As the world faces such an unprecedented time, schools at all levels have made the movement toward online schooling. With classes and homework moving to a remote learning format, the advantages and setbacks of the medium have been exposed.
Beginning positively, the freedom of not having to attend in-person classes every day has easily allowed students to have more time on their hands and work flexibly with their homework or any other work or commitments they may have. On the other hand of having such freedom, students may struggle with time management. Since most businesses across the United States have closed and outside gatherings have been forgone, there is little to no other responsibilities that students have at this time. This lack of a schedule and strict format they’re used to can lead to intense procrastination and a decrease of work ethic. Although gaining a skill such as time management is positive, it is hard to truly achieve in times such as these.
An obvious drawback of online learning is the disconnect between students and faculty members. In the reality of it all, most people cannot learn as much from a pre-recorded lecture than they can from an in-person one. Being able to ask questions and absorb the information as the professor stands before you is not comparable to any other learning experience. Along these lines, it is harder to reach professors in an online format. Since email is only so reliable, students and professors alike must spend time waiting for an answer to a question that simply does not happen in a normal classroom setting. Conversations now do not happen in real-time, but rather delayed timing which is out of touch with what one is learning.
Personally, I don’t necessarily despise online education. I think, for the time being, this mode of learning is the most beneficial and will yield the most positive results of any other options. This is not to say that I would choose to take online over in-person classes, as that’s simply not true. Being able to have daily schedules and to stick to those are something I love and am able to strive with. But with this formatting, I don’t necessarily have daily commitments or certain times I need to be at that thing or do that assignment. Whenever I feel like working, I work. When I don’t feel like it, I don’t. Some may love that type of learning environment, but I am not one of those people. Though, I would be lying if I said I didn’t appreciate it since now I have much more time to focus on myself and utilizing the new freedom I’ve gained.
Overall, online learning has presented numerous advantages and drawbacks, but in reality, even though it may not be a preferred mode of learning, it’s the most viable option we have available to us right now. As the future becomes even more confusing and questionable, one thing is able to stay consistent and that is our learning opportunities for the time being.
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