5 Pros and cons of online learning

Online learning is gaining more and more importance day by day. Many young people are becoming attracted to the idea of online courses. Online environment is evolving continuously and it does represent a great opportunity for learning. So, let’s see the advantages and disadvantages of this extremely fascinating learning process.

Advantages

1. Convenient: All that you need is your laptop and an internet connection and you are good to go. It really doesn’t matter in which part of the world you are located. You can access from anywhere, anytime. Online learning has benefited the organizations to a great extent. The employees can be trained and reached easily all over the globe.
2. Cost-effective: If we talk about the corporate, online learning process has really helped in cutting the costs. The money spent on travel, accommodation of employees and trainers, content were huge.
3. No boundaries: There is no limitation on the number of people attending the session. And, also there is no time constraints. In case of face to face learning there are certain restrictions like time, location and number of people attending the session. Online learning solves all these issues and provides an opportune platform for the learners.
4. Flexible: Here the audience is given full freedom to decide where, what and when to learn. Online learning gives the audience a wonderful chance to study at their own time and pace. You can be at a café, park, bus, home, all you need is a device through which you can access.
5. It just fits in the corporate atmosphere: With companies going global, the employees and trainers have to interact with people across nations. Training or interacting with people from various parts of the world together is an issue that online learning solves completely.

Disadvantages

1. Isolation: Though online learning is convenient and flexible but it can also provide isolation to the learner. Moreover, some people need their trainers around in order to learn properly. Another important factor is feedback. Feedback is very effective if given on time. In case of online learning you can’t expect immediate feedback. And, some types of learning problems may be difficult to be addressed online.
2. Health concerns: Online learning involves usage of computer, laptop or mobile devices for a long time which can have a negative effect on the learner. Many health issues like poor vision, strain injuries, and other physical problems can arise sitting in-front of computer for long.
3. Self-discipline: Face to face learning can track the success and shortcomings of the learner easily which is quite difficult in case of online learning. The motivational factor may be less as compared to face to face learning.
4. Difficult to know whether the learner is getting the right message: You might have designed your materials very carefully but there is not guarantee of the fact that the learners are getting the right message. You never know whether your materials are used effectively.
5. The human touch: At last, people tend to respond and understand more through a face to face conversation as compared to the online learning method. The sessions are more engaging and helpful as the doubts and queries are attended then and there. No matter how technology efficient we become still the saying ‘old is gold’ stands true here.

Online learning can serve as a complement and extension of classical forms of learning. Want to know more? Watch the video below:-