Education now is an entirely different beast than it has ever been. The challenges of the pandemic worldwide have shoved the online learning model to the forefront of education. This left educators completely unprepared. Curriculum and teaching methods have had to be redesigned, scraped, re-taught, and changed altogether to accommodate this new learning style.
However, there is a bright side to this! With all of the cons to online learning, there are just as many pros to this rapid pivot. Teachers all over the world have quickly learned about the advantages and disadvantages of teaching online. Many things have been learned and will be a future benefit, while there are always a few things that we could put into the trash.
Online Education Pros & Cons
There is no doubt that the norm for the learning environment has greatly changed. However, I would also venture to say that there are more pros of online learning than cons. Just like in-person learning, online learning brings about its challenges to overcome and hoops to jump through. Though doors have been opened now, they cannot be shut, and many have learned that this method of instruction provides many more freedoms that were not readily available pre-Covid.
It is Great for the “Doers”
Students who are intrinsically motivated do best with online learning courses. If placed in a traditional classroom environment, these students would likely be attending class on time. These students are the ones who can complete quality assignments and understand the value of learning the material presented. In one of my classrooms, these students need the least amount of assistance and would do anything it takes to accomplish their personal goals.
Many self-motivated students have instinctual time management skills. They will do well with whatever mode of learning they are involved in. In this case, online learning and online classes provide more freedom in learning and doing outside of the classroom. Weaknesses in time management may lead to a student having a difficult time with online learning.
Education is Available Anytime, Anywhere!
Many students involved in traveling sports and other clubs miss an immense amount of class time if they are enrolled in a traditional school model. This type of program can allow a family the freedom through various types of instruction (i.e., video) to explore the United States. The online learning programs offer access to quality education with the freedom to continue doing what they love without family sacrifices. Online students involved in these extracurricular activities have the same access to their academic institutions and materials at midnight on the East Coast as they do at noon on the West Coast.
For example, this approach allows students to attend class from a different place than they were the previous day. This is very appealing to students who have parents in the military or for those families that choose to travel. You can read more at octivo.io and find out how online learning can be beneficial for students in these situations. It is a great way for students to stay on track with their education while still participating in other activities.
Educational Equity
It is no surprise, but there is a great deal of educational inequity in the United States and worldwide. Those of a higher social class typically attend the best schools; they have more money. This same concept applies to those with the best technology(i.e., computers, iPads, tablets, etc.). Schools that have more money have more technology and better resources.
Students of lower socioeconomic status will likely go to schools with the most updated materials and lower teacher retention rates. Further, many public schools in lower-income neighborhoods have high crime rates, making coming to school a place of survival rather than a place of learning.
Online education benefits students in places with lower achievement rates to access quality online education, quality educators, and the opportunity for college-level classes that will equitably prepare them for higher-level institutions.
Student-Centered Pacing
Time management when it comes to online and traditional programs is crucial. However, education online tends to have more leniency, allowing students the time they need to complete different assignments in various ways. Further, this type of program allows the students to pace themselves on their schedule rather than teachers. Online courses allow students many freedoms with pacing and word choice that typically aren’t available in a typical and traditional class setting.
Creative Challenges
Among the cons of online learning is that there is simply a challenge in getting creative with the learning environment when all of your students are indifferent to the home environment. Many charter schools teach courses online entirely. However, they can meet every so often because they serve students in a particular state. But with everyday learning, those group projects, discussions, and interactions take on a different appearance.
In the classroom, teachers can read students rely on their strengths and weaknesses, and adjust their lessons.
Inequity in Technology
Even in the public school setting, many kids do not have access to technology once they leave the school building. This means they cannot work on their online coursework or continue learning when they get home. Access to the internet is still very much a problem with kids in the United States. There are issues concerning impoverished families not being able to afford internet services, a lack of computers, and a lack of places that provide WiFi that students can sit in.
Many kids lack the ability to access those digital resources in rural areas, making virtual learning not a viable option.
Lack of Social Interaction
There are two different levels of social interaction that are missing in an online learning environment. One, there is the interaction between student and student; two, there is the interaction between student and teacher. In my opinion, this particular and integral part of education and the lack of actual social interaction is one of the major cons of taking online classes.
While the virtual environment provides interaction of sorts, there is something to the in-person and physical aspects of learning. I can speak for my students about how far a high five or a pat on the back goes for those kids who need positive affirmation in the form of physical touch. Many scientific articles have shown that humans need 8-10 positive and meaningful touches per day to promote mental health. It is no surprise that this type of contact has been limited, and many kids are now suffering from depressive disorders.
The Online Environment is Just Different
Covid has certainly thrown a curveball to what I thought I knew about online teaching at this point in my career. While there are many pros and cons of online learning, I miss my students and the energetic atmosphere that comes with having them all in a classroom simultaneously. Students play off each other’s body language and responses. Some of the best learning that I have ever seen in a classroom was facility by students. Much of that is lost in a structured and times online environment.
A virtual program will certainly offer a quality instructor, a schedule, the teaching of the same kinds of skills. But you just cannot beat the experience of being in person. In my classes, teaching Shakespeare in person and acting out the sword fight of Romeo & Juliet could not be matched in an online setting. The student-to-student community is precious and cannot be matched through live video instruction.
Online Courses After High School
One of the main questions I get asked by parents is whether or not these online programs will prepare their child for a university, community college, specified trait program, or an in-person program. The bottom line is this: good educators who can make learning fun and creative while still employing high achievement expectations will ensure that students are prepared for higher-level institutional coursework and careers.
All students need to understand the ins and outs of using a computer, engaging with an online instructor, and knowing how to video themselves for assignments. These things are now basic knowledge for most schools. Plus, accessing material online and being able to do proper research is now a must. The pros of having your education through a computer will likely ensure that a child has those basic skills.
In short, even online programs are regulated to ensure that every family has an opportunity for their children to be prepared for higher learning and achieve the satisfaction of having a college degree.
Final Thoughts on Online Learning
The pros and cons of online learning courses are vast and varied. However, this method of instruction is not going anywhere any time soon. Covid-19 has opened the floodgates of online instruction and has inevitably changed education forever. One of the foremost positives that have come from this entire situation is that educators are better equipped, to a certain degree, to provide online learning to millions of kids. Before, it was only available to a limited amount.
