown of physical classrooms and thus online education became the new norm. Although online learning has managed to keep education alive in these difficult times, it cannot completely replace it. Both online and offline education have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. In this blog, we will explore one of the most debated topics these days, online classes vs offline classes. 

This Blog Includes:

Online education, offline education, mode of education in offline and online classes, accessibility, time management, flexibility of classes, student-teacher interaction, technical issues in offline and online classes, practical learning, pros and cons of an online degree.

With the emergence of technology , the method of delivering education has forever changed. As a matter of fact, online education has become a flexible instructional method of teaching wherein students can easily gain access to study material in the comfort of their homes. Moreover, online education provides an excellent opportunity for students who are unable to enrol in traditional classrooms as well as supports students in setting their own pace for studying. 

Furthermore, online education helps in inculcating the habit of self-discipline and time management within students and provides them access to an unlimited number of educational resources. The students can easily set their own pace of learning as long as they have the right equipment and access to a proper internet connection. 

Also Read: Online Education in India

Offline education is the traditional counterpart to online education and the original method of learning that allows students to have regular face-to-face interactions with their peers and teachers. However, as much as online education is predicted to be the future of learning, it cannot replace the holistic aspect of offline education.

Moreover, offline education also allows teachers to monitor the responses and behaviour of their students and accordingly address them as and when required. Hence, no matter how advanced online education is, offline education will continue to play a vital role in the development of students.  

Also Read: Are Online Classes Becoming the New Normal?

Online Education vs Offline Education

While online education is not a new phenomenon, its importance came to light during the pandemic. Given below is a table that highlights the main differences between online education vs offline education. 

When it comes to online classes, teachers can easily educate their students via virtual classrooms. Students can easily access learning materials from anywhere as long as they have proper access to an internet connection. Additionally, Online classes provide teachers with a number of online learning tools including videos, audio, animations, virtual whiteboards, virtual conference rooms and live chats with the students. 

On the other hand, offline classes provide students with a practical learning environment within the walls of a physical classroom. It allows students to closely interact with their teachers as well as participate actively in live discussions and debates. Moreover, students can also participate in recreational activities like art and physical education which contributes to the overall mental and physical development of the student. 

Also Read: Massive Open Online Courses

One of the greatest advantages of online classes is their accessibility from anywhere around the world. Students can simply log in from anywhere and gain access to learning material from the convenience of their homes. Applications like Zoom and Microsoft Team have allowed students to easily attend their lectures without having to leave the safety of their homes. Thus, online classes provide the distinct advantage of location flexibility.  

However, offline classes require students to travel to the location of their educational institution. Teaching takes place in a fixed location which would typically comprise a lecture hall or a physical classroom. Additionally, certain students may need to travel far to reach their respective educational institutions and this may cause a great deal of inconvenience.

Students who attend online classes are faced with the big challenge of time management . Online learners are typically distracted by a multitude of tasks and they lack a proper schedule. Since online classes provide the advantage of self-paced learning, students may not have a proper schedule and may succumb to the habit of procrastination . Moreover, students are required to stay logged in to their online classes for an extended period of time which may lead to students surfing the web for distractions or checking their social media pages. 

In the case of offline classes, students have to adhere to a strict schedule that has been set up by the teachers. Furthermore, since there is synchronous learning, students will be required to complete their work and projects on time.

The flexibility of classes is the main highlight of online classes. It allows students to set their own learning pace without any additional pressure. Additionally, since students have access to recorded videos and online reading material, they can easily attend lectures as and when it is convenient. It also gives students more time to digest the study material and complete their work or research at their own pace. 

On the other hand, there is a certain amount of rigidity when it comes to offline education. Students are required to attend their lectures or sessions on time since there are no pre-recorded videos or notes that are easily available to the students. Hence, students are required to follow a predetermined and strict schedule as set by their educational institute. 

Also Read: Pros and Cons of Online Learning Speech

Contrary to the popular belief that there is hardly any interaction between students and teachers in online education, there is an ample amount of interaction between students and teachers over the online platform. Online classes allow students to get in touch with their teachers no matter the time or location. Online classrooms also allow two-way communication which significantly influences learning. Moreover, student-teacher interaction in online classes may be both synchronous and asynchronous. 

There is face-to-face interaction in the case of offline classes, especially because teaching is synchronous. There is active communication between students and teachers which allows for lively discussions and debates between them. Moreover, it allows students to immediately address their doubts and receive quick feedback. Teachers are adapting to different methods of teaching to engage students.

Online classes are always challenged by technical issues. Access to proper electronic equipment such as webcams, microphones, headphones and computers along with a proper internet connection is a mandatory requirement for online classes. Additionally, technical issues such as slow internet connection or lack of availability of proper technical infrastructure may interfere with seamless learning. Moreover, students may face difficulty in attending live lectures or downloading videos or online notes. 

On the other hand, Offline classes, are rarely threatened by technical issues. Students and teachers are not required to be exceptionally tech-savvy and since most learning occurs within the physical classroom, technical issues are not a major issue except for any lessons that require presentations or computers. 

Online education is purely theoretical and takes place entirely online. This scarcely allows students to take part in the practical aspects of learning which is an equally important part of education. Subjects like chemistry , physics , biology , art and sports require students to be physically present and conduct live experiments or actively participate in the activity. 

Offline classes provide a stimulating environment that combines both theoretical and practical aspects of learning, unlike online classes. This contributes to the overall cognitive and skill development of the students. Practical learning allows you to learn and quickly adapt to daily challenges and scenarios and allows you to get a better understanding of lessons. 

Watch this video to understand the Pros and Cons of an Online Degree right here!

Related Articles

Offline classes, as opposed to online classes, provide a stimulating environment that incorporates both academic and practical components of learning. This helps students’ overall cognitive and skill development.

Offline learning is preferable since it allows you to engage with other students in a more natural setting. You can ask questions, solve tasks, and receive personalised feedback from your teacher. Another benefit of offline classes is that they are more dependable.

The distinction between online and offline communication is traditionally viewed as a distinction between computer-mediated communication and face-to-face communication (e.g., face time). Offline is reality, while online is virtuality or cyberspace (i.e., real life or “meatspace”).

Online Classes vs Offline Classes which one do you prefer? For more information on such informative topics, visit our school education page and follow Leverage Edu .

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12 comments

Online classes is better than offline class in this covid19 pandemic situation

Hello Nasrin, We totally agree with you and believe that online classes do have their own share of advantages too. Here are some recommended reads that you can check out on the same: https://leverageedu.com/blog/online-learning/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/online-courses/ https://leverageedu.com/blog/online-classes-are-the-new-normal/

Very nice content

Acc. 2 me offline is better. As it boost 😤 Student confidence nd to talk freely with his /her teacher. As in online one can ask ques privately, perfectly clear doubt but isn’t it lower confudence . As he /she can ask his/her ques. But in future while in any situation when he /she need to do some open conversation or any other situation. He /she can’t able to do it perfectly. To b good there strt it frm starting.

Me offline class is best 🙂 Thank you

Hey Deepanshi, offline and online courses both have their merits and demerits. Glad to know that you find offline better!

In my opinion offline classes is best way of learning ☺️

Thank you for the comment!

The information you’ve shared in this blog is highly remarkable. Thanks for sharing quality information.

Thank you for such encouraging feedback. We are continuously working hard to bring all the important information for our readers regarding study abroad queries. If you are interested in knowing more about such study abroad related services call Leverage Edu anytime at 1800 572 000 for a free consultancy session.

Online classes make Health issues, spending so much time in front of computer cause bad affects on health But in Physical Offline Classes are very much better than online classes in my opinion, when you meet peoples physically your mind get open and with physically connect with teacher gets your study perfect. OFFLINE CLASSES ARE THE BEST in terms of everything

Well , i have a question though . what about introvert students ? Who are too shy to approach to the teacher , they are much more comfortable in online , aren’t they ?

Online classes are undoubtedly great for introvert students. But if you’re an introvert and you take offline classes, you will be able to build courage and confidence which will prove beneficial in the future.

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