Online education is a viable and inevitable alternative to the traditional system of learning. We are at a period in time when technology is taking over all aspects of life, from simple things like counting farm animals to complex situations such as project management. School is not an exception to the ongoing digital transformation. In fact, online learning is expected to grow by 8% in 2026. This opens a window of opportunity for institutions to consider the new form education as a complement or replacement of traditional learning. However, schools need to weight the advantages and disadvantages of online education before jumping into the bandwagon. Here we go!
Advantages of Online Education
Online education has been applauded for providing copious prospects for learning and education.
- Reduced Costs:
Everyone would be delighted to save a coin, right? Online learning reduces costs and increases efficiency and productivity. This is because learners do not need to hire a room in a hostel or attend classes in a crowded room. Some expenses associated with traditional classrooms are avoided through online education. For instance, a regular Bachelor of Education degree course in Kenyatta University costs about KES 60,000 while an online education degree costs about KES 45,000 per semester. Clearly, you save KES 15,000 when studying online on tuition fees alone. Add that to commuter and material costs – you will see how economical online learning can be.
- Convenience and flexibility:
Through online learning, students can study from home or work office. There is no need of attending physical classes or travelling for a long distance. Online education enables learners to study at their own pace, time and location. Internet technology has given the world the opportunity to do things remotely and virtually from various places. We are in a global village where learners can interact with students and teachers, and access learning materials conveniently through the internet.
- Self-paced learning:
Through online education, students can determine their own pace of learning. A regular course that takes 4 years can take a much shorter time to complete through online learning. Online learners can set and manage their own time and shorten their course period. It is also possible for a student to choose their learning period in line with their work schedule. Thus, an online learner has more control over their education compared to regular students.
- Individualized learning style:
Online education also enables students to establish their own method of learning to suit their individual needs and schedules. For instance, an online student may choose to use memorization, question-answer method, or discussion forums to learn. In a regular classroom, the learner will follow the tutor’s directions in terms of learning, meaning that they have no choice over the method of learning used in class. Oftentimes, teachers use the lecturing and note taking method, which may not be suitable for all learners. Online education enables each student to choose a learning style that will maximize their learning outcomes.
- Easy access to resources:
In a traditional education setting, students go to the library and the classroom to access resources. Online learning provides a virtual library and digital access to learning materials. Students can get any learning resource in their personal computers or smartphones, without moving an inch.
Disadvantages of Online Education
If online learning offers such great benefits, why is traditional education still popular? Here are the disadvantages of online education:
- Limited feedback
Because online education is highly individualized, the student can rarely get feedback from their tutors. Much of the feedback they receive are in shortened and written format. The student gets little chance to interact with other students and teachers to receive face-to-face feedback about their learning progress. This will reduce the learning opportunities of the student.
- Social isolation
Through online learning, students interact with systems and devices more than they interact with people. Social learning disappears as people get clued to their computers. Sometimes they interact with strangers on the internet. Some of the people students might interact with over the internet could be using false identities. Accordingly, online learning isolates people from society and reduces humanity in learning. This might lead to social exclusion and disorientation among online learners.
- Requires self-motivation/discipline
For one to learn effectively through online tools, they should be highly motivated from the inside. In online education, there is nobody to push you around or force you to do anything. In class, you will have to attend classes and exams because the teachers and peers push you to do so. Without self-motivation and self-drive, students who learn online might be tempted to forego online classes, chats, forums and assignments. This will lead to poor performance and failure to achieve the desired learning outcomes.
- Little application of knowledge
Online education does not allow learners to apply the concepts they learn to practical situations. Through traditional learning, students can go do fieldwork and hold discussions to apply what they learn. An English learner, for instance, can engage in physical debate with classmates. This allows them to apply the grammatical rules and expressions they have learned to practical speech scenarios. On the other hand, a student who learns online lacks the opportunities to express their ideas in real life situations.
- Unsuitable for some courses or subjects
Online education is not suitable for all subjects. For instance, practical lessons in Chemistry and Physics cannot be done online. Learners have to mix some chemicals and make observations practically in a laboratory. Some courses also require illustrations and physical presentations. For such subject areas, online learning is utterly meaningless.
Conclusion
Indeed, we are not all cut from the same cloth. Some people find online learning interesting and convenient, but others may see it as inappropriate for learning. Online education is suitable for people who are self-motivated and ready to plan and manage their time independently. If done right, e-learning can become a cornerstone for universal access to quality education. Are you ready to take the leap?
