It is true that online courses are becoming a common feature of university
education. Although there are a number of drawbacks of Internet-based learning, I would argue that there are far more benefits.
The main drawback of the trend towards online university courses is that there
is less direct interaction. Students may not have the opportunity to engage face-to-face with their teachers, and will instead rely on written forms of
communication. Similarly, students who study online do not come into direct
contact with each other, and this could have an adverse impact on peer support,
discussion, and exchange of ideas. For example, whereas students on traditional courses can attend seminars and even discuss their subjects over coffee after lessons, online learners are restricted to chatting through website forum areas.
These learners may also lack the motivation and element of competition that
face-to-face group work brings. Despite the negatives mentioned above, I believe that online university courses are a beneficial development for various reasons. Firstly, they allow learners to study in a hasty maner, meaning that they can work whenever and wherever is convenient, and they can cover the material at their own pace. Secondly, the cost of a university education can be greatly reduced, while revenues for institutions may increase as more students can be taught. Finally, online learning offers open access to anybody who is willing to study, regardless of age, location, ability, and background. For example, 65-year old people could enroll in online MBA courses in a different country, which would have been impossible in the days prior to Internet-based education.
In conclusion, while I recognize the possible disadvantages of online learning, I
consider it to be a beneficial development overall. Its flexibility, reasonable costs, and numerous opportunities are indeed attractive and help people from various contexts achieve their goals.
It is true that
online
courses
are becoming a common feature of university
education. Although there are a number of drawbacks of Internet-based learning, I would argue that there are far more benefits.
The main drawback of the trend towards
online
university
courses
is that there
is less direct interaction.
Students
may not have the opportunity to engage face-to-face with their teachers, and will
instead
rely on written forms of
communication.
Similarly
,
students
who study
online
do not
come
into direct
contact with each other, and this could have an adverse impact on peer support,
discussion, and exchange of
ideas
.
For example
, whereas
students
on traditional
courses
can attend seminars and even discuss their subjects over coffee after lessons,
online
learners
are restricted
to chatting through website forum areas.
These learners may
also
lack the motivation and element of competition that
face-to-face group work brings. Despite the negatives mentioned above, I believe that
online
university
courses
are a beneficial development for various reasons.
Firstly
, they
allow
learners to study in a hasty
maner
, meaning that they can work whenever and wherever is convenient, and they can cover the material at their
own
pace.
Secondly
, the cost of a university education can be
greatly
reduced
, while revenues for institutions may increase as more
students
can
be taught
.
Finally
,
online
learning offers open access to anybody who is willing to study, regardless of age, location, ability, and background.
For example
, 65-year
old
people
could enroll in
online
MBA
courses
in a
different
country, which would have been impossible in the days prior to Internet-based education.
In conclusion
, while I recognize the possible disadvantages of
online
learning, I
consider it to be a beneficial development
overall
. Its flexibility, reasonable costs, and numerous opportunities are
indeed
attractive and
help
people
from various contexts achieve their goals.