Since the development of the Internet and various e-learning tools, people have been looking for efficient opportunities to learn online. There are still many debates on this topic. Some people believe that online education can help us get the most out of the learning process and thus, help us learn easier, faster, and more effectively. Others claim that no technology can replace the “real” educational process and that various devices only slow down the training or create a distraction for students.
Which is a correct opinion? Without a doubt, we can get a point of both groups of people. It is obvious that fast technological progress has made our lives simpler and more efficient in so many ways but we also can’t disagree with the fact that sometimes technology harms. In this post, we are going to take a closer look at this question to see whether we really can learn online using various e-learning tools or this won’t give us as many benefits as we think.
Why Is E-Learning Effective?
Before going further, we have to face the truth and agree that each of us is unique and therefore, requires a different approach not only in everyday life but also in education. While a standard form of education assumes the same approach to all students, online education adjusts to the needs of each particular student, which is a big advantage.
Do you learn better from reading or writing? Or do you prefer another form of training? While teachers at your school or college more likely won’t take this into account, a high-quality e-learning software should adjust the program to your preferences, making a focus on what helps you learn better. This makes the whole process more effective.
Besides, we should not neglect the convenience and efficiency of an online search of information, and, unlike a traditional program, E-learning simplifies the access to numerous online resources. Thus, it helps us find information faster and easier. You should agree that nothing could be more convenient for a modern person than an instant access to a large base of free and unlimited sources of information available on the Internet!
What else to keep in mind? As was mentioned earlier, an online training takes into account the needs of all types of learners, which helps them perform much better than in their usual classroom. Besides, it provides students with numerous extra features that are not available in their traditional learning environment.
What Are The Benefits Of Virtual Classroom?
Regardless of the students’ age or background, e-learning offers a wide range of benefits that make the process of training more hassle-free, simple, and effective. Here are just a few most important advantages it gives us:
- It is cheaper – for students, it saves money on textbooks, fees and even transfer to school or college and back;
- It is more interactive – since the course can be adjusted to the students’ needs, it makes it also more interactive, meaning more fun;
- It is convenient – online training makes it possible for schools and even companies to deliver equally high-quality and effective training to people from any part of the globe;
- It has no restrictions or boundaries – with e-learning, all people interested in a particular course can participate, while the organizers don’t have to worry about arranging a schedule and location that would fit everyone’s needs.
Are There Any Flaws In The E-Learning System?
Even with such a big number of benefits, there are still some disadvantages of online form of training. It is not a problem to teach history or psychology using e-learning tools; however, when it comes to something that requires some real practice that is when it gets harder because you can share information, show a video of someone, let’s say, fixing a car but this won’t give a student the necessary practical skills. They will only get some theoretical base.
What other flaws are there? There are also a few more cons including the following:
- Health issues – everyone is aware of the health harm that can be caused by technology (including bad posture, lack of physical activity, eyestrain, and other) and now imagine spending all of your time in front of your computer;
- Cheating – if some unscrupulous students have always found a way to cheat with their homework or exams, using the Internet they can do it even simpler, even now many students already admit “I paid someone to write my essay”, so imagine how far this can go with e-learning;
- Lack of communication – while a real classroom is a small society, distance education often means some sort of isolation and despite the fact that you can use various chats or video conferences to engage with other students or teachers, it is not quite the same as face-to-face communication.
Final Words
Should we all use e-learning tools? There is no exact answer to this question. Without a doubt, we can get many benefits from various tools like Coursera that give us a chance to study anything from any location for free. Therefore, these tools should be present in our lives simply because it is convenient but it is important to find a balance between the Internet-based and traditional forms of education in order to get the best results!
Melissa Cartew is a recent graduate of the Liverpool University who already has a 3-year experience in writing for Edubirdie. She has a Master’s degree in Marketing. As a successful educator, she strongly believes that in the modern world we need to use a chance to get as much information as we can and apply it to the real life. “If you believe you can achieve” – this is her main motto in life. Being a talented writer who has become a full-time freelancer, Melissa gives tips of a successful coaching to organize a profitable business.
