Online Education Potential - Essay Example

Stephanie Echeverria

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Online education has yet to live up to its full potential. It has tried to mimic the same environment as a traditional classroom would have, but it can be difficult to achieve that. It's great for anyone whose schedule maintains busy, either being a full-time employee, parent, caretaker, etc. Although it may be convenient for people in those circumstances, it can also lead to failure. Not everyone is set to have strong self-motivation and time management skills, especially those who are going back to school after several years. Online education lacks the human connection that most people need to succeed, unlike traditional classrooms, where there is always a constant factor that pushes students to accomplish their learning goals. It becomes hard to learn certain materials when students don't have the help right in front of them. Not only do instructors help students understand better, but so does classmates as well. This creates another problem, social isolation. Due to pandemics, the option for traditional classrooms becomes nonexistence; therefore, students are forced to take classes online. If this is the case, then online courses should be almost parallel to conventional classes. Some classes are given the option to create a ZOOM and have classroom scheduled meetings in the comfort in their own home which allows students, and instructors to have interaction amongst themselves but not all of them. There are multiple disadvantages of taking classes online, therefore students would benefit on taking classes live or only in extreme circumstances where students must stay home, online education must be modified that way the teaching is very similar as traditional classes.

Personal appeal is a crucial aspect of learning. It encourages mastery and also functions as way to influence the retrieval and access of memory of the knowledge that has been acquire in class. In most cases, personal appeal serves crucial to the content mastery. According to Tom, (Par 4), online education builds more of a monologue learning situation than a dialogue. Personal appeal provides for the development of meaningful conversations and relationships between the teacher and the student. In this regard the absolute essence of education being able to equip learners with knowledge that pertains to both the cognitive and the psychomotor aspect of life is difficult. It becomes hard for the instructor therefore to assist their students navigate other aspects of life that are not necessarily education oriented but essential productive to successful growth and development which in essence is one of the goals of education. Tom (Par 4) argues that building relationships with instructor and fellow learners is difficult in an online environment as would be compare to a face-to-face interaction. Conclusively, face to face learning environment offers a chance of success to the learners than online learning.

Notably, as with all manmade objects, technology is prone to error and system malfunction. For a successful online learning experience the teacher and instructors should possess software programs that would create a means of communication between them and the teachers, computers to be used during the learning activity and most importantly an internet connection. The challenge would be to assume that everyone can afford the following requirements. According to Kumar, (p. 5), there are two challenges that are faced in online education with regards to technology and scheduling. Notably, online education adds extra costs a part from the normal fee of high speed internet, efficient computer and also quality software. This would then imply that these education strategy would be difficult for students from poor households. Second, scheduling of classes in an online setting may be environmental factors especial to students with side income generating activities. (Kumar, p. 5). In this regard therefore face-to-face learning interaction provides for proper scheduling as the students will have prior preparation to be physically present in the class and also lower the cost of earning to just the provision of normal feels other than extra-costs of high speed internet, software and computers.

Another probable con of online education according to Dynarsky, (par 4) is that students who are less proficient find it difficult acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge that would full evaluate their mastery of the course. Notably, a class without the presence of the teacher requires very high levels of self-motivation, self-regulation and organization. (Par 4). Not all students possess these high levels of self-control to be able to adjust and also attend the classes. In this context therefore, the teachers end up providing the learners with tests that do not fully evaluate in-depth content mastery. Dynarsky, (par 5-6) argues that the pass rates of online education are presumably higher in relation to lack of proper acquisition of skills due to the fact that not all the students are highly motivated to learn and therefore the high passing tarnishes the credibility of education. (Angiello, Par 1). Conclusively, face-to-face learning interactions provides the opportunity for the students to learn and be evaluated effectively by their instructor’s as they are capable of gaining clarification and also be present in the classroom as compared to online education whose evaluation is superficial.

Notably, in a classroom situation there are fast and slow learners. It would then be absurd to claim that this cognitive variables are only common among students in a face-to-face learning environment. The challenge however, based on the two environments of learning is the compared advantage both scenarios have to advanced learners and the challenges faced by academically challenge learners. According to Dynarsky, (par 17) academically challenged students require the classroom support that is given by teacher. On the flip side, the online setting may have a teacher but due limited and direct physical interaction the teacher is no capable of dealing with individual challenges of the students. Consequently, not all students are extroverts and vocal and when online they cannot effectively share their shortcomings. However, the face-to-face classroom interaction is efficient in providing teacher support.

It’s also crucial to note that the evaluation technique of online education is memory testing. According to Kumar, (p. 5), the memory testing evaluation technique frequently applied in an online setting is not the best to be applied in any learning environment. Conversely face-to-face classroom interaction is capable of applying various tools in the practical aspect of leaning and evaluation and thus the instructor is capable of ascertaining whether the students have acquired sufficient knowledge and skills. In this regard therefore it’s difficult to program results in identifying whether the students are learning what they need to learn. (Kumar, p. 5). Conversely, face-to-face interactions provide the students with an opportunity of examining their efficiency in the use of various tools of learning. Conclusively, with online education there’s high probability of low quality and low accreditation education as e students are likely to cheat as compared to face-to-face interactions where they are supervised. (Stack, p. 5).

Conclusion

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to several institutions, learners and instructor’s adopting the online education system. Notably, they have incorporated the use of email or Zoom through which they can attend the live video classes. Despite being an achievement in the technology aspect of education. Online learning creates a lot of challenges that would otherwise be avoided in a face-to-face classroom interaction. These challenges range from the limited social interaction, to lack of proper evaluation, high cost of access to difficulty in knowing whether the students are learning what they should. Notably, online learning is also difficult for less proficient and academically challenged students. Conclusively, face-to-face classroom interaction is an efficient learning technique than online education.

Work Cited

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Dynarsky, Susan. Online Courses are harming the Students who need the Most Help. New York Times. 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/19/business/online-courses-are-harming-the-students-who-need-the-most-help.html. Accessed on 16th July 2020.

Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, vol. 9, no. 1, Jan. 2015, pp. 1–18.,

Kumar, Dhirendra. “Pros and Cons of Online Education.” NC State Industry Expansion

Solutions, NC StateIndustryExpansionSolutions,19Aug.2015,www.ies.ncsu.edu/resources/white-papers/pros-and-cons-of-online-education/. Accessed14 Jul. 2020.

Stack, Dr. Steven. “Learning Outcomes in an online vs. Traditional Course.” International

The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, 19 Apr. 2010, web-a-ebscohost-

Tom. “5 Disadvantages to Consider about Online Education.” Peterson's, Peterson's, 1st May 2019, www.petersons.com/blog/5-disadvantages-to-consider-about-online-education/. Accessed 14 Jul. 2020.