Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance Education - Essay Example

Is Education By Computer A Better Way? The advancements that have been made in technology over the years has changed the way that people perform many activities with many functions being automated now thanks to the introduction of computers and related machines. The introduction of computers has fastened the globalization effect whereby the distances between geographic areas have been drastically reduced thanks to virtual existence. The world has become more like a virtual village where individuals are able to communicate with each other easier and as a result they are able to carry out certain activities such as meetings without having to meet face to face. One of the sectors that have been affected by the introduction of computers in a major way has been education. Thanks to the recent technological advances that have been made, the old tradition of imparting information has become unnecessary as one is now able to take courses over the computer without the need for their physical presence at a particular place during class sessions thanks to virtual existence. This has brought forward the question of whether computer aided learning has become the new direction to be taken to education and whether it is a better alternative to the traditional means of imparting knowledge i.e. face to face. In order to determine the answer to this question, one has to study the disadvantages that this new means of education has to offer in comparison to its disadvantages. There are a number of advantages that computer aided education holds, some of these include: The use of technology has continued to increasingly spread over the years and more people are using computers to perform various functions in different making it almost near impossible to come across a job that does not require the use of a computer. The use of computer aided learning ensures that by the time an individual is introduced to the working world they have already had more than enough experience in the use of computers and thus will not have any difficulty acclimatizing to any computer related function involved in their jobs. Thus it can be said that the use of computer aided education helps one prepare for the future in relation to their career (Mason and Kaye 98). Computer aided education also offers a regional advantage thanks to the introduction of the internet which has ensured information is available from any part of the world. This means that one is able to learn from any part of the world without having to travel to the physical location of the institution. This is especially an advantage for those who would like to pursue courses from a specific institution that may happen to be in a different country. Such individuals do not need to move out of their residing country as they are able to access their desired courses through the use of a computer and good internet connection (Hiltz 136). Another advantage brought on by this development in education is the reduction in overall costs. Computer aided education cuts a number of expenses such as traveling expenses since the individual is able to study from the comfort of their home and thus avoid the hassle of a daily commute to a physical location. E-books are also cheaper than their hard copy counterparts and thus one spends less in terms of acquiring study material. The reduction of costs has proved to be a major advantage especially in these recent hard economic times that many individuals around the globe are experiencing at the moment (Tavangarian 140). The time flexibility is also another advantage to be considered in the promotion of computer aided education. Most E-learning courses are able to be taken at the convenience of the student and thus he/she can decide the most opportune time for their studies. This is especially an advantage to individuals who may need to work too and may not be able to take the normal day time schedules that has become associated with most physical institutions. The time flexibility also proves to be an advantage to those taking courses overseas where there might be a major time difference (Hiltz 152). Despite all the advantages that have been mentioned above, it has drawbacks too and the topic of computer aided education is no different from others. There are also a number of disadvantages that can be found with this type of education system. Some of these include: The absence of a physical presence means that no personal affiliation can be established between the student and the teacher. This can be considered to an advantage where one finds it difficult to understand certain lessons and may need to ask impromptu questions. The lack of a personal relationship also means that certain factors that were considered part of education cannot be practiced as effectively as before such as the encouragement of students to incite a better performance (Allen and Seaman 56). The question of supervision also comes into question during times such as examinations. The lack of a physical presence has made it easier for an individual to cheat on the tests and assignments they are given without the risk of getting caught in the act. As it is difficult for the teacher to confirm who does the examinations that are administered to their students, one can simply have someone else take them or perhaps even the entire course on their behalf earning an undeserved certificate in the process (Allen and Seaman 68). Though there are a number of disadvantages that can be highlighted in computer aided education, the benefits outnumber them thus it can be concluded that it is a better method compared to the more traditional approaches of teaching. The difficulties encountered can be solved in time e.g. via the introduction of video conferencing allowing a face to face encounter between students and their teachers despite the virtual nature of their communication. In time this technique will gradually be accepted by more people as technology continues to spread into the more rural areas ensuring its access in every part of the world. The continued rise of internet use around the globe and the development of new education software into the market will only speed up the promotion of this new method of education (Hiltz 140). References Allen, I. E. and Seaman, Staying the Course: Online Education in the United States, 2008 Needham MA: Sloan Consortium Hiltz, S. ‘Evaluating the Virtual Classroom’, in Harasim, L. (ed.) Online Education: Perspectives on a New Environment, 1990. New York: Praeger. Mason. R. and Kaye, A. Mindweave: Communication, Computers and Distance Education, 2006. Oxford, UK: Pergamon Press Tavangarian D., Leypold M., Nölting K., Röser M. Is e-learning the Solution for Individual Learning? Journal of E-Learning, 2004. Read More