Universities and colleges are now offering qualifications through distance learning from the Internet rather than teachers in the classroom. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Obtaining
qualifications
through online
education
without actually sitting in a traditional classroom has surged in popularity with the development of communication technologies and has probably become the new normal during the COVID pandemic when most people have to stay at home for an extended period of time. Personally, I believe
this
is a positive development that brings more benefits than drawbacks. To start with the positives, distance
education
contributes to educational equality by increasing the availability of quality
education
to a wider range of individuals. Online
courses
have an unprecedented big capacity of enrolment and are generally more affordable than conventional on-campus
courses
that contribute to higher overheads, so more
students
, especially those living in poverty, could afford to pursue university or college
qualifications
.
This
is the same with
students
with mobility difficulties, who now have more freedom to choose and learn subjects and skills they prefer rather than being deprived of opportunities due to their inability to attend
courses
on campus. Flexibility is another prominent advantage of gaining
qualifications
through distance
education
. Unlike traditional
education
,
students
who attend online
courses
are generally offered recorded lessons and other learning resources for them to learn or revise at their own pace without the restrictions of time and space.
Nevertheless
, there are concerns over
this
shift towards online
education
. The most obvious one is the lack of authentic social interactions that feature conventional face-to-face
education
, meaning that
students
cannot gain instant feedback and improve effectiveness through communication with peers and teachers like they would normally do in a traditional classroom.
This
lack of peer communication might
also
lead to declined motivation of learners who would traditionally encourage or compete with each other to excel. These disadvantages,
however
, can be compensated for by providing online forums for discussing and asking questions and setting up assignments and checkpoints to hold learners accountable. In conclusion, despite the less interactive and motivating learning environment, I would argue that providing
qualifications
through distance
education
is a beneficial trend considering how it promotes
education
justification with its availability and flexibility, which are quite restricted in traditional classrooms.
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Topic Vocabulary:
  • unparalleled flexibility
  • democratizes education
  • geographically isolated
  • personal circumstances
  • cost-effectiveness
  • accommodation
  • commuting
  • self-motivated learning
  • self-discipline
  • time management
  • direct interaction
  • feelings of isolation
  • quality and recognition
  • inferior
  • technical issues
  • digital divide
  • reliable technology
  • underprivileged
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