Students may opt for online courses as opposed to attending university or college for a number of reasons, but the principal question to be posed is: “Are online courses as good?” If an individual is dependent on the outcome – e.g. a degree or other academic qualification – for progression in a career or even to obtain a job, then clearly this is a question that must be answered before time and money is expended. But should the end result – “the certificate” – be the only criterion? Does quality also matter? If the course is just a step towards a career in a specific field, then surely quality is important to provide a sound basis for further steps along that same career path? And is an online course a practical solution? If the subject being studied requires interactive participation and “hands-on” activity, the online approach to study may be less suitable. This essay considers the advantages and disadvantages of study using the medium of online courses, or “distance learning” as it is sometimes known.
Allen and Seaman’s Survey Report (November 2011): “Going the Distance – Online Education in the United States, 2011” found that in excess of a third of all students in America took at least one online course in the fall of last year, and that a majority of higher education institutions consider online courses as important in their strategies. Whilst the survey also reports that student satisfaction with conventional and online learning is on a par, there is a concern by some that the quality of online teaching does not match that of the face to face approach.
So what are the principal advantages of online courses? Obviously if the student is a shy person or maybe someone for whom English is not their first language, then studying in the privacy of their own home and mainly at their own pace is ideal. Also, by studying online, there are no travel costs and no time spent in commuting to and from the college. A further advantage is that no matter where you live, you have the full choice of courses available to you. And perhaps the major advantage for many is that not only can you still work (even full-time) while you are doing your course, but that many employers will help with your tuition fees, especially if your study helps the company in the longer term.
So those are the main advantages of online learning; how about the disadvantages? If you’re the opposite of a shy character, you would undoubtedly miss the social interaction of being on campus. Some say that online study gives greater opportunity for cheating; however, that may not be so significant as sometimes suggested. Working alone and unsupervised means you must have self-discipline if you are to keep to a coursework schedule. If you don’t possess at least basic computer skills, that could be a major obstacle, since that is your interface with your tutor and your access to sources of reference information. But possibly the most significant disadvantage of the online course is the absence of face-to-face interaction with your tutor.
Works Cited
Allen, I., Elaine Ph.D. and Seaman, Jeff Ph.D. Going the Distance: Online Education in the United States, 2011. Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC
