why online learning is bad essay

10 Biggest Disadvantages of E-Learning

These disadvantages of E-Learning must be addressed to ensure the legitimacy and longevity of the online learning industry.

• By Sander Tamm
• Jan 10, 2023

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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

We already analyzed the numerous  benefits of E-Learning in our previous article. Now, it’s time to cover the opposite side of the coin. E-Learning has some significant drawbacks, and these problems often get pushed aside in online discussions. After all, who would want to put the brakes on educational innovation?

Looking at the industry as a whole also reveals plenty of enthusiasm, with the  statistics of the E-Learning industry in 2022 showing massive growth. However, educators worldwide still recognize some major issues plaguing the industry. Let’s have a closer look at these problems. 

These are the disadvantages of E-Learning:

Disadvantages of E-Learning

1. online student feedback is limited.

In traditional classrooms, teachers can give students immediate face-to-face feedback. Students who are experiencing problems in the curriculum can resolve them quickly and directly either during the lecture or during dedicated office hours. Personalized feedback has a positive impact on students, as it makes learning processes easier, richer, and more significant , all the while raising the motivation levels of the students.

E-Learning, on the other hand, still tends to struggle with student feedback. Students completing regular assessments become dissatisfied when they experience  a lack of personalized feedback . The traditional methods of providing student feedback don’t always work in an E-Learning environment, and because of this, online education providers are forced to look towards alternative methods for providing feedback. Providing student feedback in an online setting is still a relatively unresearched topic area, and it might take a while for any specific strategies to become fully research-based and proven to be effective.

Solution:  Researchers have demonstrated successful  examples of peer feedback systems  in online learning, which could be a potential solution to the problem of limited student feedback in e-learning. Additionally, this disadvantage of E-Learning is sometimes solved through  video chats with professors , which function similarly to the professor’s office hours during on-campus training.

2. E-Learning can cause social Isolation

The E-Learning methods currently practiced in education tend to make participating students engage in solitary contemplation without interaction . As a result, many students and teachers who inevitably spend much of their time online can start experiencing signs of social isolation  due to the lack of human communication in their lives. Social isolation and lack of communication often lead to several mental health issues, such as heightened stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts.

Solution:  Some of the  ways  to combat loneliness and social isolation in online learning could be:

• Promoting increased interaction between online students.
• Utilizing blended learning environments.
• Monitoring the students for signs of social isolation.

3. E-Learning requires strong self-motivation and time management skills

Lack of self-motivation among students continues to be one of the primary reasons why students fail to complete online courses. In traditional classrooms, there are numerous factors that constantly push students toward their learning goals. Face-to-face communication with professors, peer-to-peer activities, and strict schedules all help keep the students from falling off track during their studies.

In the setting of an online learning environment, however, there are fewer external factors that push the students to perform well. In many cases, the students are left to fend for themselves during their learning activities, without anyone constantly urging them towards their learning goals. Students taking E-Learning courses will find that they are often required to learn difficult materials in a comfortable home setting without any of the added pressure normally associated with traditional colleges. As a result, keeping up with regular deadlines during online studies can become difficult for those students who lack strong self-motivation and time management skills.

Solution:   Building strong self-motivation and disciplinary skills is key to succeeding in an online learning environment. Additionally, face-to-face communication with professors can be substituted with online communication, and peer-to-peer activities should be promoted between online students similarly as it would be in traditional classrooms.

4. Lack of communicational skill development in online students

E-Learning methods are proven to be highly effective at improving the academic knowledge of students. However, developing the communicational skills of the students is an area often neglected during online lessons. Due to the lack of face-to-face communication between peers, students, and teachers in an online setting, the students might find that they are unable to work effectively in a team setting. Neglecting the communicational skills of the students will inevitably lead to many graduates who excel in theoretical knowledge, but who fail to pass their knowledge on to others.

Solution:  Peer-to-peer group activities and online lectures which require communication must be used even in an online learning environment. In doing so, we can ensure that E-Learning does not fail to teach students the communication skills necessary to succeed in real working environments.

5. Cheating prevention during online assessments is complicated

Unfortunately, one of the biggest disadvantages of E-Learning continues to be  cheating through various methods. Compared to on-campus students, online students can cheat on assessments more easily as they take assessments in their own environment and while using their personal computers. The students cannot be directly observed during assessments without a video feed, making cheat detection during online assessments more complicated than for traditional testing procedures. Additionally, without a proper identity verification system in place, students taking online assessments might be able to let a third party take the assessment instead of themselves, resulting in a wholly fraudulent test result.

Solution: To protect the authenticity of online education, anti-cheating measures must be put in place by any online education institution. The most popular anti-cheating tools currently used in E-Learning are online proctoring systems such as  Examity , which use various anti-cheating measures, including automated ID verification and machine learning to detect fraudulent test-takers.

6. Online instructors tend to focus on theory rather than practice

Although this drawback of E-Learning is starting to be addressed and fixed by some of the more innovative online learning platforms, the problem has yet to disappear completely. The problem is that many E-Learning training providers focus largely (in many cases entirely) on developing theoretical knowledge rather than practical skills. The reason for this is evident – theoretical lectures are considerably easier to implement in an online learning environment than practical lectures. After all, without face-to-face communication and physical classrooms to use as a workshop, implementing practical projects in an online course requires significantly more prior planning than theoretical training.

Solution: Implementing hands-on student projects in conjunction with 1:1 mentorship is some of the most effective ways of developing practical skills in online students. There are several successful practice-based online courses on platforms such as Udacity  and  Springboard .

7. E-Learning lacks face-to-face communication

The lack of face-to-face communication ties together with many previously mentioned disadvantages of online learning. A lack of face-to-face communication with the instructor inhibits student feedback, causes social isolation, and could cause students to feel a lack of pressure. A lack of pressure is a disadvantage because it causes students to abandon their studies more easily. Constant nudging by professors may be undesirable for many, but it’s an effective method for improving student retention.

Solution: In E-Learning, face-to-face communication must be substituted with another method of communication. For example, video chats, discussion boards, and chatrooms could help with the adverse effects of a lack of face-to-face contact during online learning.

8. E-Learning is limited to certain disciplines

All educational disciplines are not created equal, and not all study fields can be effectively pursued via E-Learning – for now, at least. E-Learning tends to be more suitable for social science and humanities rather than scientific fields such as medical science and engineering, which require a certain degree of hands-on practical experience. No amount of online lectures can substitute an autopsy for medical students or real-life industrial training for a budding engineer. While this could change in the future, we are not yet at a point where we can teach all professions solely through E-Learning.  

Solution: For some disciplines, such as  medical education , blended learning could be an excellent alternative to fully online learning. In the case of nursing students , research showed that blended learning courses achieved similar post-test results as traditional course formats while increasing the satisfaction ratings of the participating students significantly.

9. Online learning is inaccessible to the computer illiterate population

96% of Americans own mobile devices , and around  73% own a personal computer . Therefore, it would be easy to argue that online education is accessible to most people. However, these statistics don’t paint the whole picture. Despite the booming growth in technological capabilities, computer literacy rates are still far from perfect. The OECD average percentage of computer-illiterate people hovers around 25%, meaning that a quarter of the population will have considerable trouble accessing E-Learning as an educational method. And these are OECD countries we are talking about, considered developed countries with high-income economies.

In other parts of the world, the situation is often direr. In India, for example, despite the country being one of the major players in the world of E-Learning, there is still a large gap in computer literacy in the population. As long as such gaps in society exist, online education will not be able to reach all citizens. Therefore, we must look at online learning as a supplement rather than a replacement for traditional education.

Solution:  Finding a solution to the complex problem of raising computer literacy is no easy task. However, initiatives such as  Digital India  show promise in improving the computer literacy rates amongst the population.

10. Lack of accreditation & quality assurance in online education

If E-Learning is to be considered as effective and authentic as traditional learning, it must be ensured that all online schools are qualified and accredited. Unfortunately, at the current point in time, there are still a vast number of online learning platforms which are unaccredited and where all the materials are quality checked by no one besides the instructors themselves. As such, poor quality assurance and a lack of accredited online learning providers continue to weaken the legitimacy of online education.

Solution:  There are numerous  considerations for the quality assurance of E-Learning , and they must be followed to ensure the authenticity of E-Learning. Additionally, accreditation management systems such as Creatrix provide a centralized solution for the accreditation process.

Sander Tamm

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The pros and cons of online learning

What to look for in an online course.

By: MIT xPRO

If you’re at a point in your life where you’re considering continuing your education, you may wonder if online learning is the right path for you.

Taking an online course requires a notable investment of time, effort, and money, so it’s important to feel confident about your decision before moving forward. While online learning works incredibly well for some people, it’s not for everyone.

We recently sat down with MIT xPRO Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager Luke Hobson to explore the pros and cons of online learning and what to look for in an online course. If you’re waiting for a sign about whether or not to enroll in that course you’ve been eying, you just might find it here.

Pros of Online Learning

First, let’s take a look at the true value of online learning by examining some of the benefits:

1. Flexibility

Online learning’s most significant advantage is its flexibility. It’s the reason millions of adults have chosen to continue their education and pursue certificates and degrees.

Asynchronous courses allow learners to complete work at their own pace, empowering them to find the optimal time to consume the content and submit assignments.

Some people are more attentive, focused, and creative in the mornings compared to the evenings and vice versa. Whatever works best for the learners should be the priority of the learning experience.

2. Community

When Luke asks people about their main reason for enrolling in a course, a common answer is networking and community.

Learners crave finding like-minded individuals who are going through the same experiences and have the same questions. They want to find a place where they belong. Being in the company of others who understand what they’re going through can help online learners who are looking for support and motivation during challenging times and times that are worth celebrating.

Some learners have created study groups and book clubs that have carried on far beyond the end of the course-it’s amazing what can grow from a single post on a discussion board!

3. Latest information

“Speed is a massive benefit of online learning,” and according to Luke, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

“When we say speed, we don’t mean being quick with learning. We mean actual speed to market. There are so many new ideas evolving within technical spaces that it’s impossible to keep courses the way they were originally designed for a long period of time.”

Luke notes that a program on Additive Manufacturing , Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality , or Nanotechnology must be checked and updated frequently. More formal learning modalities have difficulty changing content at this rapid pace. But within the online space, it’s expected that the course content will change as quickly as the world itself does.

Cons of Online Learning

Now that we’ve looked at some of the biggest pros of online learning, let’s examine a few of the drawbacks:

1. Learning environment

While many learners thrive in an asynchronous learning environment, others struggle. Some learners prefer live lessons and an instructor they can connect with multiple times a week. They need these interactions to feel supported and to persist.

Most learners within the online space identify themselves as self-directed learners, meaning they can learn on their own with the right environment, guidance, materials, and assignments. Learners should know themselves first and understand their preferences when it comes to what kind of environment will help them thrive.

2. Repetition

One drawback of online courses is that the structure can be repetitive: do a reading, respond to two discussion posts, submit an essay, repeat. After a while, some learners may feel disengaged from the learning experience.

There are online courses that break the mold and offer multiple kinds of learning activities, assessments, and content to make the learning experience come alive, but it may take some research to find them-more on what to look for in an online course later in this article! Luke and his colleagues at MIT xPRO are mindful of designing courses that genuinely engage learners from beginning to end.

3. Underestimation

Luke has noticed that some learners underestimate how much work is required in an online course. They may mistakenly believe that online learning is somehow “easier” compared to in-person learning.

For those learners who miscalculate how long they will need to spend online or how challenging the assignments can be, changing that mindset is a difficult process. It’s essential to set aside the right amount of time per week to contribute to the content, activities, and assignments. Creating personal deadlines and building a study routine are two best practices that successful online learners follow to hold themselves accountable.

Experience the Value of Online Learning: What to Look For in an Online Course

You’ve probably gathered by now that not all online courses are created equal. On one end of the spectrum, there are methods of online learning that leave learners stunned by what a great experience they had. On the other end of the spectrum, some online learning courses are so disappointing that learners regret their decision to enroll.

If you want to experience the value of online learning, it’s essential to pick the right course. Here’s a quick list of what to look for:

• Feedback and connection to peers within the course platform. Interacting regularly with other learners makes a big difference. Luke and the MIT xPRO team use peer-reviewed feedback to give learners the opportunity to engage with each other’s work.
• Proof of hard work. In the online learning space, proof of hard work often comes in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or specific certifications. MIT xPRO course participants who successfully complete one or more courses are eligible to receive CEUs , which many employers, licensing agencies, and professional associations accept as evidence of a participant’s serious commitment to their professional development.

Online learning isn’t for everyone, but with the right approach, it can be a valuable experience for many people. Now that you know what to look for in an online course, see what Luke and the MIT xPRO instructional design team have to offer by checking out the latest MIT xPRO courses and programs .

Originally published at http://curve.mit.edu on August 8th, 2022.

The pros and cons of online learning was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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Listen to the essay, as read by Antero Garcia, associate professor in the Graduate School of Education.

As a professor of education and a former public school teacher, I’ve seen digital tools change lives in schools.

I’ve documented the ways mobile technology like phones can transform student engagement in my own classroom.

I’ve explored how digital tools might network powerful civic learning and dialogue for classrooms across the country – elements of education that are crucial for sustaining our democracy today.

And, like everyone, I’ve witnessed digital technologies make schooling safer in the midst of a global pandemic. Zoom and Google Classroom, for instance, allowed many students to attend classrooms virtually during a period when it was not feasible to meet in person.

So I want to tell you that I think technologies are changing education for the better and that we need to invest more in them – but I just can’t.

Given the substantial amount of scholarly time I’ve invested in documenting the life-changing possibilities of digital technologies, it gives me no pleasure to suggest that these tools might be slowly poisoning us. Despite their purported and transformational value, I’ve been wondering if our investment in educational technology might in fact be making our schools worse.

Let me explain.

When I was a classroom teacher, I loved relying on the latest tools to create impressive and immersive experiences for my students. We would utilize technology to create class films, produce social media profiles for the Janie Crawfords, the Holden Caulfields, and other literary characters we studied, and find playful ways to digitally share our understanding of the ideas we studied in our classrooms.

As a teacher, technology was a way to build on students’ interests in pop culture and the world around them. This was exciting to me.

But I’ve continued to understand that the aspects of technology I loved weren’t actually about technology at all – they were about creating authentic learning experiences with young people. At the heart of these digital explorations were my relationships with students and the trust we built together.

“Part of why I’ve grown so skeptical about this current digital revolution is because of how these tools reshape students’ bodies and their relation to the world around them.”

I do see promise in the suite of digital tools that are available in classrooms today. But my research focus on platforms – digital spaces like Amazon, Netflix, and Google that reshape how users interact in online environments – suggests that when we focus on the trees of individual tools, we ignore the larger forest of social and cognitive challenges.

Most people encounter platforms every day in their online social lives. From the few online retail stores where we buy groceries to the small handful of sites that stream our favorite shows and media content, platforms have narrowed how we use the internet today to a small collection of Silicon Valley behemoths. Our social media activities, too, are limited to one or two sites where we check on the updates, photos, and looped videos of friends and loved ones.

These platforms restrict our online and offline lives to a relatively small number of companies and spaces – we communicate with a finite set of tools and consume a set of media that is often algorithmically suggested. This centralization of internet – a trend decades in the making – makes me very uneasy.

From willfully hiding the negative effects of social media use for vulnerable populations to creating tools that reinforce racial bias, today’s platforms are causing harm and sowing disinformation for young people and adults alike. The deluge of difficult ethical and pedagogical questions around these tools are not being broached in any meaningful way in schools – even adults aren’t sure how to manage their online lives.

You might ask, “What does this have to do with education?” Platforms are also a large part of how modern schools operate. From classroom management software to attendance tracking to the online tools that allowed students to meet safely during the pandemic, platforms guide nearly every student interaction in schools today. But districts are utilizing these tools without considering the wider spectrum of changes that they have incurred alongside them.

Antero Garcia, associate professor of education (Image credit: Courtesy Antero Garcia)

For example, it might seem helpful for a school to use a management tool like Classroom Dojo (a digital platform that can offer parents ways to interact with and receive updates from their family’s teacher) or software that tracks student reading and development like Accelerated Reader for day-to-day needs. However, these tools limit what assessment looks like and penalize students based on flawed interpretations of learning.

Another problem with platforms is that they, by necessity, amass large swaths of data. Myriad forms of educational technology exist – from virtual reality headsets to e-readers to the small sensors on student ID cards that can track when students enter schools. And all of this student data is being funneled out of schools and into the virtual black boxes of company databases.

Part of why I’ve grown so skeptical about this current digital revolution is because of how these tools reshape students’ bodies and their relation to the world around them. Young people are not viewed as complete human beings but as boxes checked for attendance, for meeting academic progress metrics, or for confirming their location within a school building. Nearly every action that students perform in schools – whether it’s logging onto devices, accessing buildings, or sharing content through their private online lives – is noticed and recorded. Children in schools have become disembodied from their minds and their hearts. Thus, one of the greatest and implicit lessons that kids learn in schools today is that they must sacrifice their privacy in order to participate in conventional, civic society.

The pandemic has only made the situation worse. At its beginnings, some schools relied on software to track students’ eye movements, ostensibly ensuring that kids were paying attention to the tasks at hand. Similarly, many schools required students to keep their cameras on during class time for similar purposes. These might be seen as in the best interests of students and their academic growth, but such practices are part of a larger (and usually more invisible) process of normalizing surveillance in the lives of youth today.

I am not suggesting that we completely reject all of the tools at our disposal – but I am urging for more caution. Even the seemingly benign resources we might use in our classrooms today come with tradeoffs. Every Wi-Fi-connected, “smart” device utilized in schools is an investment in time, money, and expertise in technology over teachers and the teaching profession.

Our focus on fixing or saving schools via digital tools assumes that the benefits and convenience that these invisible platforms offer are worth it.

But my ongoing exploration of how platforms reduce students to quantifiable data suggests that we are removing the innovation and imagination of students and teachers in the process.

Antero Garcia is associate professor of education in the Graduate School of Education .

In Their Own Words is a collaboration between the Stanford Public Humanities Initiative  and Stanford University Communications.

If you’re a Stanford faculty member (in any discipline or school) who is interested in writing an essay for this series, please reach out to Natalie Jabbar at [email protected] .

Is online education good or bad? And is this really the right question?

Associate Professor, Warner School of Education, University of Rochester

Disclosure statement

From 1995-2002, Eric Fredericksen was a Principal Investigator for grants received from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for ALN (Asynchronous Learning Environments). Eric is a member of the Board of Directors for the Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan Consortium), the professional society in higher education focused on quality online education. In 2013, he was honored as a Sloan-C Fellow.

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For the past twenty years, I’ve heard this question asked many times about online education. It might be tempting for enthusiasts to say “of course it is good,” but I see this as a kind of “trick question.” We should consider asking this question in the context of the traditional classroom.

Have our experiences in traditional classroom been stellar? All of us have had great classes in traditional settings and perhaps some that were not. I would suggest that quality and effectiveness of learning are not tied to “mode” of instruction.

In the same way that we can have good (and not so good) traditional classroom courses, we can also have good (and not so good) online courses. Further, re-conceptualizing and converting a traditional classroom course to an online course doesn’t necessarily make it better or worse.

What does the research tell us? And what are the lessons for teaching – and learning – in the future?

Research about online education

An abundance of studies have examined online education. They explore effectiveness through a number of criteria including satisfaction, retention and achievement.

An objective review published by the American Educational Research Association ( How Does Distance Education Compare with Classroom Instruction? A Meta Analysis of the Empirical Literature ) examined the literature between 1985 and 2002.

The authors analyzed 232 studies at all academic levels (K-12 and higher education) examining achievement (based on 57,019 students), attitude (based on 35,365 students) and retention (based on 3,744,869 students) outcomes. This meta-analysis highlighted that some applications of online education were better than classroom instruction and some were worse.

Another notable analysis was published by the US Department of Education in 2010. The Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.

What should we conclude from this?

I believe it tells us that online learning can be effective – but that alone is not a guarantee that it will be effective. It is not predetermined that online education is better (or worse) than a physical classroom.

Perhaps a more important question to ask is, “ How can online education be effective?”

Developing an online course

After two decades of work in and dedication to this field, I believe that we can positively impact the learning experience for students in online courses. A vital aspect of this is the support and assistance provided to faculty who are designing online courses and that we openly discuss the advantages and constraints of this “type of classroom”.

Effective online courses are developed through the systematic design of instruction with emphasis on the achievement of course learning objectives. This rigorous approach to course development and the creation of learning activities (which vary by course) is fundamental to create an effective learning environment and increases the potential for student learning and their construction of new knowledge.

Thoughtful course planning takes best practices (e.g., consistency of course interface and similarly structured course modules) into account and should be complete prior to the start of the course. In one research study it was interesting to note that faculty who go through the process acknowledge that this conscientious approach to pedagogical review also has positive impact in traditional classrooms.

Admittedly, one great advantage of online learning is the enhanced access for students: removing the constraint of commuting to a specific location at a certain time. Annual studies document that millions of students are able to enroll in online courses. But what are the educational advantages of the online classroom?

A common misperception of online education has been that it is an isolating experience for students. In fact, research studies that I have conducted with colleagues show quite the opposite.

Through asynchronous discussion boards, there can be increased interaction, both in quantity and quality, with and among students. These class discussions are not constrained to a small window of time but can transpire over a week or two. This environment allows all students to engage and actively participate in the discussion.

Compare this to a traditional classroom where the discussion might be dominated by a subset of students, while the rest of the class is passive. Every online student can have a voice and be heard. In addition, expanding the time for discussion permits students to reflect and explore additional information, thoughtfully consider the views of their classmates, and then take the time to construct their own contribution, which can lead to higher quality responses.

Another advantage is the ability to facilitate peer review – a beneficial instructional strategy for learners to share their individual views and knowledge with their classmates regarding papers or projects. This feedback benefits the student author and the student reviewer. Managing peer review is significantly easier in my online classroom (a discussion board enables exchanges) compared to my physical classroom with the corresponding constraints, where students would need to bring hard copies of their work to distribute to their classmates and then need to create an additional event to somehow exchange feedback.

Focus on learning

This is not meant as a criticism of the traditional classroom. I have enjoyed teaching in physical spaces for more than 25 years and found the experience rewarding and valuable. I will continue to do so. But I believe we need to be careful not to romanticize the traditional classroom.

Not all traditional learning experiences are equal. There is a significant difference between a lecture in a large auditorium with hundreds of students and a small seminar room with 15 students.

The physical classroom has one advantage – the “spontaneity” of the discussion that can occur. These occasions can be wonderful learning opportunities. This lack of spontaneity has been a constraint in online classes due to the limitations of required bandwidth for live (synchronous) web conferencing. However, some of the technological challenges have recently been alleviated and I am able to complement my online courses with class discussions where students can see and hear each other, regardless of their physical location.

So what’s the future for online classes? My hope is that we continue to evolve different models of online learning. The spirit of “blended” or “hybrid” online courses strives to capture the best of online with the best of traditional classroom experiences.

Ultimately, I believe we will progress and develop instruction to the point where these historically based distinctions and categorical terms will blur and become less meaningful, and we will simply just focus on learning.

• Online education

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Is Online Learning Worse Than Being in School? Majority of Teens Say Yes

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While teens may often be glued to their phones for recreation, a new poll finds that a large share of them feel they learn better sitting in a classroom with their teacher.

Sixty percent of teens say that online learning is worse than in-person learning, and nearly one fifth say it’s “much worse.”

Even so, the vast majority of teens say they don’t think classes should be taking place fully in person this fall.

The nationally representative survey, from Common Sense Media , found that 42 percent of teens think school should be fully remote and 37 percent feel their school should follow a hybrid schedule. Only 19 percent say classes should take place fully in-person. Common Sense Media is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that studies the impact of technology on children and young people. Common Sense Media partnerned with SurveyMonkey to poll 890 teens between Aug. 20 and Aug 27.

Here’s What Teens Are Worried About

Nearly seven in 10 teens are worried—either somewhat or very—that they or someone they know will get sick with COVID-19 because of in-person schooling.

How worried depends on teens’ race and ethnicity. Eighty-two percent of Hispanic teens said they are worried about getting sick, while only 62 percent of white teens are. Seventy-nine percent of Asian teens and those that fall into other racial and ethnic groups are concerned about themselves or someone they know getting sick and 71 percent of Black students say the same.

Most teens don’t have much trust in their schools taking the necessary steps to keep them safe from the coronavirus. While 30 percent said they trusted their school “a lot,” 52 percent said they trusted their school “a little” and 17 percent said “not at all”.

But teens are also worried about the downfalls of remote schooling, both academically and socially.

Sixty-one percent say they are concerned about falling behind academically because of the pandemic, a fear that is especially pronounced among Asian and Latino teens—67 and 79 percent, respectively.

A little over half are worried they will lose out on scholarships and exactly half are concerned the pandemic will hurt their college or job prospects.

Fifty-six percent say they are very or somewhat worried they will lose connections with their friends.

Those numbers are nearly identical to how teens felt in a survey by Common Sense last March. However, slightly fewer teens now say they feel “more connected than usual” to their family than they did in March (30 percent compared to 40 percent).

In terms of what teens believe will be the biggest academic challenges facing them this year, 42 percent said learning remotely, 37 percent said uncertainty around the pandemic, and 32 percent said emotional upheaval.

Many also say they expect getting access to their teachers and reliable internet will be significant roadblocks to their schooling—around one third and one quarter respectively.

Related stories :

• Teens Are Growing Depressed and Disconnected From School, Student Survey Finds
• How to Build Relationships With Students During COVID-19
• Which High School Sports Pose the Greatest Risk for Coronavirus Spread?

Image credit: E+/Getty

A version of this news article first appeared in the Rules for Engagement blog.

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EdTakeAways

How effective is online learning what the research does and doesn't tell us.

By Susanna Loeb

Students who struggle will likely struggle more online

The times have dictated school closings and the rapid expansion of online education. Can online lessons replace in-school time?

Clearly online time cannot provide many of the informal social interactions students have at school, but how will online courses do in terms of moving student learning forward? Research to date gives us some clues and also points us to what we could be doing to support students who are most likely to struggle in the online setting.

The use of virtual courses among K-12 students has grown rapidly in recent years. Florida, for example, requires all high school students to take at least one online course. Online learning can take a number of different forms. Often people think of Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, where thousands of students watch a video online and fill out questionnaires or take exams based on those lectures.

Most online courses, however, particularly those serving K-12 students, have a format much more similar to in-person courses. The teacher helps to run virtual discussion among the students, assigns homework, and follows up with individual students. Sometimes these courses are synchronous (teachers and students all meet at the same time) and sometimes they are asynchronous (non-concurrent). In both cases, the teacher is supposed to provide opportunities for students to engage thoughtfully with subject matter, and students, in most cases, are required to interact with each other virtually.

Online courses provide opportunities for students. Students in a school that doesn’t offer statistics classes may be able to learn statistics with virtual lessons. If students fail algebra, they may be able to catch up during evenings or summer using online classes, and not disrupt their math trajectory at school. So, almost certainly, online classes sometimes benefit students.

In comparisons of online and in-person classes, however, online classes aren’t as effective as in-person classes for most students. Only a little research has assessed the effects of online lessons for elementary and high school students, and even less has used the “gold standard” method of comparing the results for students assigned randomly to online or in-person courses.  Jessica Heppen and colleagues  at the American Institutes for Research and the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research randomly assigned students who had failed second semester Algebra I to either face-to-face or online credit recovery courses over the summer. Students’ credit-recovery success rates and algebra test scores were lower in the online setting. Students assigned to the online option also rated their class as more difficult than did their peers assigned to the face-to-face option.

Most of the research on online courses for K-12 students has used large-scale administrative data, looking at otherwise similar students in the two settings. One of these studies, by  June Ahn  of New York University and  Andrew McEachin  of the RAND Corp., examined Ohio charter schools; I did another with colleagues looking at Florida public school coursework. Both studies found evidence that online coursetaking was less effective.

It is not surprising that in-person courses are, on average, more effective. Being in person with teachers and other students creates social pressures and benefits that can help motivate students to engage. Some students do as well in online courses as in in-person courses, some may actually do better, but, on average, students do worse in the online setting, and this is particularly true for students with weaker academic backgrounds.

Students who struggle in in-person classes are likely to struggle even more online. While the research on virtual schools in K-12 education doesn’t address these differences directly, a study of college students that I worked on with Stanford colleagues found very little difference in learning for high-performing students in the online and in-person settings. On the other hand, lower performing students performed meaningfully worse in online courses than in in-person courses.

But just because students who struggle in in-person classes are even more likely to struggle online doesn’t mean that’s inevitable. Online teachers will need to consider the needs of less-engaged students and work to engage them. Online courses might be made to work for these students on average, even if they have not in the past.

Just like in brick-and-mortar classrooms, online courses need a strong curriculum and strong pedagogical practices. Teachers need to understand what students know and what they don’t know, as well as how to help them learn new material. What is different in the online setting is that students may have more distractions and less oversight, which can reduce their motivation. The teacher will need to set norms for engagement—such as requiring students to regularly ask questions and respond to their peers—that are different than the norms in the in-person setting.

Online courses are generally not as effective as in-person classes, but they are certainly better than no classes. A substantial research base developed by Karl Alexander at Johns Hopkins University and many others shows that students, especially students with fewer resources at home, learn less when they are not in school. Right now, virtual courses are allowing students to access lessons and exercises and interact with teachers in ways that would have been impossible if an epidemic had closed schools even a decade or two earlier. So we may be skeptical of online learning, but it is also time to embrace and improve it.

Susanna Loeb is a professor of education and of public affairs at Brown University and the director of the university's Annenberg Institute for School Reform. She studies education policy, and her interests include social inequality.

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Online Education Essay | Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Education Essay

September 9, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay on Online Education: Online learning is one of the imminent trends in the education sector around the globe. This mode of learning is done through the internet. With advanced and upgraded technologies, this mode of learning has been made simpler. Online Education is also preferred in higher learning Institutions. This article will render the students about online education, its outcomes, and advantage in short and long essays on Online Education.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Online Education for Students and Children in English

We provide children and students with essay samples on a long essay of 500 words and a short essay on Online Education in Lockdown of 150 words on the topic “Online education in India Essay” for reference.

Short Essay on Online Education 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Online Education advantages and Disadvantages is helpful to students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Education is an integral part of people’s lives; it will either make them or break them in the prospect depending on their careers. Education is broadly diverse today compared to the 1950s because of progressions in teaching methods and other prominent inventions that implement more apparent teaching techniques.

In E-learning, the students study from home or any other place, that is most convenient for them. They can acquire learning material online. The study materials in online education could be texts, audio, notes, videos, and images. However, the method of study has its benefits and various drawbacks too.

Online education is suitable for those who can not visit or obtain the traditional education method for one reason or the other. Nearly 6.1 million college students are currently attending online courses, and this number is growing by around 30 percent yearly.

Online education provides a myriad of advantages for people, as well as companies because it allows for, among others, flexibility. A great way to benefit more from online education is to consolidate online education and traditional ways of teaching.

Online Education Essay 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Online Education 400 Words in English is helpful to students of classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Introduction:  Online education is an amenable instructional delivery process that includes any learning that takes place via the internet. Online learning enables educators to communicate with students who may not be capable of enrolling in a traditional classroom course and assists students who need to work on their own schedule and at their own speed.

Every discipline is registering a surge in the volume of distance learning and imparting of online degrees, with remarkable pace. Schools and institutions that offer online education are also growing in number. Students pursuing degrees through online methods must be scrupulous in ensuring their coursework is completed through a valued and credentialed university.

Online education is known to offer the benefit of synergy. Here, the format employed makes room for dynamic communications between students and the teachers. Through these communications, sources are shared, and an open-ended synergy evolves through a learning process. When each person bestows a view or opinion through discussions and comments on others’ work course, it benefits the student to learn better. This unique advantage is manifested in a student-centred virtual learning environment that online learning format alone can contribute.

With online classes, we don’t need to travel to a different city or commute long distances. We can stay where we are and keep our current job while we work toward improving our career with an online degree. Online education also helps digital nomads—someone who espouses a technology-enabled or location-independent lifestyle. We can watch lectures and complete our coursework wherever we are.

Whether we are a full-time or part-time online student, the online education experience provides a much more manageable schedule. Online education has gained much approval on account of its cheapness. Such is the fact that online courses are more affordable than those offered at schools or colleges. While studying in universities, we may have to spend some money such as transportation, lodging, and meals, online education may not require such expenses.

One of the important aspects of online learning is its inherent flexibility, however, there is a catch, one has to be extremely self-motivated. The best online students develop various approaches for staying up to date on their coursework. Things like setting aside time every week to study and create a workspace with minimal distractions can help immensely.

Conclusion on Online Education Essay

Online education’s potential advantages involve increased educational access; it provides a high-quality learning opportunity, improves student outcomes and skills, and expands educational choice options. Therefore, location, time, and quality are no longer considered factors in seeking degree courses or higher education because of online education.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Education Essay

Introduction to Online Education Essay:  Online education refers to the type of knowledge which is imparted through the internet. Millions of people globally are enrolled in online courses and can learn from the comfort of their homes. Online education can come in different ways; they could be educational webinars and videos on the internet or even face to face learning on the laptop with the teacher, which utilises the internet.

Online education contributes a myriad of advantages for people, as well as companies because it provides flexibility among other work. This indicates that despite people’s physical locations, they can accomplish the same level of education by taking similar online courses.

Teachers and professors optimise the timelessness and focus of the learning curriculum while students are able to fit learning time into their hectic schedules. Online education offers extensive benefits to students by giving a manageable schedule, student enhancement and augmented education access and choice.

Advantages of Online Education 

Online education enables us to learn from various mentors and teachers in different areas, increasing our knowledge and perspective. It reduces nervousness among students, as many are able to communicate more through online education than regular classes. One can learn from merely anyplace as long as they have an available internet device.

Online education normally provides a chance to study at our own speed as there is no rush. Most online courses are usually enjoyable and more comfortable compared to attending traditional classes. It spares you the inconvenience of having to travel to a particular destination every single day.

Online education usually is more affordable. Online education further happens to be comparatively cheaper in comparison to conventional educational approaches. Under traditional university programs, the students are required to compensate for transportation, textbooks, institutional facilities such as gyms, libraries, swimming pools, and other costs that expedite the cost of university education up. Online education, on its part, charges only for tuition and additional essential expenses. Virtual education thus offers both the wealthy and the poor an opportunity.

It allows one to learn innovative approaches through the internet and therefore become more skilful. In online education, if there are any variations in the syllabus, updates can be done instantly compared to conventional means of education.

Online education is flexible and adaptable since one can study at any time, even at midnight. It can help increase the grades of some people as compared to standard traditional education. Some people learn more through online education.

There is no need to wait for office hours to speak to the instructor; you can immediately access them through chat or email. There is considerably a large amount of educational information on the internet. Online education can also help one to be in the mix of a diverse group of people from varied educational, social, cultural and philosophical backgrounds. The subject matter is always available on the internet, unlike traditional education.

Disadvantages of Online Education

The advantages that online education brings to students are immense and indisputable. Pursuing an online course is an excellent option in education, particularly when traditional learning situations have many obstacles, such as commuting or distance. However, as everything has two sides, online education also has some fundamental drawbacks that can be inconvenient.

Using the computer too much can make the students prone to plagiarism. It can also cause vision problems as we sit near the laptop almost the whole day. Online education may also hinder physical development. Online education can be quite complicated for a person to be accountable for their own learning without someone to drive them to do something.

Online education detaches you from your classmates. One might need to put in extra time in some cases to understand the learning process. It is easier to cheat in an online exam than when in a class and hence may not be advisable during exams. Online education also gives one a lot of autonomy which may be critical for our learning. There are a number of distractions on the internet through adverts, and this might interrupt our learning. Online education also has significantly less self-assessment.

Online education has both advantages and shortcomings, but it is an excellent method of learning that can help develop a student’s performance. To succeed in online education, one should choose an ideal university and course to avoid pursuing education from among the various suspicious universities that employers may reject. The other most essential thing is to assure that one needs to maintain communication with the school faculty and fellow students. The important point is proper time administration that helps one manage our time to complete and submit prescribed assignments in time.

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Advantages and disadvantages of online learning.

Discover Everything You Need To Know (Good And Bad) About  Online Education

One of the most oft-used terms after the pandemic is the term “new normal.” The new normal in education is the increased use of online learning tools. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered new ways of learning. All around the world, educational institutions are looking toward online learning platforms to continue with the process of educating students. The new normal now is a transformed concept of education with online learning at the core of this transformation. Today, digital learning has emerged as a necessary resource for students and schools all over the world. For many educational institutes, this is an entirely new way of education that they have had to adopt. Online learning is now applicable not just to learn academics but it also extends to learning extracurricular activities for students as well. In recent months, the demand for online learning has risen significantly, and it will continue doing so in the future.

As with most teaching methods, online learning also has its own set of positives and negatives. Decoding and understanding these positives and negatives will help institutes in creating strategies for more efficiently delivering the lessons, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey for students.

What Are The Advantages Of Online Learning?

1. efficiency.

Online learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students. Online learning has a number of tools such as videos, PDFs, podcasts, and teachers can use all these tools as part of their lesson plans. By extending the lesson plan beyond traditional textbooks to include online resources, teachers are able to become more efficient educators.

2. Accessibility Of Time And Place

Another advantage of online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location of their choice. It also allows schools to reach out to a more extensive network of students, instead of being restricted by geographical boundaries. Additionally, online lectures can be recorded, archived, and shared for future reference. This allows students to access the learning material at a time of their comfort.

Thus, online learning offers students the accessibility of time and place in education.

3. Affordability 

Another advantage of online learning is reduced financial costs. Online education is far more affordable as compared to physical learning. This is because online learning eliminates the cost points of student transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate. Additionally, all the course or study materials are available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment which is more affordable, while also being beneficial to the environment.

4. Improved Student Attendance  

Since online classes can be taken from home or location of choice, there are fewer chances of students missing out on lessons.

5. Suits A Variety Of Learning Styles 

Every student has a different learning journey and a different learning style. Some students are visual learners, while some students prefer to learn through audio. Similarly, some students thrive in the classroom, and other students are solo learners who get distracted by large groups.

The online learning system, with its range of options and resources, can be personalized in many ways. It is the best way to create a perfect learning environment suited to the needs of each student.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Online Learning?

1. inability to focus on screens.

For many students, one of the biggest challenges of online learning is the struggle with focusing on the screen for long periods of time. With online learning, there is also a greater chance for students to be easily distracted by social media or other sites. Therefore, it is imperative for the teachers to keep their online classes crisp, engaging, and interactive to help students stay focused on the lesson.

2. Technology Issues 

Another key challenge of online classes is internet connectivity. While internet penetration has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, in smaller cities and towns, a consistent connection with decent speed is a problem. Without a consistent internet connection for students or teachers, there can be a lack of continuity in learning for the child. This is detrimental to the education process.

3. Sense Of Isolation 

Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. However, in an online class, there are minimal physical interactions between students and teachers. This often results in a sense of isolation for the students. In this situation, it is imperative that the school allow for other forms of communication between the students, peers, and teachers. This can include online messages, emails and video conferencing that will allow for face-to-face interaction and reduce the sense of isolation.

4. Teacher Training 

Online learning requires teachers to have a basic understanding of using digital forms of learning. However, this is not the case always. Very often, teachers have a very basic understanding of technology. Sometimes, they don’t even have the necessary resources and tools to conducts online classes.

To combat this, it is important for schools to invest in training teachers with the latest technology updates so that they can conduct their online classes seamlessly.

5. Manage Screen Time

Many parents are concerned about the health hazards of having their children spend so many hours staring at a screen. This increase in screen time is one of the biggest concerns and disadvantages of online learning. Sometimes students also develop bad posture and other physical problems due to staying hunched in front of a screen.

A good solution to this would be to give the students plenty of breaks from the screen to refresh their mind and their body.

• What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Online Learning?
• What Is Online Learning In 2023
• Traditional Learning Vs. Online Learning
• Online Distance Learning: The New Normal In Education
• 7 Top Challenges Young Children Face With eLearning Courses

How does virtual learning impact students in higher education?

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, stephanie riegg cellini stephanie riegg cellini nonresident senior fellow - governance studies , brown center on education policy.

August 13, 2021

In 2020, the pandemic pushed millions of college students around the world into virtual learning. As the new academic year begins, many colleges in the U.S. are poised to bring students back to campus, but a large amount of uncertainty remains. Some institutions will undoubtedly continue to offer online or hybrid classes, even as in-person instruction resumes. At the same time, low vaccination rates, new coronavirus variants, and travel restrictions for international students may mean a return to fully online instruction for some U.S. students and many more around the world.

Public attention has largely focused on the learning losses of K-12 students who shifted online during the pandemic. Yet, we may have reason to be concerned about postsecondary students too. What can we expect from the move to virtual learning? How does virtual learning impact student outcomes? And how does it compare to in-person instruction at the postsecondary level?

Several new papers shed light on these issues, building on previous work in higher education and assessing the efficacy of online education in new contexts. The results are generally consistent with past research: Online coursework generally yields worse student performance than in-person coursework. The negative effects of online course-taking are particularly pronounced for less-academically prepared students and for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. New evidence from 2020 also suggests that the switch to online course-taking in the pandemic led to declines in course completion. However, a few new studies point to some positive effects of online learning, too. This post discusses this new evidence and its implications for the upcoming academic year.

Evaluating online instruction in higher education

A number of studies have assessed online versus in-person learning at the college level in recent years. A key concern in this literature is that students typically self-select into online or in-person programs or courses, confounding estimates of student outcomes. That is, differences in the characteristics of students themselves may drive differences in the outcome measures we observe that are unrelated to the mode of instruction. In addition, the content, instructor, assignments, and other course features might differ across online and in-person modes as well, which makes apples-to-apples comparisons difficult.

The most compelling studies of online education draw on a random assignment design (i.e., randomized control trial or RCT) to isolate the causal effect of online versus in-person learning. Several pathbreaking studies were able to estimate causal impacts of performance on final exams or course grades in recent years. Virtually all of these studies found that online instruction resulted in lower student performance relative to in-person instruction; although in one case , students with hybrid instruction performed similarly to their in-person peers. Negative effects of online course-taking were particularly pronounced for males and less-academically prepared students.

A new paper by Kofoed and co-authors adds to this literature looking specifically at online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a novel context: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. When many colleges moved classes completely online or let students choose their own mode of instruction at the start of the pandemic, West Point economics professors arranged to randomly assign students to in-person or online modes of learning. The same instructors taught one online and one in-person economics class each, and all materials, exams, and assignments were otherwise identical, minimizing biases that otherwise stand in the way of true comparisons. They find that online education lowered a student’s final grade by about 0.2 standard deviations. Their work also confirms the results of previous papers, finding that the negative effect of online learning was driven by students with lower academic ability. A follow-up survey of students’ experiences suggests that online students had trouble concentrating on their coursework and felt less connected to both their peers and instructors relative to their in-person peers.

Cacault et al. (2021) also use an RCT to assess the effects of online lectures in a Swiss university. The authors find that having access to a live-streamed lecture in addition to an in-person option improves the achievement of high-ability students, but lowers the achievement of low-ability students. The key to understanding this two-pronged effect is the counterfactual: When streamed lectures substitute for no attendance (e.g., if a student is ill), they can help students, but when streaming lectures substitute for in-person attendance, they can hurt students.

Broader impacts of online learning

One drawback of RCTs is that these studies are typically limited to a single college and often a single course within that college, so it is not clear if the results generalize to other contexts. Several papers in the literature draw on larger samples of students in non-randomized settings and mitigate selection problems with various econometric methods. These papers find common themes: Students in online courses generally get lower grades, are less likely to perform well in follow-on coursework, and are less likely to graduate than similar students taking in-person classes.

In a recent paper , my co-author Hernando Grueso and I add to this strand of the literature, expanding it to a very different context. We draw on data from the country of Colombia, where students take a mandatory exit exam when they graduate. Using these data, we can assess test scores as an outcome, rather than (more subjective) course grades used in other studies. We can also assess performance across a wide range of institutions, degree programs, and majors.

We find that bachelor’s degree students in online programs perform worse on nearly all test score measures—including math, reading, writing, and English—relative to their counterparts in similar on-campus programs. Results for shorter technical certificates, however, are more mixed. While online students perform significantly worse than on-campus students on exit exams in private institutions, they perform better in SENA, the main public vocational institution in the country, suggesting substantial heterogeneity across institutions in the quality of online programming. Interviews with SENA staff indicate that SENA’s approach of synchronous learning and real-world projects may be working for some online students, but we cannot definitively call this causal evidence, particularly because we can only observe the students who graduate.

A new working paper by Fischer et al. pushes beyond near-term outcomes, like grades and scores, to consider longer-term outcomes, like graduation and time-to-degree, for bachelor’s degree-seeking students in a large public university in California. They find reason to be optimistic about online coursework: When students take courses required for their major online, they are more likely to graduate in four years and see a small decrease in time-to-degree relative to students taking the requirements in-person.

On the other hand, new work considering course completion during the pandemic is less promising. Looking at student outcomes in spring 2020 in Virginia’s community college system, Bird et al. find that the switch to online instruction resulted in an 8.5% reduction in course completion. They find that both withdrawals and failures rose. They also confirm findings in the literature that negative impacts are more extreme among less-academically-prepared students.

Online learning in the fall and beyond

Much more research on virtual learning will undoubtedly be forthcoming post-pandemic. For now, college professors and administrators should consider that college students pushed online may be less prepared for future follow-on classes, their GPAs may be lower, course completion may suffer, and overall learning may have declined relative to in-person cohorts in previous years. These results seem particularly problematic for students with less academic preparation and those in bachelor’s degree programs.

The research is less clear on the impact of virtual instruction on college completion. Although course completion rates appear to be lower for online courses relative to in-person, the evidence is mixed on the impact of virtual instruction on graduation and time-to-degree. The negative learning impacts, reduced course completion, and lack of connection with other students and faculty in a virtual environment could ultimately reduce college completion rates. On the other hand, there is also evidence that the availability of online classes may allow students to move through their degree requirement more quickly.

As the fall semester approaches, colleges will need to make critical choices about online, hybrid, and in-person course offerings. Maintaining some of the most successful online courses will enhance flexibility at this uncertain time and allow some students to continue to make progress on their degrees if they get sick or cannot return to campus for other reasons. For those transitioning back to campus, administrators might consider additional in-person programming, review sessions, tutoring, and other enhanced supports as students make up for learning losses associated with the virtual instruction of the past year.

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7 top challenges with online learning for students (and solutions), share this article.

We'll discuss the biggest challenges of online learning and possible solutions to these problems to create a more impactful experience for students.

We live in a world where anything and everything you could ever want to know is ~ literally ~ at your fingertips. Thanks to the internet and the rapid growth of technology, online learning has never been more popular and effective. 

While there are some great perks associated with online learning, such as accessibility, flexibility, and affordability, that’s not to say that online learning doesn’t come with its downsides… online learning can be challenging to get accustomed to at first, and there are some obstacles that come with the territory. 

In this blog we will go into depth on the different problems encountered in online learning, and provide valuable solutions for the problems faced by students in online classes. This way, if you’re a teacher, you’ll know how to support students who are struggling. And if you’re a student, you’ll know what to do when you face challenges with online learning. 

Continue reading or jump ahead: 

• Types of online learning  

Synchronous learning

Asynchronous learning, microlearning, mobile learning (m learning).

• Gamification  
• Isolation  
• Lack of motivation 

Time management 

Distractions .

• Technical issues  
• Communication 

Personal barriers 

Overview of top solutions to overcome online learning challenges.

Check out: Thinkific Online Learning Trends 2024

What is online learning?

Before we dive into all of the problems faced by students in online classes, let’s go over exactly what online learning consists of, and break down the different types of online learning out there. 

Online learning – also commonly referred to as eLearning – has rapidly grown in popularity over the past few years, and eLearning is essentially any kind of learning you can do from your own device and an internet connection. The best part is that you can be anywhere in the world while learning online. 

Online learning has earned its seat in the education industry as it provides more accessibility and flexibility for students, allowing them to choose a learning style that works best for them. It can also be more cost efficient for both students and teachers, cutting back on the overhead expenses that are associated with in-person learning. 

Think of online learning as an umbrella term for all of the different types of eLearning out there. There are multiple ways in which you can learn or teach online, and there is no one right way to approach online education. 

Below we have listed some of the most common forms of online learning that are currently being offered. 

Types of online learning 

First off, there are two ways in which you can consume information online: asynchronous or synchronous learning. 

Asynchronous online learning involves a self-paced learning environment where learners can access the course material and complete assignments at any time and from any place in the world. This is a major appeal for most people when it comes to online learning. 

On the other hand, synchronous online learning is an interactive and live teaching style that mimics in-person instruction, and uses real-time participation and active discussions to facilitate learning goals, regardless of location. This is very similar to learning in-person, however with the added convenience of not having to leave your bed if you don’t wish to!   

Here are some other common forms of online learning: 

• Microlearning – Short-form lessons that mainly involve bite-sized, digestible content. The goal of microlearning is to focus on learning core concepts and theories, while consuming this information within 5 and 10 minutes for better understanding. This style of eLearning weeds out the fluff and unnecessary details, so that students can grasp key points more efficiently.   
• Mobile learning (M Learning) – The use of mobile technology like smartphones to facilitate  educational purposes. With M Learning,  students are able to learn on-the-go through videos, podcasts, and bite-sized lessons. Students are more likely to take up M Learning as it is flexible and convenient, and it’s easy to form a habit or routine this way. 
• Gamification – Involves the use of game elements in the learning process. Examples of this include point systems, leaderboards, and rewards to incentivize learning. This style boots student engagement and creates an immersive environment where learning doesn’t have to feel like a chore. 

Related: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Learning in Online Classes in 2023

Top challenges with online learning 

Now that we’ve covered our basis and explored the various types of online learning, let’s go deeper into some of the challenges faced with these specific modalities of eLearning. 

While distance education and short-form learning techniques have lowered costs, increased flexibility, and reduced the need for physical infrastructure for both students and teachers, it does not come without its downsides. Listed below are some common challenges with online learning. 

Synchronous learning is great for student participation, however there are some key challenges that are worth noting. This particular online learning style closely mimics in-person lectures, so for those who learn best in-person, this is your next best option as there is an emphasis on live lectures and student participation. 

However, synchronous courses don’t always have the flexibility that is often desired when it comes to online learning. In fact, it can be tough for those in different timezones to engage with this type of eLearning. It can also be difficult for some students to find a quiet and private environment to be fully engaged with lectures. As well, if there are any internet troubles, then you are potentially missing out on valuable class time, especially if lectures aren’t recorded.  

Asynchronous classes can be very similar to synchronous learning, just without the live “in-person” component. While there are deadlines and due dates to meet, students have more flexibility with how and when they learn, and can allocate their time in a way that works with their schedule. 

The top problem with asynchronous learning is the lack of personal interactions and peer-to-peer support. Another big challenge is that it can be tough to receive immediate instructor feedback or help – there will most likely be a d elay before an instructor can respond to a query, which negatively impacts the learning experience. Asynchronous courses are also known for having a lack of structure, which can make learning confusing and unmotivating for students.

Microlearning caters to those looking to quickly grasp the concept of a subject, and is generally for learners with limited time. Due to this time constraint, it is challenging to learn complex problems or skill development with microlearning. This limits microlearning to only a few concepts, or more of a surface-level learning experience. 

Microlearning also runs a high risk of fragmented learning if the course is not managed correctly, which can be frustrating for learners. Because of this, it can sometimes be a struggle to keep track of student success and progress with microlearning. 

Worldwide, there are approximately 6.94 billion smartphones – which means that M Learning is only increasing in popularity. The ability to learn from your smartphone is a huge breakthrough in the online learning industry, however there are some noteworthy challenges with this learning style. 

A major challenge is content compatibility. Most times, content created for eLearning doesn’t always smoothly transfer over to mobile devices, affecting both the student and instructor. In this case, content has to be refurbished or recreated so mobile learners can access it properly, which can be very time-consuming.  

Other challenges include small screens, difficulty reading text, and learner retention. M Learning typically produces ultra-short-form content, also making it difficult to learn in-depth concepts. 

Gamification 

Gamification learning uses play for educational goals, and many smartphone apps have mastered the art of game-based learning. While this is a fantastic short-form learning technique that is rapidly growing, some challenges include it being seen as “mandatory fun,” difficulty boosting user engagement, and misaligned motivation to earn rewards instead of retaining core concepts. 

Gamification can also be prone to technological issues such as accessibility, usability, and reliability – which can easily deter potential learners. 

Related: Top Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Learning

Problems faced by students in online classes

Now that we’ve gone over some of the problems encountered in online learning, let’s switch gears to the more specific problems faced by students in online classes. 

Noting these challenges will be beneficial for both students and teachers, which is why we will also provide some key solutions to overcome these challenges with online learning. 

Listed below are some of the most common challenges (and solutions) with online learning that students face: 

Humans, by nature, are social animals. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome with online learning is isolation – it can be incredibly lonely to enroll in an online course, and students can often feel disconnected from their peers and instructors. Although students sometimes get to interact with their classmates over Zoom or Google Meet, it is not the same as physical interaction.  

Feeling isolated can lead to students feeling disconnected from class, and they may not engage the way they normally would in an in-person setting. This is especially prevalent with asynchronous learning, where there is even less of a chance to interact with other students.

It’s easy to get frustrated when you can’t talk to your teachers and classmates face-to-face and voice the concerns you have immediately. However, there are things you can do to power through, including:  

• Find out if your course has a student support system in place. Some online courses have advisors who guide and support students throughout the duration of their online program .
• Check if your course offers networking opportunities for students. Some courses allow students to interact with their peers via chats and forums. It’s similar to interacting with classmates in a physical class, except it requires a little more effort to reach out. 
• Interact with your teachers and classmates during your online classes as much as possible. You can do this through social media outlets like Facebook groups and WhatsApp, email chat rooms, and classroom forums. To facilitate more interactions, be sure to ask lots of questions, organize group projects, and participate in discussions with your peers.

Combating isolation with online learning will take some effort on the students’ behalf, however once you’ve laid the foundation of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to communicate with others, the rest will be easy! 

Online instructors, you can also help students overcome feelings of isolation by creating group projects and encouraging classmate interactions. As well, try to make yourself available at certain hours for students who want to reach you.

Lack of motivation

Feeling isolated also trickles into our next big problem that online students face, which is a lack of motivation to participate. Lack of motivation is a common issue amongst students. It requires a significant amount of self-discipline to learn online, and this is often a skill that needs to be consistently worked on. 

Due to a lack of face-to-face interaction, some students find it hard to focus during online classes. The physical absence of teachers or classmates takes away the sense of urgency to attend classes on time, meet deadlines, and make progress. This could lead to procrastination and declining grades. 

Staring at a screen for hours on end – even outside of online classes – can also deter learners from attending classes and completing their coursework in a timely manner. Learning online is not always as exciting as in-person lessons, so it can take a while to adjust. 

Here are some ways that students can increase their motivation to learn online and succeed academically: 

• Set realistic short-term and long-term goals to help stay on track with classes, assignments, and projects. To-do lists are great reminders for meeting deadlines, and crossing activities off a to-do list can be highly motivating.
• Reach out to a classmate (this also helps combating isolation) and hold each other accountable for attending online lectures, completing coursework, and finishing assignments and projects. 
• Practicing positive affirmations will help increase your motivation and drive to succeed with online learning. Giving yourself short pep-talk to affirm that you can do whatever you set your mind to will help keep you on track during tough times. 
• Regularly participating in class can provide a sense of belonging that keeps you motivated to continue learning. Ask questions, share your opinions, and engage in healthy debate. 

Teachers can also incorporate gamification in their online courses to motivate their students to attend and participate during online classes.

It’s hard enough to juggle your normal day-to-day activities without being a student. Adding online learning into the mix can make it even more of a challenge to navigate all these responsibilities. 

While online learning provides students with unparalleled flexibility to do other activities, the tradeoff is being able to manage your time in a responsible and effective manner. It can be extremely easy to fall into the habit of letting things slip, and before you know it you’ll be struggling to keep up with your online course. 

Time management is an important skill that helps students stay focused and disciplined – keeping your priorities in line will help you not only with online courses, but in all aspects of your life. 

Here are some ways to manage your time better for online classes: 

• Set a schedule and stick to it. This will help build discipline and keep yourself accountable. Make sure to include lots of mini breaks so that you don’t exhaust yourself!
• Create a priorities list, and work from most to least important. With time, this habit will increase your overall productivity.
• Set early deadlines so that you’re not scrambling to stay on top of your assignments. 
• Break tasks into smaller chunks instead of trying to complete them all at once. Trust us, your brain will thank you!

Teachers can also try to make it a priority to check-in on students, especially with asynchronous learning.  

We all know how easy it is to become distracted, nevermind learning online at home with ALL the distractions that you could ever imagine present! It takes some serious dedication and commitment to work successfully from the comfort of your own space. 

Along with in-person distractions, such as your TV, bed, making food, or roommates, there are also online distractions to be wary of. As wonderful as the internet is for learning purposes, it also comes with constant notifications from blogs, videos, and social media platforms. This can easily distract students from their classes and assignments, and it’s dangerous territory for falling into that rabbithole of mindless scrolling. 

If you’re getting distracted by your surroundings or procrastinating with social media, here are some things you can do to focus: 

• Dedicate a quiet area of your home that is free of distractions. This will help focus your mindset on the task at hand, which are your online classes. 
• Turn on social media blockers during classes and when you are working on assignments .
• Tell people around you about your daily schedule. You become more accountable when you tell others about your commitments and plans. Think of these people like human alarm clocks. 
• Leave your phone (and any other distractions) in a different room while you complete your coursework. You will feel less compelled to procrastinate, leaving you with a more efficient study sesh. 

If you are an instructor, you can help combat any learning distractions by using a dynamic learning design to make classes engaging for students . Encouraging your students to build things, take surveys, and have debates can help them concentrate more on their studies.

Technical issues 

Technical issues are the culprit of disengagement for online learning. Learning online requires teachers and students to understand how to use multiple forms of technology – some of which have steep learning curves.

From low internet bandwidth, spotty reception, and video glitches (to name a few), these issues disrupt the flow of learning and make it a tedious task.

With online learning, students need to find proactive ways to become their own IT department, as technological assistance may not always be available right away. 

To reduce technical issues that students and teachers experience during online classes, here’s some preventative measures to take: 

• Before enrolling in an online class, students should check if they have access to the necessary technology they need to succeed at home. If they don’t, they should check if the school offers technical help (via phone, email, and live chat) to online students.
• When attending online classes, students and teachers should use a high-quality internet service provider (ISP) for fast connection. If they don’t have access to a good ISP at home, they can use free Wi-Fi at a public library or coffee shop nearby. 
• As an online student, search engines are your best friend! More often than not, you can find the answer to your tech problem by plugging your question into Google. 

Teachers should provide a comprehensive guide that contains IT information and digital literacy guidelines to streamline the process for students if something goes wrong. It’s also very helpful for teachers to record class sessions in case some students miss lectures due to tech issues.

Communication

It can be more challenging for students to communicate with their peers and instructor in an online environment. Learning online doesn’t come with the option to walk up to the teacher after class (unless your instructor allows questions in synchronous classes), so students can feel more alone if they are confused. 

Even when a student asks a question online, they might not receive a response right away depending on the availability and timezone of their instructor. 

• Most of the time, the answers will be in the student syllabus. Make sure you carefully go over the course outline, as you may have missed the answer you are looking for. 
• Post your questions in student groups. Chances are, one of your peers will be able to help you out, especially if they’ve already asked the same question or have taken the course before. 
• Take advantage of online office hours if the teacher provides them. Then you know an exact time for when your instructor can provide assistance. 

As a teacher, you will want to be proactive when planning your course. Be sure to provide you students with an in-depth outline of the course that covers common questions and solutions. This will help in the long run, so you don’t have a herd of students banging on your virtual door looking for answers!

Some students may have problems with online classes due to learning difficulties or disabilities. Students with dyslexia, autism, poor vision, hearing impairment, and other disabilities need extra attention to succeed academically. 

Online learning is praised for its adaptability and inclusivity, which means that if you inquire about accommodations, the course creator or institution could most likely work with you to improve usability. 

As an instructor, here are some ways you can make your online course more universally accessible to all learners, including those with learning disabilities: 

• Include captions to your audio and video content for students with hearing impairments.
• Have voice-over descriptions of text and images.
• Provide alternative learning options like keyboard shortcuts for certain exercises.
• Use AI-powered personal assistants for students with special needs.
• Hold extra office hours for those who need extra assistance.
• Offer assignment extensions.

Related: The Most Common Barriers to Learning – And How to Overcome Them

Since we’ve covered A LOT of information in this post on how to overcome challenges with online learning, here is a summary of the most important takeaways: 

• Practice self-discipline by creating an online learning schedule 
• Connect with classmates to motivate each other 
• Increase motivation by practicing good online study habits 
• Take study breaks to avoid burnout and lower screen-time levels 
• Dedicate a quiet study space with no distractions
• Be proactive when looking for answers – but don’t be shy when asking questions
• Set early deadlines to stay on top of assignments 
• Become familiar with online support systems in place 

There you have it! A complete overview of the top challenges with online learning, and how to effectively manage these obstacles.

We hope you are able to implement these solutions into your online learning journey, and embrace online education with confidence. 

If you’re an online creator looking to break into the lucrative industry of online teaching, try Thinkific today. 

This blog was originally published in August 2022, it’s since been updated in April 2024 to become even more useful.

Highly creative and curious about life, Megan is a blog writer and content creator who loves to inspire and uplift people with the written word. During her free time she is an avid yogi, travel junkie, beach enthusiast, and reader.

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Online Vs. Traditional Classes — Online Education vs. Traditional Education: A Comparative Study

Online Education Vs. Traditional Education: a Comparative Study

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Published: Jan 25, 2024

Words: 965 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

• Abdelhai, Rehab et al. "An E-Learning Reproductive Health Module To Support Improved Student Learning And Interaction: A Prospective Interventional Study At A Medical School In Egypt." BMC Medical Education 12.1 (2012): 1-9. Web.
• Garratt-Reed, David, Lynne D. Roberts, and Brody Heritage. "Grades, Student Satisfaction And Retention In Online And Face-To-Face Introductory Psychology Units: A Test Of Equivalency Theory." Frontiers in Psychology 7 (2016): n. pag. Web. 11 Sept. 2017.
• Gossenheimer, Agnes Nogueira et al. "Impact Of Distance Education On Academic Performance In A Pharmaceutical Care Course." PLOS ONE 12.4 (2017): e0175117. Web. 11 Sept. 2017.
• Means, Barbara et al. Evaluation Of Evidence-Based Practices In Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis And Review Of Online Learning Studies. US Department of Education, 2010. Web. 11 Sept. 2017.

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Boise State Online

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The pros and cons of online learning: exploring the good, the bad and the WiFi drops

So, you’re thinking about diving into the world of online learning? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Boise State University offers adult students a flexible and convenient alternative to the traditional classroom experience through more than 100 online degree programs and 800 online courses .

We have a lot of experience and have worked with many online students over the past few decades. Let’s explore the pros and cons of online learning and the benefits and drawbacks of the digital education revolution.

Online Learning Pros

Flexibility and convenience.

Picture this: no more rigid schedules or trying to make everything fit in a typical 9-5 day. With online learning, you call the shots. You can create your own schedule and prioritize your educational pursuits while juggling work, family and everything else life throws at you. It’s like being the boss of your own academic destiny.

Anytime, Anywhere Access to Education

Say goodbye to geographical limitations and hello to the world of learning without borders. Online learning lets you access education from your cozy couch, the local coffee shop or even that exotic beach you’ve been dreaming about. As long as you’ve got an internet connection, you can dive into the virtual classroom wherever your heart desires.

Learn how Kris Pruett pursued a Boise State Online cyber operations degree from her small town in Idaho while balancing her responsibilities as a mom. This video is available with captions and a video transcript .

Learning at Your Own Pace

No more getting left behind in the academic dust. Spend extra time on those tricky concepts that make your brain sweat and breeze through the stuff that comes naturally to you. It’s all about personalized progress and mastering the material at your own speed.

Diverse Course Selection

Prepare to feast your eyes on an array of exciting online courses and programs. Explore your interests and dive into those niche topics that might not be readily available in traditional educational institutions. It’s like having a buffet of knowledge at your fingertips.

Access to Expert Instructors and Industry Professionals

Online learning isn’t just about textbooks and virtual lectures; it’s about learning from the best in the biz. Many online platforms feature instructors and professionals, like adjunct instructor Sandy Dunn , who bring real-world knowledge and experience straight to your virtual doorstep. Get ready to soak up their wisdom, guidance and mentorship, and take your understanding of the subject matter to the next level.

Customizable Learning Paths and Degree Programs

Online learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. It’s more like a choose-your-own-adventure book where you get to be the protagonist. You can design your own learning path and tailor your degree program to match your interests and career goals. With a variety of elective courses and customization options, your education becomes a personalized journey that’s all about you.

Many Boise State Online degree programs offer customization options, from the Bachelor of Arts to Interdisciplinary Studies to the Bachelor of Science in Advanced Medical Imaging to the Master of Business Administration and many more. Prioritize your interests and professional goals to craft a degree that’s meaningful to you!

Collaborative Learning Opportunities

Who says online learning is a solo journey? Think again! Despite the distance, online learning platforms offer a whole bunch of opportunities for collaboration and connection with your peers. You’ll have virtual discussion boards, forums and group projects to dive into, allowing you to exchange ideas, challenge each other and create a sense of community.

Cost and Time Savings

Say goodbye to commuting nightmares and hello to cost-effective education. No need to spend your hard-earned cash on gas or public transport. And guess what? Many online programs offer flexible payment options and affordable tuition rates, making education accessible to a wider range of people. Plus, if you’re a speedy learner, you might even finish your degree in record time and save even more. Talk about a win-win situation.

Online Learning Cons

Lack of face-to-face interaction.

Okay, let’s be real for a second. Online learning does have its downsides. One of them is missing out on those face-to-face interactions with instructors and fellow students. Sometimes you just need that physical presence, those non-verbal cues and the immediate feedback that can make the learning experience extra immersive. But fear not, intrepid learner, there’s a whole world of digital communication waiting for you.

Limited In-Person Networking Opportunities

Online learning might make networking a tad trickier. Those in-person events, campus mingles and chance encounters with classmates can be valuable for building professional connections and expanding your social circle. But don’t despair! You can still network like a pro. Find virtual networking events, engage in online communities and use social media to connect with like-minded individuals. You’ve got this.

Reduced Non-Verbal Communication

Let’s face it: non-verbal communication matters. Those gestures, facial expressions and body language cues help us understand messages on a whole different level. In the online learning world, we rely more on written or verbal communication, which can sometimes lead to reduced non-verbal cues. But fear not, my friend. Emoticons, GIFs and good old-fashioned words can help bridge that gap and keep the communication flowing.

Potential for Feelings of Isolation

Online learning can get a little lonely sometimes. If you thrive in social learning environments, the virtual nature of online education might leave you craving some human interaction. The lack of physical presence and limited social engagements can make the learning experience feel solitary. But remember, you’re not alone in this. Reach out to your peers, connect with instructors and join online study groups to create a virtual community that will keep your motivation soaring.

Self-Motivation and Discipline Required

Online learning isn’t for the faint of heart. It demands a hefty dose of self-motivation and discipline. Without the structure and accountability of a traditional classroom, you’re the one at the wheel. You need to be the master of time management, the organizational wizard and the guardian of your own focus.

Reliable Internet and Technology Required

To fully embrace the online learning adventure, you’ll need a trusty internet connection and access to compatible devices. It’s true that not everyone has reliable internet or the latest gadgets, and that can be a bummer. Reach out to your institution or explore community resources that might provide solutions. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Digital Platforms Dependency

Online learning relies heavily on digital platforms and learning management systems. They’re like your trusty sidekicks, delivering content, course materials and assessments right to your virtual doorstep. But here’s the catch: sometimes these platforms hit a snag. Technical difficulties or system failures can temporarily restrict access to essential resources.

Limited Hands-on Experience

Let’s be real: not all learning can be done through a screen. Some disciplines thrive on hands-on experience and practical skill development. Think healthcare, laboratory sciences or the arts. It can be challenging to replicate those experiences in the online learning environment. However, there are still ways to nurture your practical side. Seek additional support, explore local resources or consider hybrid learning options that combine online and in-person instruction.

Just because Boise State’s Master of Social Work and the Bachelor of Science in Advanced Medical Imaging are fully online doesn’t mean they skip out on the hands-on experience. Instead, these programs work with you to find local opportunities for clinicals or fieldwork in your community.

Which One Is Right For You?

Well, there you have it! The ups and downs of online learning laid bare. It’s a journey of flexibility, convenience and boundless opportunities, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Online learning empowers you to take control of your education, offering the freedom to pursue your dreams while balancing work, family and life’s many demands. With the right mindset, self-discipline and support system, you can navigate the virtual classroom and emerge with a wealth of knowledge and a shiny diploma in hand.

Learn More About Boise State Online Programs

Boise State University offers nearly 100 online programs and 800 unique online courses to help you realize your educational dreams – whether you need a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree or a single online class.

ChatGPT, personal communication, June 29, 2023

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With Online Learning, ‘Let’s Take a Breath and See What Worked and Didn’t Work’

The massive expansion of online higher education created a worldwide laboratory to finally assess its value and its future.

By Jon Marcus

This article is part of our Learning special report about how the pandemic has continued to change how we approach education.

Kameshwari Shankar watched for years as college and university courses were increasingly taught online instead of face to face, but without a definitive way of understanding which students benefited the most from them, or what if anything they learned.

As an associate professor of economics at City College in New York, Dr. Shankar knew that one of the most important requirements of scientific research was often missing from studies of the effectiveness of online higher education: a control group.

Then came the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing almost everyone on earth online and creating a randomized trial on a planetary scale with a control group so big, it was a researcher’s wildest dream.

“The pandemic and the lockdown — that’s a great natural experiment,” said Dr. Shankar. A study she co-authored called it “a gold mine of evidence.”

Now the results of this experiment are starting to come in. They suggest that online higher education may work better than prepandemic research suggested, and that it is evolving decisively toward a combination of in-person and online, or “blended,” classes.

“For two years we’ve had sort of a petri dish of experimenting with learning online,” said Anant Agarwal, chief platform officer of the online program management company 2U and former CEO of edX, the online provider created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard and sold last year to 2U for $800 million. “Now people are sitting down and saying, ‘Let’s take a breath. Let’s see what worked and didn’t work.’ ”

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Benefits of Online Learning Essay

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Benefits of online learning

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In this modern era, there are many methods through which one can acquire knowledge. Among these, the most popular is online learning. It can be discerned as a method of teaching and learning through internet tools, to be in touch and have an alliance in an instructive environment. It helps the students to learn simultaneously and they can study without going to or staying in a school or college.

Many educational institutions support and engage in some kind of online education. Today, one can see that most of the people are unsatisfied with their job and so they try to acquire a better job with a high salary which leads them to a better lifestyle. People thus employed can study while doing their job with the help of the internet. The best advantage is that in this system one can study at his or her own time when the person feels comfortable. It is highly useful for professionals who may want to learn more without going to classrooms. To a great extent, it is also useful for housewives and retired people. Through this mode, one can become a well-informed individual who possesses great knowledge in his or her studies.

• Online learning has many benefits for high-tech companies: As the companies use different methods to design, transport, select, manage and extend their business, etc. online teaching process is instrumental for them. They can give valuable guidance, pieces of training for their employees without the need for them to be absent for long which helps to increase their skill, and through this skill, the company can achieve their goals. Besides, through this system, they can increase the efficiencies of the employees and add value to the process of business developments. At the same time, they can also save the cost of training as online learning is comparatively much cheaper.
• Online learning improves knowledge: People with good knowledge are needed in every field, especially in business. Online learning provides updated knowledge that relates to every level and this will help people at all levels develop greater knowledge in different fields. This knowledge and skill one gains from online help the person to intermingle with others in a better way, progress their profession, or develop their business successfully. It also helps to construct relationships and build up an atmosphere of trust, affection, and admiration and to be confident, and to have good and better personal and professional relationships.
• Online learning provides great opportunities at various academic levels. Through this students can save money for tuition, accommodation, and food. Online learning improves their talent in computers and the internet. Online learning does not need physical movements and students are not bound by time, place, and the tutor. “People with accessibility issues are not disadvantaged on an online course – everybody is equal.” (Benefits of Online Learning). Each individual has a similar chance to talk, express ideas through chatting without any discrimination or gender partiality.

From the above-mentioned factors, one can conclude that online learning has a lot of advantages over the other modes of education and that the main objective of online learning is to provide maximum information while being very convenient for both students and teachers. Thus online learning helps to develop business with great efficient employees, assist people to develop accurate knowledge about everything and thereby attain great achievement in their life and supplies enormous chance in educational level to help the students to gain considerable development in their life. Online learning gives a desired outcome to the person than any other means of learning.

Benefits of Online Learning: No Limitations. People Open Access Education Initiative People- uni: Building Public Health Capacity Using Internet- based e-learning. 2008. Web.

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IvyPanda . "Benefits of Online Learning." November 4, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/benefits-of-online-learning/.