After the global outbreak of COVID-19, numerous institutions have allowed their students to enroll in online virtual learning. Upon examining the pros and cons behind this trend, I conclude that it is disadvantageous.
On the one hand, pursuing tertiary education online has obviously brought significant convenience to learners. This is because they are no longer required to commute long distances to campus on a daily basis. To illustrate, undergraduates living kilometers away from their universities can now engage in lectures via personal computers or mobile phones. Additionally, distance learning can help individuals reduce their expenses, such as rents and other basic needs. Not only that, with minimized traveling time, people now can dedicate more time to self-development or take on part-time jobs to complement their income.
On the other hand, online education are not without their disadvantages. Chief among these is the lack of practical experience, which is of paramount importance in enhancing one’s career prospects. For example, distance-learning undergraduates majoring in pedagogy may struggle to handle problems arising in actual classrooms. To explain, they undoubtedly have fewer opportunities to observe classes compared to those studying offline. Furthermore, sources of distractions are prevalent for online course takers, particularly on the devices used to deliver lectures. As a result, some students may perform poorly, and even if they manage to graduate, they may prove less competent than traditional graduates.
In conclusion, online courses represent a practical alternative for people who prefer not to travel to distant cities and want to invest more in themselves. However, these learners are more likely to lack industry experience and demonstrate poorer academic performance, which no convenience can offset. Thus, I believe that the development under discussion does more harm than good.