The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Online Classes

Published: 2021-06-03
Views: 702
Author: Editorial
Published in: Communications

E-learning, or online learning, has been around for a long time. Online learning has exploded in popularity in recent years, and due to the pandemic, a paradigm shift from classroom to virtual classes has occurred.

While the essence of the two is the same, online classes have some advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Online Classes

Let's begin with the benefits of taking online classes.

Travel Time is Cut in Half

You don't have to travel anywhere if you take online classes instead of going to a classroom. You can easily learn while sitting in the comfort of your own bed.

Accessible from any location

You can take online classes from any location on the planet. There are no geographical limitations. Unless the class is being held by a teacher at a specific time, you may be able to access them at any time.

In most cases, classes are also pre-recorded so that students can access the material at any time.

Planning is less difficult

Classroom learning follows a set schedule and does not allow for any learning flexibility. Online classes give you the freedom to plan your day as you see fit and take breaks whenever you want.

You can even pause the video to better understand the content and speed up the educational content if you find it repetitive or not worth your time.

Time and storage space for documentation are both reduced

You can save time when documenting your work by utilizing resources. You wouldn't have to write or store your work on paper. You can save your work and assignments using internet resources such as cloud.

Another benefit is that you will save physical space in your home because you will only need virtual storage.

Physical Textbook Costs Reduced

Physical textbooks can be costly, and most classroom learning requires the purchase of physical copies. Digital textbooks are a fraction of the cost of a physical copy of the book. Furthermore, digital copies are often much easier to obtain than physical copies.

Disadvantages of Online Classes

Online Courses Have Some Drawbacks

Distractions are a problem

Some people may find it difficult to focus and avoid being distracted by other internet content while taking online classes. The danger of being distracted by social media and other websites exists.

Lack of effectiveness due to error in the network

A stable internet connection is one of the most important components for online classes to be truly effective. However, due to backend issues, there may be times when access to a stable internet is unavailable, which would interfere with learning.

An increase in screen time is expected

Our screen time is already increasing as our electronic device collection grows. Topping it off with online classes will only add to the already growing amount of screen time.

This will only exacerbate physical issues in the human body, such as poor posture, eye strain, headaches, and so on.

No physical or face-to-face interaction

We are accustomed to physical face-to-face interaction with others as humans. We are unable to provide that experience through online classes. New ideas are sometimes exchanged when we interact with other people, which can be difficult to do in online classes.

Procrastination's Challenge

When it comes to learning on your own, it can be difficult to stay motivated. We are prone to procrastination, especially when no one is around to motivate us. When we see our peers learning in the classroom, we are motivated to learn as well.

Online classes are undoubtedly here to stay for the foreseeable future, but classroom learning cannot be replaced in the short term.

A teacher's personal touch, as well as peer interaction, is an extremely important aspect of learning.

However, online classes are extremely beneficial in a variety of ways.

What School supplies do I need?

At traditional schools, supply lists are distributed by teachers based on class size, long-term and large group projects as well as multiple-student use.

Even if it feels unusual to use one of these lists for online classes, it’s actually a wonderful template shopping list for new students. It is always nice to have extra materials on hand.

However, it's a good idea to store some basic supplies for your online classes. Start with this list and see where you are going.

Paper Supplies

• Graph paper
• Index cards
• Notebooks and/or notebook paper
• Printer paper and toner/ink

Writing Supplies

• Erasers
• Highlighters
• Pencil sharpeners
• Pencils
• Pens

Math Supplies

• Calculators
• Graphing calculator
• Protractor
• Rulers

Craft Supplies

• 1-hole punch and 3-hole punch
• Chalk
• Construction paper
• Coloured pencils and/or crayons
• Glue sticks
• Glitter glue
• Hot glue gun
• Markers
• Paper glue
• Scissors
• Watercolour paints + paintbrushes

Organization Supplies

• 3-ring binders
• Binder clips
• Calendar
• Dry erase markers
• Page protectors
• Pencil cases
• Pencil clips
• Planner
• Pocket folders
• Rubber bands
• Safety pins
• Stapler + staples
• Whiteboard

While online classes have some drawbacks, they also have a lot of benefits.