There is no secret that the concept of traditional education has changed a lot over the decades. It is still changing now. Students’ learning experiences are becoming more reliant on technology while the trend for personalization is growing. Now, it’s even no longer necessary to be physically present in the classroom in order to acquire education.
The rise of online learning brings us into a new education era. According to the most recent studies, more than 30% of college and university students in the US are already taking at least one online course. Moreover, more and more young people are leaning toward digital studies after the outbreak of Covid-19 and a forceful switch to distance learning during the lockdown. But is it really worth it?
The Downsides of Online Learning
You Won’t Make It Without Solid Time Management
This is probably the greatest struggle for all online students. When studying remotely, you will have no one to tell you what to do. This can be both a perk and a massive con too. After all, if there is no teacher to ensure that you are on the right track, it can be very easy to end up buried beneath loads of overdue schoolwork.
While you can still find someone to ask, “please, ,” and delegate your coursework to qualified writers, you won’t be able to delegate just everything. Online learning requires a high level of self-organization and time management. And if you can’t demonstrate them, you won’t survive through it.
It Will Take More Time to Finish Your Course
Many modern students opt for distance courses to have more freedom, flexibility, and time for other things. But one thing they often miss is that such courses take longer to complete than traditional ones.
The key problem is that online education is much more self-paced than traditional one. The time needed for anything, from to completing the new section of the course, will depend solely on you. Moving through the program at your own pace might be less stressful but also more time-consuming.
It Creates a Sense of Isolation
Whether in high school or college, being in a group of peers and socializing is an important part of the experience. And, as you can easily guess, in a digital environment deprives you of this.
When attending an online classroom, you will still have some of your peers around. But they all will be on the other side of the screen. That is, there will be no real-life interaction, which can eventually create a strong sense of isolation and loneliness. For many students, this feeling is unbearable and can even lead to lasting depression.
The Big Advantages of Online Learning
Greater Flexibility
When you are in a traditional college program, you are always tied up to different things, including the overall curriculum. However, when you switch to remote, you receive much more flexibility.
By taking distance courses, you can study any time you want, anywhere you want, with whomever you want, etc. This flexibility and freedom might play as a downfall if it’s just more than you can handle. But, generally, having more control of your life is good.
More Personalization and Individual Attention
When attending a typical classroom, you will always have dozens of other peers who study along with you. On the one hand, this means a larger company and more opportunities for socialization. But, on the other hand, since there is only one teacher per course, this also means less individual attention offered to every student.
A big advantage of online learning is that it provides a more personalized experience for everyone. You will be able to study at your own pace, tweak the program to your unique needs, and even get more individual attention from your teachers (though not in person).
Financial Benefits
High-quality education isn’t cheap, and it seems to worsen yearly. However, distance learning is much more cost-effective. First, such courses always have lower tuition fees than in-class programs.
Apart from lower tuition, you can also save money on books and different course materials because digital versions are cheaper than physical ones. And most importantly, online education brings the classroom right to your home. That is, you can save a lot of money on housing, transportation, and even food because you will be able to study in the comfort of your own home.
Acquisition of Strong Skills
The freedom offered by distance learning can be too huge to handle for some students. However, if you can handle it, you will also receive plenty of benefits in terms of personality formation and vital skills acquisition.
Namely, having more freedom will let you develop stronger self-organization and time management skills. Also, such courses are proven to promote lifelong learning. And finally, being a digital student will help you foster a wide range of technology skills, including online research, email, and many others. Needless to say, all these skills and abilities will really come in handy in your future life.
The Bottom Line
This article covered some of the most tangible drawbacks and perks of distance education. So is it really worth it?
Unfortunately, even knowing about all the pros and cons, there is no way to answer this question and get the answer right for everyone. As you now know, this form of studying has both significant downsides and advantages. Generally, it seems like the benefits are greater than the cons. However, it’s important to understand that each of the disadvantages described above can hamper your academic performance and turn your experience into a massive struggle.
Therefore, eventually, it all gets down to your personality and individual needs. If you have the character and skills to handle remote learning, it can be a game-changer for you. But traditional education is a wiser choice if you can’t manage your time wisely or stay on the right track without a teacher hounding you.