PROS & CONS OF ONLINE LEARNING

Online learning can be great for some but bad and challenging for others. It can be beneficial for a few people but it can be the opposite for others. There are many pros and cons of online learning which can apply differently to others. Online learning can be best suited for some students while other students need in person learning.

Starting with pros, online learning can be efficient. Everything such as your textbooks, materials, lectures and assignments are given to you through links. Along with that, there’s many tools such as videos, PDFs, and podcasts which teachers use as part of their lesson plans. There are more online resources and it can all be found in one place so you don’t have to worry about losing things. It’s easier to go through notes or anything since you have it all laid out on your screen. Overall, it’s easier to access and it’s all stored in one place which makes it easier to follow along and use.

Another pro is less expenses. Online learning eliminates the cost of student transportation which includes bus fare and gas money if it’s cars and student meals which includes cafeteria food which can sometimes be pricey. In addition, all the course or study materials are available online which makes a paperless learning environment which is more affordable which is also beneficial to the environment. Textbooks or workbooks are sometimes not free or given and the cost to replace the book if lost, costs more than the textbook itself. There would be less financial responsibilities with online learning.

Online learning offers many different styles of learning which each student can benefit from. Every student has different learning styles which can be adjusted online, not in person classes since the teacher sticks with one way to teach to a

big group of students. With online learning, there's a variety of options and resources which can be modified in many ways to meet student’s needs. It’s a great way to create the ideal learning environment for specific students who might need a modified way of learning. Online learning has a mix of visuals and audios the most while in person, they’re steered more towards one specific way.

Those were some of the pros, now let’s talk about some cons of online learning. The biggest con would be that students might not be able to focus since they’re staring at screens all day since at one point they’ll zone out or get distracted by social media or other tabs. They won’t be as engaged since they’ll be bored. Since there’s also no other students with them physically, they might get more bored since there’s no socializing which means they get less engaged and motivated resulting in poor focusing skills.

In addition, isolation is a big factor in online learning. Students can learn a lot of skills from being around their peers. However, in an online class, there’s minimal physical interactions between students which can make them feel lonely. Sometimes texts and calls don’t feel the same as physical interaction which is face to face. Lack of social interaction means having barely any friends which would be bad as the students progress in their lives, especially their university lives. Friends are great for socializing and mental health but also great for learning from them. If there are any questions or if they need help, they would feel more comfortable asking their friends than their teachers so friends can be a form of help for school.

Another con is technology issues. Having internet problems or just general laptop issues interfere with the students learning a lot and makes them feel more stressed out. There would be no form of communication for hours so the students would be behind and the teachers wouldn’t have a clue since they can’t reach them. No one wants to learn like this, it’s a big hassle that not everyone would be able to deal with and students will eventually run out of patience.

Although online learning is the best option for some students, it’s the complete opposite for others and that’s okay because everyone has their own things that help them in their own ways. Online learning has a lot of pros and a lot of cons which can play differently in students lives.

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Author:

Medha Sarker

Hey! My name is Medha Sarker and I identify as she/her. I’m currently a 16 year old living in Toronto, Canada so a junior in high school! Writing and reading is my passion, I’m constantly writing and reading something and continue to improve myself. Other than that, I deeply adore the beach and during the summer, I always go a few times during the months and just sit on the rocks with total silence and admire the water. I also enjoy playing badminton and listening to music in my free time. Fun fact about myself, I can speak 4 languages fluently :) I am very excited to learn new skills with this organization as well as contribute my skills and get to know my peers!