The Pros and Cons of Online Learning in College
Imagine when education was all in institutions. How many didn’t pursue their dreams because of geographical barriers, cost, and disabilities, among other reasons? For instance, a parent could only afford to educate one in a family of five children 30 years ago, while others work to ensure they offer a helping hand to their parents. The distance that you had to cover to learn was daunting. But now, there are no limitations on why you’re not reaching for your dreams. Online education in college has grown in recent years, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing many universities to shift to remote learning. This form of education benefits educators, students, and administrators alike, but everything has advantages and disadvantages as much as they are valuable. Below are some of the online learning pros and cons.
Pros:
Flexibility and Convenient
Students’ schedules vary depending on responsibilities, priorities, and goals. Some have a tight schedule as they must balance school, work, family, and extracurricular activities, meaning finding time to attend a conventional classroom is a problem. But with online learning, students can attend classes from anywhere and at any time that suits them best. And you learn as per your study style and pace. This helps students learn well and comprehend study materials fast.
With online education, you must have good time management skills to help you balance your commitments and find time for your coursework. Also, you must have excellent communication skills to communicate the problems you’re experiencing to get comprehensive assistance from your tutor. For example, you can fall short of time to complete assignments and get homework research help from these experts online, as they are available 24/7.
Individualised
Online education has a way with students. It has room for customisation, where learning sessions and materials are designed per the student’s learning style, schedule, and pace. People learn and comprehend things differently. Some learn fast, and others slow and use different learning materials to study, videos, graphs and diagrams, recordings, and many more. Online learning accommodates all students and ensures they achieve their goals.
Cost-Effective
Many expenses are associated with traditional education, and many find it expensive. For instance, commuting, housing, food, and other expenditures, when summed up with fees, it’s quite a lot. Not forgetting other students are the breadwinner in the family. But, online learning eliminates some of these expenses, easing the load of the costs. Besides, many online courses and programs offer financial aid, grants, and scholarships.
Cons:
Poor Time Management
Many students have enrolled for online education, and as much as it’s accessible, some learners cannot manage their time effectively. Yes, there is a lot to balance, but some are yet to learn time management skills. You study at your time and pace, but sometimes you miss learning sessions because of poor time management.
Poor time management is the start of your misfortunes in academic endeavours. It means you have no structure and accountability for anything, so you’ll struggle to stay on track and complete your coursework.
Technology Issues
Online education relies heavily on technology, which can challenge some students. Technical difficulties can prevent students from accessing course materials, submitting assignments, or participating in class discussions. Meaning scholars must have comprehensive computer skills to help them navigate.
Online education has advantages and disadvantages, and it is up to each student to decide whether it is the right choice. While online learning can be flexible and cost-effective, it may not provide the same interaction and hands-on learning level as traditional education. The decision to pursue online education should be based on individual needs and goals.