Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people can study online. Is this a positive or negative development?

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It is true that online courses are becoming a common feature of
university
education.
Although
there are some drawbacks of Internet-based learning, I would argue that there are far more benefits. The main drawback of the trend towards online
university
courses is that there is less direct interaction. Students may not have the opportunity to engage face-to-face with their teachers, and will
instead
have to rely on written forms of communication.
Similarly
, students who study online do not come into direct contact with each other, and
this
could have a negative impact on peer support, discussion and exchange of ideas.
For example
, whereas students
on
Suggestion
in
traditional courses can attend seminars and even discuss their subjects over coffee after lessons, online learners are restricted to chatting through website forum areas. These learners may
also
lack the motivation and
element
Suggestion
the element
elements
an element
of competition that face-to-face group work brings. Despite the negatives mentioned above, I believe that online
university
courses are a positive development for various reasons.
Firstly
, they allow learners to study in a flexible way, meaning that they can work whenever and wherever is convenient, and they can cover the material at their own pace.
Secondly
, the cost of a
university
education can be greatly reduced, while revenues for institutions may increase as more students can be taught.
Finally
, online learning offers open access to anybody who is willing to study, regardless of age, location, ability and background.
For example
, my uncle, who is 65 years old, has recently enrolled on an online MBA course in a different country, which would have been impossible in the days before Internet-based education. In conclusion, while I recognise the possible disadvantages of online learning, I consider it to be a positive development overall.
Submitted by Thuong Tran on

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Include an introduction and conclusion

A conclusion is essential for IELTS writing task 2. It is more important than most people realise. You will be penalised for missing a conclusion in your IELTS essay.

The easiest paragraph to write in an essay is the conclusion paragraph. This is because the paragraph mostly contains information that has already been presented in the essay – it is just the repetition of some information written in the introduction paragraph and supporting paragraphs.

The conclusion paragraph only has 3 sentences:

  • Summary
  • Restatement of thesis
  • Prediction or recommendation

Example:

To summarize, a robotic teacher does not have the necessary disciple to properly give instructions to students and actually works to retard the ability of a student to comprehend new lessons. Therefore, it is clear that the idea of running a classroom completely by a machine cannot be supported. After thorough analysis on this subject, it is predicted that the adverse effects of the debate over technology-driven teaching will always be greater than the positive effects, and because of this, classroom teachers will never be substituted for technology.

Start your conclusion with a linking phrase. Here are some examples:

  • In conclusion
  • To conclude
  • To summarize
  • Finally
  • In a nutshell
  • In general

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Topic Vocabulary:
  • Distance learning
  • Flexible schedule
  • Virtual classroom
  • Digital resources
  • E-learning platforms
  • Asynchronous learning
  • Synchronous learning
  • Cost-effective
  • Self-paced study
  • Technical difficulties
  • Blended learning
  • Online modules
  • Remote access
  • Student engagement
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