Online learning is a superb solution to the challenges we are facing these days. When the majority of students have no opportunity to attend college because of the pandemic, online education becomes a true salvation as it gives everyone a chance to continue studying and acquire knowledge in the fields they are interested in. However, everything is not as great as it sounds in terms of online learning. Here are a few drawbacks of online education.
Limitations of technology
One of the main disadvantages of online education is the lack of user-friendly and reliable technology. As a result, the majority of students can only do so much due to the lack of all the necessary tools and resources on hand. Sometimes colleges use outdated software which does not allow students to complete their assignments properly. Updating both the hardware and the software means losing valuable time. Oftentimes, one encounters bugs and technical glitches which do not let students deal with their tasks on time. Everything has to run smoothly, but we all know that it is not always the case. Besides, the equipment students use at home can be outdated as well, or their wifi signal can be poor. When all these issues add up, it becomes impossible to focus on studying.
Lack of experience teaching students online
One of the biggest problems most teachers had to face at the beginning of the pandemic is their inability to teach classes online. The thing is that the majority had no previous experience which is why it is not surprising why the whole process seemed rather challenging. Apart from that, issues with technology created additional difficulties during the studying process which had a negative impact both on the students and their teachers. It took a while until everybody got comfortable with online learning and figured out how to do it to the best of their ability. Even though one cannot fully be prepared for something as huge as the pandemic which affected every corner of the world, the biggest takeaway of the situation is how vital it is to make sure that teachers are technologically-savvy. This way, valuable time is not wasted on downloading necessary software and setting up one’s laptop and computer in order to teach a class.
Equal access to technology
Even though online learning gives more students all over the world an opportunity to get a degree in the field they are interested in, it does not mean that everyone has equal access to technology. For instance, students from poor and developing countries do not often have all the necessary technological equipment, as well as the opportunity to buy it right away. As a result, students may be unable to enroll in a certain college in case they do not have all the necessary tools to make studying there easy and trouble-free.
Another significant issue to mention is internet accessibility. There are quite a few countries whose citizens have access to the internet only on their mobile phones without any wifi connection at home. Taking into account the fact that the majority of students require a laptop to complete their assignments, it is not always possible to keep up with the studying process and submit all tasks before the deadline. The cost of mobile data and stable wifi varies from country to country which results in the lack of equal access to the internet and to technology as well.
Burnout and lack of productivity
Studying online may seem easier at first because you don’t have to waste valuable time commuting to college or even walking to your campus. However, it does not mean that you will manage to avoid burnout and productivity issues if you study at home. Unfortunately, burnout can occur no matter where you are or how often you leave the house.
Once in a while you start feeling tired of online learning as you don’t experience a change of scenery. Even though commuting to college presupposes getting up earlier, you get to choose the route you want to use and introduce a few changes to your usual path if you feel like it. What is more, you get to meet new people even if you don’t engage in conversation with them. It helps you recharge and arrive at college fresh and ready to work. Apart from that, studying at home means that you don’t have an opportunity to talk to your friends and classmates in real life which can have a negative effect on one’s mental health.
Lack of productivity is another issue that arises when one opts for online education. The thing is that every day of online learning often feels like the previous one which makes it so hard to keep going and stay motivated. For this reason, it is vital to leave the house if possible and focus on doing something completely different. Otherwise, you risk getting lower grades and worsening your academic performance due to lack of motivation and poor productivity.
