Online Learning Pros and Cons

Online Learning

Online learning has many advantages and disadvantages. The advantages appear to outweigh the disadvantages by a significant margin. Each person is different and online learning may not be the best option for everyone but a large portion of the population; especially working professionals find that learning in an online format makes earning a degree easier and faster. The popularity of distance learning is increasing and online based classes are becoming an integral part of that trend.

Online learning has many advantages and they vary for each student and professor. The advantages when learning in the online format are wide ranging. The ease at which working people can attend class is improved significantly as most courses do not have a strict attendance policy relating to being online at certain times or days each week. Professors can convey more detail and information without having to give long class assignments or long in-depth lectures. Some learning formats allow for a self paced format allowing students to complete work assignments at their own pace. For students who travel for a living or work away from large academic centers online courses can enable them to earn a degree when they would otherwise be unable to attend a class in a physical classroom. Appana states that “In an increasingly globalized society, many learners seem to appreciate the advantages of international courses and the opportunity to work collaboratively and closely with colleagues across the world, and to have access not only to the course instructors, but also to textbook authors and experts from other institutions.” (2008) A review of benefits and limitations of online learning in the context of the student, the instructor, and the tenured faculty. This implies that the online learning format can give much more access to the sources of learning material than is readily available in a classroom environment.

Drawbacks to learning online are diverse but they are not normally impregnable barriers. Costs of online courses can cause many people to choose other learning methods as prices can range from the very inexpensive to outrageously expensive. The style of learning online can be a drawback for some learning styles which need more structure or direct interaction with a professor. There are times when a student can feel isolated from the school, professor and other students as they are interacting with a computer screen instead of physical people as in a classroom environment. Some disadvantages can seem quite formidable but most can be overcome.

The advantages outweigh the disadvantages in online learning for most people. Ease of access, the amount of information available and flexible scheduling offset the problems of cost, lack of structure and personal interaction. Learning online is a departure from the traditional classroom work as there is less structure and in some cases less interaction with other students and instructors. Some people thrive when self paced courses are available while others require a bit more structure, online learning can accommodate either learning style. Online learning may not be the right choice for everyone but for most it