Advantages of Online Learning
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Online learning
I would prefer online learning to the traditional face-to-face kind of learning. In online learning, we approach the teaching and learning through use of internet technologies to communicate and collaborate in an academic perspective. The technology has also supplemented the traditional classroom trainings with web-based components and learning environments created to enhance the educational process. This has brought about more advantage over the traditional face to face because it has enhanced student to student and faculty to student communication.
The technology has provided web based tools that enable proper and easy communication between the students and faculty through the inclusion of discussion boards, chat rooms and e-mails. Students are more willing to participate especially having in mind the anonymity of their being, which makes them more empowered, daring and confrontational regarding their suggestions and ideas.
As Students, We Also Experience a Sense of Equality
According to Anderson & Elloumi (2004 57), With web-based communication tools, the sense of equality is experienced because each individual has the same opportunity to "speak up" by posting messages without typical distractions such as seating arrangements, volume of student voices, and gender biases. Most Shy and anxious students feel more comfortable expressing ideas and backing up facts when posting online instead of speaking in a lecture room. Online discussions provoke more confrontational and direct communication among students.
Instructors Are More Accessible
In online learning, there is no need of waiting for the working hours to get assistance from the instructors. Instead, the students are free to submit inquiries via e-mails, from anywhere at any particular time, and even when questions arise in the spur moments. By the virtue of improved technology the instructors can get notifications from their devices/gadgets, get time to also do their research and give a conclusive report, which is also accessible to everyone in the class.
Online Learning Has Provided 24/7 and Continual Accessibility to Course Material
Since people different preferences, we find that some students are more comfortable studying in the morning while others may prefer night hours. For students who are working, studying is one of their part time activities and so commuting to campus may be tedious. In addition, scheduling time for assignments and group projects may be difficult depending on other students’ availability, jobs or other personal responsibilities. Such students find it easy accessing information on what others learned during the day and are able to copy conversations on topics that were covered and discussed and read them at their own appropriate time.
Online Learning Has Removed Over Reliance of Physical Attendance
According to Anderson & Elloumi (2004 300), in the traditional educational setup, students working on group projects must coordinate schedules and attend to discussions when and where most of the group members have decided. In distance learning environments, this may not even be possible, forcing participants to work independently or even attend to discussions when the majority decides. When web-based collaborative tools are available, coordination is no longer an issue. Providing a project team with asynchronous discussions and file uploads, students can work in groups without the constraints of meeting together at a certain date, time, and location by creating their own specific chat group or circle of friends.
Online Learning Provides Just-In-Time Methods to Assess and Evaluate Student Progress
According to Anderson & Elloumi (2004401), assessment of students is the most essential thing in education. Online tests and surveys inform instructors whether their teaching methods and course structures are successful. The assessments also determine whether the students’ performance are satisfactory because most this web components provide tools that help in many ways to build, distribute and compile data and information students quickly and easily. Most online assessments results are instant with answers helping students in their revision.