The emergence of online learning within the last few years, the idea of traditional education has undergone a significant alteration. With the development of the internet and new technology, being physically present in a classroom isn’t the only way to study any longer. Nowadays, as long as you have access to the internet, you may receive a high-quality education anytime and wherever you want. A new era marked by the revolution in online education is now upon us.
The shift of learning methods after COVID-19
COVID-19 brought with it some major life alternation impacts, not only social interaction but businesses, gatherings, and even academic institutions faced shutdowns for a longer period and no hope to reopen any sooner.
This leads the world to undergo an educational crisis since the extensive lockdowns have made more than 77 million children miss school for almost eighteen months now which becomes approximately 2 trillion hours without any learning (UNICEF, n.d.)
As per the British dissertation editors even though the world did shift from person to online, so did the schooling systems i.e., all academic institutions around the globe shifted to e-learning from in-person face-to-face classes to insure the standard operating procedures set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, it should not be forgotten that it’s one of the basic rights of children to go to school for their better understanding, development, and welfare.
What Challenges Did Online Classes Bring?
As has been discussed above how online classes or e-learning has been disruptive, there has been another great obstacle that no other students and teachers have faced i.e., online submission. Remote conduction of assessments and assignments has been quite unmanageable.
There was huge traffic witnessed on the internet portals since everyone wanted the result quickly in no time. Still, there were issues due to the proper guidelines available for the institutions. (Guangul, 2020)
Although the decision to shut the academic intuitions was not entirely wrong since it is difficult to make the children follow all the rules and standard operating procedures throughout the day and there is a fair chance of them getting irritated easily thus, shutting the schools was a rational decision in the beginning. (Mahyoob, 2020)
Thus, making online classes or what is often called e-learning a new normal. Even though online studies have been made popular around the globe, it has their pros and cons so do the offline, traditional methods of studying. With the vaccination introduced, most schools have introduced hybrid learning which means practising both offline and online classes.
This, therefore, enables the students to choose between the alternatives based on their convenience and which methods suit them the best. As mentioned above, both ways of learning have their advantages and disadvantages, students should evaluate before making a choice.
Following is the detailed differentiation between the two; (Colliot, 2020)
Benefits Of Online Learning for Teachers and Students
Flexibility
Online learning is a far more flexible and convenient way of learning that allows students to study via the internet using their computers or even mobile phones at home
The conventional in-person meetings of students and teachers are not required and can be eliminated.
Since the students can take the class and have thesis help from the ease of their homes only and do not necessarily need to go to school, they can save a lot of time that was usually spent on commuting due to heavy traffics. The saved time can be applied to studies or other valuable activities.
Cost Effective
Students can save a lot of money spent regularly on their commute, cafes, and study material by studying online.
Since they are at their homes only there is no need to travelling, buy extra food, or have hard copies of study material since all the academics are available online in the e-learning.
Stress-Free
Online classes are usually termed to be a stress-free way of learning since students are allowed to take the class in their comfort zone where they would be more productive and better comprehend the concepts.
Whereas, in offline classes sometimes students might not be comfortable with the surroundings of the class which would hinder their understanding and ultimately affect their grades. (ProfessionalEssayService, 2018)
Provides a huge range of programmes.
There are countless skills and topics to teach and learn in a place as large and diverse as the internet. Universities and institutions of higher learning are increasingly providing online versions of their programmes for a range of levels and disciplines.
Every type of learner has alternatives, from quantum physics to music composition. An excellent way to earn an official certificate, diploma, or degree without having to visit a university campus is by completing your programme online.
It enables a personalised learning environment.
We’ve already talked about how being flexible might enable you to choose your own learning pace. However, online learning is also adaptable to the unique needs and skill levels of each learner.
Online classes typically have fewer students than traditional classes. Online learning platforms nearly always only allow one student to be logged in at a time, which almost always allows for more contact and feedback between you and your teacher.
Conclusion
Through research and suggestions from the experts, it is evaluated that online education is more favourable for higher studies i.e., secondary school and university students, as they are more discipline-oriented than the younger kids.
Also, students above 18 years of age are less prone to develop health consequences than younger students. these are only a few of the factors that influence students’ decision to pursue an online degree, and 90 per cent of them believe that it is at least as good as traditional classroom instruction.
Although this alternative to traditional education is not for everyone, it is still a practical option with almost unlimited options for international students all over the world. Each student must evaluate their circumstances and make a decision based on their requirements and aspirations.
References
Colliot, M. (2020, August 26). Online vs Offline Learning 🙇🏼♀️ What’s Best?. Retrieved from LTLMandarinSchool: https://ltl-school.com/online-vs-offline/
Guangul, F. M. (2020). Challenges of remote assessment in higher education in the context of COVID-19: a case study of Middle East College. Springer Link.
Mahyoob, M. (2020). Challenges of e-Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic Experienced by EFL Learners. Saudi Arabia : Arab World English Journal .
ProfessionalEssayService. (2018, December 22). Choose Essay Help Online Services. Retrieved from PES: https://www.professionalessayservice.co.uk/choose-essay-help-online-services/
UNICEF. (n.d.). Reopen schools ASAP . Retrieved from UNICEF.ORG: https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/reopen-schools?gclid=CjwKCAiAtouOBhA6EiwA2nLKH0MWuL9Z6BeDG9CLL25uN5Xq2-KWtywYZdDe2CwgV0Q94cCrrRqMrxoCc3AQAvD_BwE
