The widespread availability of the Internet has brought about significant changes in the way education is delivered. This has sparked concerns over whether conventional classrooms are no longer necessary due to the advent of online classes. Although I acknowledge that studying online can offer considerable convenience, I am firmly opposed to this view since studying remotely may exert a strong influence on students learning outcome.
Argument supporting online classes highlights that this means of learning can pave the way for greater engagement with studying. Specifically, modern online learning can help students transcend the geographical and temporal barriers by providing them with instant connections, allowing them to save commuting time and invest more time in studying. This greater investment, in turn, can partially enhance students’ academic performance. However, this line of thinking overlooks the difficulties that students may encounter when they have to study independently without teachers alongside. For example, a student may struggle to resist online distractions, such as social media notifications, movie advertisements or an ongoing football match, and may eventually spend his time on irrelevant content while studying. This issue largely stems from teachers’ limited supervision as they cannot manage students easily through digital platforms. Therefore, having more time for studying does not necessarily mean better overall academic performance, making traditional classrooms remain essential in modern society.
More compelling is the view that traditional classrooms enable teachers to recognize students’ difficulties and respond to students’ individual learning difficulties more effectively. This is because experienced educators can observe students’ reactions, participation and difficulties during lessons. When these obstacles are identified, they can provide tailored and step-by-step guidance based on each student’s needs, thereby effectively dispelling students’ confusions and struggles. Admittedly, students studying online can still communicate their difficulties with teachers through digital platforms. Nevertheless, remote communication may not provide sufficient clarity and immediacy compared with in-person interaction. In physical classrooms, for instance, students can ask for assistance from teachers before or after lessons or during breaks, allowing teachers to clarify misunderstandings promptly and tailor their explanations based on students reactions. Hence, merely having access to teachers online does not translate into effective personalised support.
All things considered, while online classrooms undoubtedly save considerable time through instant Internet connections, I am convinced that face-to-face classrooms are still needed since students can largely benefit from teachers.