Online Learning (OL) can be helpful, exciting but, at the same time intimidating. The pros and cons of online learning are numerous in other words. It is helpful because it gives you opportunities to take a leading role into your own studies.
However, it is also exciting because you’ve got to receive the materials for your exploration and you have a new facilitator who is the machine. It is however intimidating in the sense that all the learning happens outside the normal class or lecture room as we know it. In this context, the student has potentially important roles to play in finding the meaning in what he/she is doing. This is actually what leads the pros and cons of the online learning.
This is a form of education whereby 100% of the instruction goes on via the Internet/online. The online Courses may have supervised testing, but instruction take place entirely online. In this form of learning, students are able to participate from geographically remote locations without the need to come to school or campus.
The main goals of online learning can be summarised into the four major points, which are:
Masterly of technical skills that include the ICT knowledge and increase instructional certainty far away or in total absence of the lecturer.
Reflective learning that enhances clarity, meaning and create coherence and critical thinking
Inquiry in order to foster investigation and explanations of concepts.
Rich Interaction with peers in order to exchange ideas and assistance while refining one’s understanding of concepts. The online interactions are called rich because the learners do not only interact with tutors but also with different ICT facilities involved in the process. Let us now take a look at some pros and cons of online learning in details
What are the pros of online learning?Pros of Online Learning
Mostly, the importance of using internet, ICTs and computer is associated with the benefits of the Online learning. This is because the major player in this mode of education delivery, is the internet and the ICT gadgets using internet. Now, let us take a look at some of the most important benefits of online learning.
Fast, accurate and direct exchange of Information
Information or message goes electronically to the receiver. A large number of people are linked up through internet and websites. There is no fear of loss of items or undelivered package when the network functions properly. Registration, payment, access to the materials and the lesson delivery, all happen in no time, without you having to make a long distance or queue for services.
Rapid Information Processing
Using a computer, you can sort or search through huge amount of information for you, all you have to do is just give it a command, and that’s it. You are able to communicate to your study mates and your teacher, wherever they are geographically situated with ease, in just a brink of eye.
Increase Availability of Information
Access to knowledge has become pretty easy with the continuing rapid advance of Information Technologies and more importantly, this knowledge is readily available to you, no matter which corner of the earth you are at. There is a greater access to a variety of information sources. Learners and teachers from all works of life can surf the internet for information relating to their field of study and other related matters as a result of development in science and technology. Take an example of site like Education Companion or Centre for elites, where teachers from different corners of the World contribute their knowledge to be accessed by whoever needs such knowledge to develop themselves.
Improved Quality of Instruction
To start with, there is no other learner-centred learning like online learning education. This is not only because the major play in this form of learning is a student, but also, every single activity is designed with the learner’s interest as a matter of priority. This has tremendously improved the quality of instruction by increasing the desire of the learner to explore, discover, and create unique solutions to learning problems. The teacher on the other hand is no longer seen as the primary source of information but with the use of ICT, he is now viewed as a support, collaborator, and a coach for students as they learn to gather and evaluate information for themselves.
Online learning extends human experience
Human experience could be extended when dealing with materials that are not in the immediate environment of the learner or, on the other hand, when dealing with materials that could be injurious to the life of the students, for example, a wild animal like a lion cannot be brought into the class live rather a film or video can present it live in the class or a zoo could be networked to the classroom through the internet.
For instance, students specialising in Clinical medicine in one of South African University can have access to a live surgical operation being performed in a hospital in the United States of America through internet connectivity. Teleconferencing, webhosting, videoconferencing, etc. are examples of ways by which online learning can extend human experience. We could not exhaust the list, including the online library and now or near future, the development of virtual reality experience, etc.
Conclusive pros of online learning
With the availability of satellite, internet connection, world-wide-web, etc., the whole world is turned to a global village. Learners in developed countries and in developing countries, alike no longer have the barrier of distance to contact their teachers.
Online learners do not need to leave their job before they can access their learning materials. They even stand a better chance than students who have to wait for the physical presence of their teachers/instructors before they could proceed. With the online learning, learners and their teachers can interact any time any day regardless of the location as long as they are connected to the internet.
THE CONS OF ONLINE LEARNING
The cons of online learning
Having heard of the great benefits and wonders of online learning, one may this that it is a perfect option in the present and future education. However, on this planet and in this life, nothing is rosy. There are a number of issues related to the online learning, but which differ in gravity depending on geographical location and sociocultural background of individuals. Let’s take a look at the major bottlenecks of the reliance on online learning.
Difficult to use
Although some difficulties related to the use of Human beings are averse to change. A lot do not want to see computer as a companion, a teacher or an assistant. Rather, they see computer as an enemy that could relieve them of their jobs. Just as teachers initially kicked against the introduction of instructional television, some teachers are kicking against the introduction of computer in education.
Cost, Maintenance and Adequate Replacement
Cost is one of the bane of computer integration in education. Computer and other facilities involved are expensive, which makes it difficult to afford, especially in the developing world. Moreover, even if the devices such as smartphones have been made more affordable, internet connectivity is still a challenge in many parts of the World,or it is still very expensive .
The software are not cheap either and the manufacturers keep on changing them which makes it difficult to replace damaged ones and the used computer becomes a junk.
Affordability
Although, with the progress in technology, the cost of the gadgets used in the online learning tends to become less and less of a challenge, but this rarely applies to the most advanced online learning facilities. Moreover, the internet connectivity is still a challenge in many parts of the World,or it is still very expensive . Not only that, but even the charges for premium use by apps developing companies limit the feature exploited by some online learning organizations.
Health related challenges
At times staying on the computer for along time becomes quite stressful. to that effect, the online learners tend to lose concentration, due to nervous fatigue.
Exposure to theft of information
We cannot talk about the pros and cons of online learning without mentioning cyber attack. Vital information files of the learners could be infiltrated upon by information thieves. There have been cases of workers in examination bodies of some developing nations swapping names, numbers and marks of qualifying examinations.
Some dubious administrators can implicate their colleagues by scanning their signatures on malicious documents. Files should be properly handled by putting password on them to deter unauthorised persons from gaining access to such files. Care must be taken that you do not forget your password.
Pros and Cons of Online Learning conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that, there are too many pros and cons of online learning to elaborate is a short article. However, even if the online learning has got its own challenges,the benefits drawn from using it as a mode of delivery as well as study, outweigh its draw back by far.
