Despite their rising popularity in recent years, distance-learning programs may never surpass physical lessons delivered at academic establishments. While it is true that the conventional programs may take the lead at this moment in time, I contend that online ones will soon reign over the educational sector as the superior teaching method.
Proponents of the orthodox teaching methods may argue that the attendance of the learners in an enclosed environment is indispensable for the classes to take effect. This factor, they say, fosters a stronger connection between the lecturer and the audience below. The physical presence of the teacher, which is unavailable in online lessons, deters students from distractions and doing sidetracks, thereby maintaining a better attention span in the class. Due to this sheer difference, some traditionalists hasten to assume that distance-learning will never overcome the efficiency of courses taken in person.
Contrary to this view, I firmly believe that the paradigm of learning will soon shift in favor of virtual programs as for the unmatched convenience unavailable in offline counterparts. Having distance-learning programs as an option would save learners a lot of time and energy which they supposedly have to waste on commuting. Resonating with this benefit, more and more applicants are taking online courses at distant and higher-quality academic institutions to capitalize on the resources saved from traveling. This can be seen in the exponentially growing number of Vietnamese students attending courses offered by famous faraway universities such as Oxford or Cambridge.
On top of that, given the current breathtaking pace of technological advancement, virtual lessons will eclipse conventional ones sooner or later. This prediction has already begun to materialize, albeit slowly, in some developed countries like Japan and China. Specifically, some educational institutions in these nations have recently implemented artificial intelligence in their online courses to supervise students and give real-time responses on the teacher’s behalf. While this model is merely a prototype, we can certainly envision a virtual class of omnipresent supervision and assistance which would completely overshadow a lesson delivered onsite.
In conclusion, it is irrational to assume that online courses may never be as good as offline ones taken at college or university. Considering the convenience and astounding development of virtual learning platforms, I wholeheartedly believe that it is only a matter of time before everyone receives their education online.