Dive into the advantages and disadvantages of online education, delving into its benefits, such as flexibility and accessibility, as well as challenges like limited social interaction and technological requirements. Gain valuable insights to make informed decisions about online learning.
Online education is a form of transporting knowledge when the teachers and students are not physically present in a classroom. It involves virtual existence. It is also termed distance or e-learning. At the start of the 21st century, the world advanced toward this form of learning. But Covid-19 lockdowns turned most countries towards distance education and work-from-home fondness. After the pandemic, academic institutions are turning toward online education platforms to continue the process of educating students. Online education is now applicable not just to academics but also to learning extracurricular activities for students.
Information technology, radio, TV and other modern tools play an essential role in online education. Radovic-Markovic investigated 990 institutes in the US in 2010 and explored that 90% of virtual students were satisfied with online knowledge opportunities, online faculties earned four times more than traditional faculties, and the US allocated $.13 B to encourage and build new models of e-learning. Such findings instigated almost every renowned institution globally to follow distance education models. The world’s number one university Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers 117 online courses. The University of London proposes distance education to students from more than 190 countries. These handsome figures indicate the importance of online education in the 21st century. Pakistan is shifting toward online learning. She has recently introduced “Future Learn School”, affiliated with the Federal Board, to provide educational opportunities to remote areas of the country.
Advantages
- Time is saved.
- The cost of education is reduced.
- Remote area students get opportunities for higher education and study in prestigious institutes without migrating.
- Students enjoy a relaxed environment of education.
- They can enjoy jobs and study simultaneously.
- The research-based study is promoted.
- Faculties can earn high.
Disadvantages
- The teacher-student relationship becomes more casual and less respectful.
- Students don’t learn team-building skills.
- They lack occasions for public dealing.
- They get less community affiliation outside their family.
- More exposure to the internet causes more distractions during study hours.
- Online evaluations lead to more deception tactics.
- The labour class of educational institutes gets unemployed.
CONCLUSION Only a few students can develop properly during this form of learning. During academia, students learn how to make friends, become forbearing, and get rid of disappointments. They learn to contest, celebrate their victories and accept their defeats. Competition between colleagues can be very stimulating, and students will only benefit from it. Online learning cannot offer human interaction. Another disadvantage reflects that online techniques cannot cope with thousands of students that try to join discussions. Also, online learning can be complex if it is for disciplines that involve practice. People still consider traditional institutes the best way of achieving knowledge and getting a certificate or degree. But online education proves to be a great alternative. Students can study on their own time, especially when free. It can be a great way to learn different perspectives and boost their level of self-motivation. Online education is very effective because students can complete their assignments comfortably, and there is more time left for hobbies or finding a job. We admit this nontraditional form of education cannot replace the traditional form of education. Still, we can conclude that the 21st century is the era of online education, not in Pakistan but globally, if we overwhelm its drawbacks.
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REFERENCES
• Mukhija A. “Merit and Demerit of Distance Learning Programs”, May 2022.
• Singh R. “E-Learning Top Sites”, May 2022.
• Radovic-Markovic M. “Advantages and disadvantages of E-learning in Comparison to Traditional Forms of Learning”, Annals of the University of Petroşani, Economics, 10(2), 2010.
• Official page of the London School of Economics
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