The winds of technological change have come about, and most educational institutes are embracing it. But it’s best to note that the concept of online learning isn’t something that emerged out of nowhere. Suppose you were to trace the history of online learning to find its origin. In that case, you’d find yourself at the doors of the University of Illinois in the USA, where students pursued online learning through computer terminals that were linked to form a network.
The emergence of the internet rapidly upgraded online learning and took it to new heights. Currently, the online learning market is projected to grow to almost $848.12 billion by 2030, highlighting the industry’s rapid growth.
What Does Online Learning Entail?
The concept of online learning has expanded to include various opportunities for students to pursue their education without facing any issues.
Online degrees
Students can pursue online degrees from anywhere in the world. Several universities and private learning organisations have introduced online courses where students can access top-class education from professional trainers. Signing up for an online degree allows students to access pre-recorded lectures and online learning materials. After passing an online test, students can obtain their degrees.
Distance learning
Distance learning programs, also known as correspondence courses, are self-study programs where colleges and universities offer full-time courses you can attend at any time or location. The institute delivers the study material to the student via post or online sources.
Academic guidance services
Students hiring online education websites, such as MBA Dissertation Writing Service, to assist them with their papers are also part of online learning. Nowadays, academic experts are just a stone’s throw away. You can search for reliable scholars near you, and you’re bound to find several online assignment writing services that can help you breeze through academics.
The Advantages & Disadvantages of Online Learning
Online learning is riddled with challenges that are too complicated to fix in an instant. Yet its popularity shows that it’s an important addition to people’s lives.
Pros of Online Learning
1. Easy availability of learning opportunities
Online learning has opened the doors of opportunity to students who didn’t have access to proper education due to a lack of teachers or educational institutes in their vicinity. Students in rural areas have always struggled to cover vast distances in order to reach schools and colleges, which were mostly situated in cities. Even if there were some institutes in the locality, they were always understaffed, and students suffered immensely due to poor education opportunities.
However, thanks to online learning, all they need is a stable internet connection to sign up for full-time courses from the comfort of their homes. This has allowed students who couldn’t even dream of higher education before to strive for a better future.Read.
2. Better interactive opportunities with mentors
In an offline class, the student-teacher ratio has always been off. Ideally, the ratio should be low so that teachers can pay individual attention to students’ needs. However, in reality, many schools assign one teacher for every sixty or seventy kids. Thus it becomes impossible for slow learners or students with learning disabilities to keep up with the class.
However, online learning opens up opportunities for students to enjoy one-on-one guidance with their mentors. Thanks to better interactivity, the mentors have a clear idea about the challenges the student faces with a particular subject. This knowledge allows them to personalise the session according to the student’s needs.
For example, if a student struggles with writing a thesis proposal, the mentors can provide samples of thesis help them become familiar with the concept.
3. Flexibility while pursuing higher education
Online education allows you much flexibility that you wouldn’t find in the case of offline learning. If you were to pursue higher studies at a college or university, you would have to adhere to their timings. Thus, it becomes challenging for a professional to pursue a course on the side because of time restrictions.
However, online learning allows you the flexibility to set your own time and place to learn. If you’re a working professional, you can study after you’re done with work or during weekends from the comfort of your home. You can also personalise the course according to your preference.
4. Cost-effective option compared to offline learning
Online learning is a more affordable option than traditional education. As the tuition fees for pursuing higher education in colleges and universities keep rising, many students have begun to opt for online learning alternatives.
For starters, you don’t have to worry about hostel fees, travel expenditures or institute maintenance charges. Furthermore, since you’re not making use of the institute’s electricity, laboratories or libraries, you get to save enough to pursue multiple online courses with the amount you would have spent on traditional learning.
Cons of Online Learning
1. Prevailing sense of isolation
Traditional learning system allows you to interact with other students, which makes learning more interactive and fun. You can make friends with your peers and look forward to classes every day because of them, even if the course is too challenging. But online education is an isolated learning process when you don’t get the opportunity to interact with others pursuing the same course. This can lead to discouragement and increased drop rates.
2. Non-accessible to a wide population
Millions of students across the world cannot access online courses or sign up for distance education because they do not have the necessary technology to do so. A seamless online learning experience involves having a working desktop, laptop or mobile phone and a steady internet connection. While these things might seem like a given to many, they are a luxury to millions.
3. Excessive screen time is harmful to health
While online learning is undoubtedly more convenient, it naturally leads to students being glued to their screens for hours. This can be a serious hazard to health since overexposure to bright screens can lead to insomnia, headaches, and migraines and can affect concentration powers and lead to mood swings.
In conclusion,
Online learning comes with ups and downs. Most students across the world still don’t have access to quality education, and online learning can help bridge this gap easily. Renowned educational institutions have started introducing online courses in addition to running traditional classes, giving students the opportunity to learn from the best scholars. However, the digital divide has made it harder for many to access these opportunities. As long as the divide is done away with, online learning is the new future.
Author bio:
Jonathan Anderson is a PhD in Psychology, providing online study help to students on MyAssignmenthelp.com. He has completed his doctorate from a reputable university in Australia. Anderson has 10+ years of experience as an educator and is renowned for his informative sessions.
