The Future of Online Education
Posted by: r23
16th Jun 2024 04:20pm
How do people feel online education compares to traditional classroom learning? What are the pros and cons of remote learning and how can online education be improved?
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Comments 36
RockX
Since about 2016 I've done university level study online and obtained both an Advanced Diploma and a Graduate Diploma on a campus in other state. The biggest challenge was not being able to interact with students in a real-space/real-time environment. You can connect online but it doesn't have the same dynamic. Last year I finished a Cert IV in Training and Assessment. The instructor was quite strongly opposed to the entire qualification going online. Our study was hybrid. But, I agree that there are things that really need to be assessed and taught face-to-face. I offer that hybrid/face-to-face is still the most valid way of teaching.
Zayna31984807
I’ve been a uni student both pre and post covid lockdowns, so I’ve experienced the shift of face to face to online first hand. Now my university studies consist of a balance between the two. When I first was forced into online learning I hated it. I struggled to stay motivated and felt limited when it came to sharing ideas and resources as this is something I more naturally do face to face rather than virtually. Now though I think I have definitely found my niche having a balance between the modes. I feel like it’s also improved my virtual communication skills and forced me to attend groups and events I would not have originally done because I wasn’t lacking social contact, for example this Friday I’m doing pole dancing through a uni event.
ladylucy666
My son currently does schooling via distance education, and I myself am doing a TAFE course online outside of work hours. Huge pro is the flexibility of studying at times that suit us. Learning at a rate that suits. Only con is less sociability, but that also means less distractions. However, there are still online group classes one can attend if they choose. I'm pretty happy with both our platforms
capfantastic
As a person who has considered taking remote classes as a form of self improvement rather than career prospects, I find the idea of tackling my preferred subjects without a nuanced learning approach to be out of the question. It’s hard enough to find the money and the time, but I would feel lost without a designated mentor. I don’t want to waste my resources pursuing courses that aren’t relevant or don’t provide the certificate necessary to open further academic doors.
Juliette31984417
I think there are certain subjects e.g. creative art/design subjects that involve materials and the passing on of hand related techniques or subjects based around performances and actions in training e.g. dance and music or some sports that you need real time face to face teaching as well as lab work and lab based research in STEM which needs equipment and partners. I have done quite a few online training manuals and small corporate compliance models OHS, inclusivity, anti bullying, workplace training for AEC. I do wonder how much one does retain, but then there are "pros" that one can repeat units to ensure that one can get things right, one can work at one's own pace. The opportunity for cheating or informed guesses getting one a pass may reflect the amount of half trained people there are in positions of responsibility. OTOH recording lectures so that people can review bits they did not understand at first seems a really valuable improvement on the old system. Another total positive is that online learning can open up opportunities to learn from notable institutions that are geographically distant from you and open up a greater cosmopolitan range of learning content. I suppose that there are good and bad elements about it, but it does demand a great deal of self discipline and self management
Danica1311
I think its great. I myself, am an online learner and i am thankful for this option given to me. I am a busy mum of 6, one being a newborn, so its great to be able to complete further studies etc in the comfort of my home and at my own pace whilst still being with my kids who arent in school and baby. It saves me time and money with fuel, travel and daycare costs. I do feel like it could be improved with more online support from trainers or mentors and having prompt replies during specific times such as 9-5.
tlw
I think one of the challenges with remote learning, how would you know who is really completing the work as it done remotely.
kerynm
I think it should be half online and half face to face.
s
Most people do not wish to do online as too difficult.
As we discussed it in class while studying at Tafe this year.
Taumoor Ababakar
online education is better for students
jtmorri
I think you get as much out of online education as you put into it. Saying that, it is important the provider and course are of a high quality to begin with. Many individuals working full-time will sign up for an online course. One major problem is difference in time zones in Australia, especially in summer whereby an online course may be scheduled for 5:30pm for Sydney and Melbourne people (for them to do after work), however this is 2:30pm in the middle of the day for Perth people (when they are at work). If it is a structured weekly course then you have to be disciplined and complete readings, research and any pre class activities diligently and set that time aside each week. It can eat into your free time and weekends badly where traditional classroom learning is an allocated time each week and not eating into your free time or weekend as a rule.
I am sure many people have done online education which have been a waste of their time and money, failed to complete it and get the certification as it wasn't what they thought it would be or they couldn't manage life and study. Some courses are 10 weeks with a presentation in week 11, which is long and tedious. I feel people are more engaged in person and it is easier to have a question answered in class for overall understanding of the content instead of online or in a forum and waiting for a reply. You usually get one assignment to do throughout the course.
In person courses are more intense for assessments with theory and concepts delved into deeper which is what at university you qualification has more credibility as the person committed to a long period of study and is seen as very knowledgeable and well-rounded in their area of study. I personally like the routine, during the week and in person classroom model for tutorials and lab sessions etc. You learn a lot more.
Online lectures are great for taking notes, speeding it up so it doesn't take as long. Online education needs to improve in times offered when based over east, the amount of pre tutorial work required as it can be too much, not cramming so much content into each online lecture, improving the engagement of the students, shorter than 10 weeks and having an assessment that truly reflects that the student has understood the concepts fully. I think you can have a lot of people complete an online course and really not have learnt anything, however now they have a certificate pretending that they do. Online courses are too costly for what they are and offer and some companies running them and individuals presenting really aren't qualified.
Leesa3261
I think online learning is much easier to balance with young children and school hours. I’ve been studying online for the past 1.5 years par time and find time to study during the day or after the kids go to bed to be able to complete assignments on time and I’ve nearly finished my whole course now from doing it this way. I would have never been able to do this course if I had to attend in person.
ChloeB
Online education allowed me to work and put myself through university without stressing about where I lived. While I am all for online education (and am planning on starting my own business in this field) there needs to be more of a focus on practical elements/teachings that students can actually use in the job market. I found it hard to gain practical knowledge since a lot of courses revolve seem to still revolve around theory.
Zanyt
I think online education can work for some people and for some people it will not work. During Covid my grandchildren had to do remote learning and the teachers were very well organised and gave the children the work they needed to achieve on their own but if they had issues they would have a catch up at 9am, 10.30am and 12pm and again at 2pm every day to make sure the children's learning was not to disrupted. For 2 of my grandchildren they thrived doing this type of learning but the other grandchild struggled as he does not seem to do well without learning in person. As for the social aspect for the children we went to the park and met up with other families in the area and they were people we had not met before Covid.
Online learning needs to be well planned and suitable for online and not just classroom.
Goulah
Technology was bypassing me so I enrolled in a series of courses for “seniors”. At first everything went well but then Covid hit and classes were cancelled. After a while zoom classes begin and I felt rather uncomfortable but learnt the basics then started to feel more comfortable with it. One of the things explained in the class was the ability to use a Government sponsored forum called “Be Connected” which is an online tool. I still do not feel totally comfortable with online education but there is, on the other hand, a certain degree of comfort knowing I can educate myself on this platform. My preference is still for face-to-face education as I miss the camaraderie of the classroom.
Ziah
I would LOVE to be able to complete education entirely online - but none of the courses I was able to do would allow it. Exams had to be taken in person, labs need to be done in person, placements - obviously - must be done in person. I am not physically capable of attending in person in any capacity since getting long covid and increasing my covid vulnerability, so further education is totally out for me. I cannot even retrain in a different field (that might have 100% remote work), as there are precisely zero accredited degree courses able to be studied 100% online.
Something needs to change to cater for those people like me who simply cannot attend in person - and I am yet to see any real movement to this.
intelligent
Online education can be as good as a classroom one depending on the personality and interests of a person.
For those who are really bent to learn, with self-discipline they can learn as much as when they are in the classroom
situation. However, they may not be able to develp some social skills which can only be gained from a classroom
discussion.
shaz
Learn from School of the Air. I am not sure if it still exists but what worked for them and what were the downfalls.
Sil sil
Hi, I'm studying online atm and I totally dislike it! Yes it's been a while since I've been in a class room but it's so fiddly and slow, ask a question you need to chat on teams if someone is available, or email the tafe digital email and wait for a reply, no direct teacher. Then to do assessments it's a long horrible process that's very confusing. Open documents, resources, videos, links, every where, you need multiple screens. Then you need discipline, and a printer. If I need to create a video I have to find people to play roles, if you were in a classroom you would be doing it in groups with peers, not coaching my daughter and mother in role play. Hard to stay focused and interpret what you read correctly. No interaction with humans is sad. I feel AI and cheating is easier online, it's just not as good as being in a classroom. I've heard people are making it a business to basically give you a certificate that you've completed a course...no thanks
victory
The advantage of online Education is ok if the Parent has the time to supervise the workload and assist when needed. The best is the classroom it has the advantage of interacting with humans and socialising with others. Whatever works for the individuals learning. For individuals with disabilities online can have its advantages, with outdoors incorporated into process.
Elizabeth31420169
I think the process of coming to school is an important routine for young people. It gives them the opportunity to socialise with others outside of their own family
Taj
I prefer classroom. interacting with others is vital
w-alice
I much prefer it, as a chronic illness sufferer, I can set my own pace, I can do it in an environment conducive to learning (temperature controlled, minimal distractions, medication and nourishment on hand) without the need for time and cost to travel
ab
I’m going to agree with everything everyone has said. Online learning has the advantage of:
• recording and reviewing learnings outside of the formal presentation. You can learn at your pace, pick up things you may have missed.
• AI providing a more comprehensive level of information than a human giving a class.
• Less chance of bullying or conflict
But the cons of learning in isolation are:
• Under-developed social skills from a lack interaction with peers on the playground, field, lunchtimes
• No capability to resolve conflict
The ideal scenario would be to attend traditional classes while being able to go home and access the content presented during the class as well as to an AI to respond to questions online.
Miss19
I would say that traditional classroom learning is much better than online in terms of being engaged with the lecture/teaching and also just being able to have good classroom discussions and interactions. I don’t think an online learning session can replicate that. I have had both in person and online learning and I much prefer in person. I can easily ask my teachers and professors questions and I find that it’s also good for interacting with your classmates. I’ve made very good friends and have had study sessions through classroom interaction. The good thing about online is that when the session is recorded you can always go back to it and take notes a lot easier than when it’s in person. Remote learning also works when they have all the slides and information available to you which I think is very hand when it comes to doing assignments and studying for tests and quizzes. I think online education can be improved if there was a way to make the interaction similar to in person. A lot of times you’re not able to ask questions as freely as in person. I think having group interaction would be a good idea because you can learn so much from your classmates and peers.
Anonymous
I much prefer face to face learning. It’s much more engaging.
Timbo
Valuable research at Macquarie Uni has shown that most students learn better from books and face-to-face teaching than from screens. Online learning has its place but cannot replace traditional classroom learning. Also, nothing can quite replace the social aspect of the real, rather than the virtual classroom. Having said that, online resources are a useful adjunct to traditional learning, particularly interactive simulations.
Bigbear
I don't mind educational courses and lessons being delivered online or by AI, and then some lessons similar to tutorials being delivered face to face in the school environment.
I feel like a combination would be great, watch the videos to learn the content and then come into class to practice the questions, ask questions and collaborate with peers.
Nowadays less and less uni students attend lectures in person so I don't see why this same concept couldn't be applied to public and high school education.
So all in all, I think that online learning is great when its accompanied by some in person interaction too.
I foresee in the future that traditional classroom educational facilities will offer online only tuition curriculum with reduced rates for parents if they don't want or can't afford their student offspring to attend in person.
Bigbear
I don't mind educational courses and lessons being delivered online or by AI, and then some lessons similar to tutorials being delivered face to face in the school environment.
I feel like a combination would be great, watch the videos to learn the content and then come into class to practice the questions, ask questions and collaborate with peers.
Nowadays less and less uni students attend lectures in person so I don't see why this same concept couldn't be applied to public and high school education.
So all in all, I think that online learning is great when its accompanied by some in person interaction too.
I foresee in the future that traditional classroom educational facilities will offer online only tuition curriculum with reduced rates for parents if they don't want or can't afford their student offspring to attend in person.
2020
Classroom learning is better than online as you are in a proper learning environment. Online you risk drop -outs etc and actually be bored doing it
EileenW1
Knowledge doubles every year and teachers alone cannot keep up with all they must know so they are now facilitators or guides to subjects. Online education allows the students to discover facts, information and some of the innumerable responses for any given topic. There should still be opportunities for in class discussions and not just through zoom because actual real face to face and socialising is part of our education for life. In zoom classes, many people do not get the chance or feel confident of asking questions or giving their opinions. I have been involved in the traditional classroom teaching and also in online and while I prefer the personal contact and relationships, I could develop in a classroom I realise they are just not enough today.
Asti
Trad- learning is more engaging and you are more accountable. It suits a variety of learning styles and the support is likely to be much greater
Online- suits a self motivated neuron typical student who is able to manage their own time and learning- not suitable for those who struggle with this but very effective for those who do
Anna32388118
Obviously the pros is that it s more flexible, and you can manage your own time on learning, but on the other side there is no teacher around to physically monitor you, and also the work load becomes double to what we learn in physical settings.
Vanessa 32284508
Primary school needs to be face to face in a classroom. Social skills are so important . Learning to work as a team, with others and to socialize is so important.
High school could be online though if they children have some sort of social outlet - team sports , clubs, community groups etc .
Libbazz
Depending on your circumstances of distance from traditional classroom learning, maybe problems in attending a classroom with others due to personal attitudes or problems understanding the work so need to achieve at a slower rate than others. Online education would be ideal. Not everyone learns at the same pace or grasps concepts easily and may need extra assistance from the Online Educators. Mainstream school teachers these days normally don't have the time to give that bit of extra help to children who need it. I'm all for the online education as long as there is discipline in the household to ensure the children/adults are doing their studies regularly and understanding all their subjects.
musicmum
Well I recently completed an online course and found that I was basically teaching myself, but all course structures are different. I loved having a self paced online course to fit around my life but found you needed to have discipline, I kept getting extentions due to life issues getting in the way. But I had no choice as it was too far to travel to be in a classroom. It boils down to personal choice and availability and what type of structure the course has.