what are the advandtages and disadvandtages of studying online courses?

The year is 2020. Technology is, with a nauseating speed, finding its

way

into all aspects of life. In the confusing midst of

such

advances, oppositions have risen, arguing about whether we should embrace the changes, or remain to the safer, traditional

way

.

This

is

also

the case for education. Online courses, which is gaining traction recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic, have

also

opened up a debate about its pros and cons. In

this

essay, I aim to analyse both sides of the coin, state my opinion about the matter, and you, the reader, shall decide which side will gain your favour. Let us start with the advantages.

Firstly

, online courses surpass traditional courses in its flexibility.

This

flexibility lies in three keywords: when, how, where. Specifically, the student gets to dictate the best time, the best

way

of learning, and their favourable place (often their home),

thus

enabling the student to work in the most efficient

way

.

Secondly

, ease of access in online course is one of its forte. Only needing a computer (or maybe a tablet or smartphone as a budget alternative) with an internet connection, and you’re good to go! Study materials are sent through email or messages, and classes are held through apps like Skype or Discord.

This

opens up the potential for learners all around the world, no longer suffering the problem of distance.

Last

but not least, online courses may train one in self-discipline and responsibility. One can only enjoy the vast benefits of online courses once they have fully committed to it – maintaining the study schedule, pay undivided attention, etc.,

thus

Suggestion

This

Thus

training their mental capabilities.

On the other hand

, online courses are not without flaws.

Firstly

, there might be little to no face-to-face interaction. An English professor argued that online education creates “a monologue, not a real conversation” in the learning environment, and

that is

nothing to take lightly.

This

fact might impact students’ performance.

Secondly

, online courses seem like they require more work. To speak from personal experience, the workload while we have to stay at home is greater than normal. With online studying, students have to do much more to prove that they have mastered the knowledge.

This

isn’t necessarily a disadvantage, but still worth mentioning in my opinion.

Finally

, remember the aforementioned benefit about self-discipline and responsibility? It proved itself to be quite the double-edged blade: without those qualities, an online course will inevitably fail, no matter how good the teacher is. In conclusion, it is clear that online courses are great, but not without its weak points. Personally, I would certainly applaud the idea of online learning (despite the extra workload), as a study has shown that “on average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.” But of course, the final decision still belongs to you to make. Choose wisely.