06/17/2021 – Thursday
I have been engaging in online distance learning for a whole school year now and noticed some advantages and disadvantages. At the beginning of the school year, I did great with my academics. My grades went unexpectedly high which made me feel good about myself. This was because the performance tasks were way easier when dealing with public speaking. I just had to make a video and edit my mistakes.
mySoul – Silliman’s Online Learning Platform
Advantages & Disadvantages of Online Distance Learning
- Flexibility – I can access course materials and complete assignments on my own schedule, as long as I meet the deadlines set by my instructors. This is particularly beneficial for students who have busy schedules or who live in remote locations.
- Cost & Transportation – I wouldn’t be having to go to school early in the morning still sleepy and uncomfortable dealing with people. It would also save more money knowing that transportation nowadays is getting expensive. And of course, it will help reduce the cause of Global Warming, reducing the use of motor vehicles. I live in a tropical country so I would love to go out without burning myself since it’s extremely hot.
- Fewer Distractions – I got to concentrate more since the place I’m living is often silent with no other students distracting and tempting me not to study. I often study the day before or an hour before the test so it’s a big advantage for me XD.
- Submissions – I wouldn’t be needing to worry about passing my assignments due on that day. We got a stable internet connection and so there’s no problem at all. Other than going to school (face to face), we need to pass the assignment on that hour and we all know that it sucks when the teachers are not around as well.
- Free will – I get to learn my lessons by myself and be independent, getting the will to learn. It’s going to be a great thing in the future especially when I’ll be studying on my own for a career that I love, it would be easier since I was trained to study on my own.
- Technical issues – online learning can also be disrupted by technical issues, such as internet connectivity problems or software glitches. This can make it difficult for students to complete assignments or participate in discussions.
- Distractions – there’s no other problem, besides me. We have most of the time a stable internet connection and so I get distracted and couldn’t focus on my work, you know there are a whole lot of crazy things happening on the internet nowadays, however, I always push myself to do my responsibilities and pass at least five assignments per day. Observing my acts last school year, I came to my senses that I should be disciplining myself even more especially at the start of getting distracted.
- Self-Motivation – this can be a bit of a problem for me. I admit I can be pretty lazy sometimes, for those teenagers out there, I’m sure it’s quite relatable. But sometimes, I could also easily manipulate my mind to motivate myself on doing my work. Of course, time management, I somehow suck at this. I give myself a schedule but then I get lazy and cram. Moreover, online learning requires students to be self-motivated and disciplined, as they don’t have the same level of structure and support as they would in a traditional classroom setting. This may not be suitable for all students.
- Lack of in-person interaction – this can make it harder for students to get feedback and support, and may make it more difficult for them to stay motivated.
- Lack of Preparation – It bothers me when some of my teachers wouldn’t follow the schedule and just simply text in the group chat saying we’ll be having a synchronous session at that exact time. I have to check my messenger once in a while to avoid missing a class or any announcement but then this would be also distracting. And yes, communication, especially in group projects, my groupmates won’t even open the group chat. I find it hard to get in contact with them and so I ended up making most of the project myself.
- Limited course offerings – depending on the institution, online programs may not offer the same range of courses as on-campus programs. This can limit the options available to students and may make it harder for them to find a program that meets their needs.
