What are the Pros and Cons of Online Learning?
Before the coronavirus pandemic, most people thought about learning quite differently. It was a primarily in-person process, where you would go to school and take structured classes. Meanwhile, nobody wanted to admit a sasquatch into their program! So, I had to figure out how to do it all online. As our modes of education completely shifted during the pandemic, plenty of people started taking the sasquatch route of online learning. But is it everything that it has made out to be? Like most things, there are pros and cons. Let us look at online learning benefits and some of the cons of online learning!
There are thousands of reputable schools around the world delivering their
course material online. However, when we talk about online learning, we aren’t just referring to the kinds of education where you can walk away with a degree. Our
sasquatch-approved definition will include any online learning platform ready to teach regardless of the credentials it gives you. After all, some learning is more about the journey than the degree. Many online learning platforms provide you with informative videos, how-to guides, and tutorials, while others will walk you through lengthy syllabus-style classes.
The Pros of Online Learning
There are so many fantastic benefits of online learning. One of these perks that are often considered the most important is that it lets you learn on your own schedule. Rather than having to mold your plan around a strict set of courses, you get to learn when you have the time! This allows you to practice time management and maintain your social and work life in more flexible ways. Each online learning platform has different approaches to scheduling, and many have no required timeline to complete your courses. This makes it a perfect opportunity for the busy bee who wants to keep learning! Not only is this convenient for everybody, but it makes learning far more feasible for people who would not otherwise have the time to pursue more education.
Another one of the essential online learning benefits is how accessible it is. Traditional learning is expensive, and a recent study found that as many as 56% of people
couldn’t afford college tuition. This means that millions of people worldwide aren’t able to earn the education they deserve and are left feeling a lack of confidence and shorter resumes. Online learning platforms like
Udemy and
LinkedIn Learning are budget-friendly and offer various courses, ensuring that nobody will be left behind due to their socioeconomic status.
Our final pick for the most important pros of online learning is that it allows learners to try something new! Is there a topic that you have always wanted to learn about but were too worried that you wouldn’t like it? With online learning, you don’t have to worry about “wasting” time in school just to learn that it’s not for you. Instead, you have various shorter opportunities to dig deeper into topics before deciding if you want to pursue it more long-term. With online learning, no opportunity is wasted!
The Cons of Online Learning
While I’m pretty excited to see some non-sasquatches in my online classes, it’s worth mentioning some cons of online learning. One of the most reported is the lack of student feedback. We all want to become pros in our field, and sometimes we keep pushing forward despite knowing that what we’re learning isn’t all that accurate. With online learning, you lose the opportunity to receive in-depth explanations on your progress, and there is minimal to no one-on-one time with educators. This increases the risk of misunderstanding concepts and not realizing it until it’s nearly too late!
Another one of the cons of online learning is an increased risk of feeling isolated. Some negative statistics about online learning report that virtual education prevents learners from the benefits of learning in a group setting. Not only do you lose valuable feedback from your peers, but you are also spending so much time alone that you will have decreased social interactions. This makes it harder to have fun while learning, which is a benefit that is often found in in-person learning settings.
I have spent many days sitting in my forest, learning about everything from poisonous plants to computer science. And I have to say that there are so many benefits of online learning that I’m surprised it wasn’t trendy sooner! If you believe that the pros of online learning outweigh the cons of online learning, you may want to spend some time finding a course that is of interest. You can take a look at our review of the top online learning platforms here to decide what
one is right for you!
