Introduction
Online learning has been beneficial for students who cannot be in the same territory as their professors. It is a formal program that occurs while both the learners and the educators are geographically or chronologically separated and provide access to learning materials anytime and in any place. Learning is aided by technologies such as computers, TVs, recordings, e-mails, and mail (Dong et al. 2020). As a key source of communication and display, the activity primarily relies on the Internet. Online learning has several benefits for the learner, such as an improved quality of learning, good learners’ preparedness, and student readiness (Dong et al. 2020). In addition, it has established a collaborative education globally and reduced the costs associated with traditional learning. That is why a considerable number of educational facilities have begun to invest heavily in distance learning.
There have been critics of the traditional learning method since it inspires passive learning and does not consider the possibility of differences among learners (Tareen et al. 2020). The purpose of this paper is to examine the advantages of online learning. It will demonstrate how online learning allows both educators and learners to establish their academic expectations, as well as the additional flexibility of creating a schedule that will be suitable for all individuals.
The flexibility of Online Learning
First of all, online learning has been able to tap into international and national markets, which could not be achieved with face-to-face programs. Students have benefited significantly from establishing online programs by sustaining courses that had previously struggled with logistics in an on-campus mode (Fayram et al. 2018). The number of learners increased once distance learning was introduced, given that it is flexible and they could not get a chance to take the same course in their respective on-campus modes. On the same note, distance-learning bachelor graduates have also continued with higher education online as they continue working (Graham and Andrews 2019). The expediency of online learning is also determined by the fact that it includes students from all over the world. Here, it has allowed varied techniques that stimulate learning, especially during presentations. As a result, it has been the most important and interesting learning mode because it has provided good options for individual advancement.
Cost Efficiency of Online Learning
In terms of costs associated with learning, it is explicit that students feel economic benefits from their involvement in online learning. After a thorough investigation of learning costs, it was discovered that associated costs are fixed, variable, and recurrent (Nikdel, Anis, and Mohammad 2020). In online learning, fixed costs are those incurred by purchasing materials and equipment. On the other side, recurrent costs refer to those incurred regularly, such as the cost of the Internet. In comparison with online learning, traditional one may be regarded as less cost-efficient. For instance, face-to-face learning frequently has much higher recurring costs because it traditionally includes transport or accommodation fees (Graham and Andrews 2019). In addition, due to economies of scale that presuppose more efficient costs due to the increase in participants, the costs of online learning are higher at the beginning but may become significantly less in the future (Roddy et al. 2017). Therefore, the program can alleviate economic pressures, which had previously been a challenge, and attending full-time programs for degree graduate students could take several years of work.
Rebuttal
At the same time, opponents claim that online learning is characterized by technical difficulties. For example, they include the differences in time zones among the students globally (Yusupova et al. 2021). The larger the geographical distance among the learners, the more it becomes complicated. Additional technical issues associated with the program, as argued by opponents, include the possibility of audio or video problems. In some instances, the quality of video or audio could be affected by traffics (network) and inappropriate set-ups (Yunus and Hidayatullah 2021). Similarly, the existence of distinct infrastructure among learners concerning network speeds could be a great challenge. Thus, to address the difference in time zones, educators and learning institutions could re-imagine a different approach to accessing the class materials. More appropriately, educators can provide class materials that have been synchronized and let the students in the same time zone engage at the most suitable time. Educators may record lessons and send them to the students as well (Graham and Andrews 2019). Respective institutions could address the issue of technicalities by investing in the program and providing dependable technology.
Conclusion
To conclude, online learning remains an essential part of students’ lives regardless of its challenges. A good number of education and commercial institutions have switched to online for good reasons. It is a suitable platform that enables the easy reach of new approaches to learning. The program is characterized by the global convergence of diverse learners, enhancing lifelong learning. Most learning institutions have now established online evening programs that are suitable for working students. The students appreciate distant learning on the Internet because it allowed them to collaborate with students from all over the world, irrespective of the recent pandemic (Graham and Andrews 2019). It allows them to gain easy access to books and individual authors of various texts from various institutions.
In addition, the program’s quality has been improved with the emergence of a digital library that can be accessed easily and at a lower cost. Students must undertake adequate training for good quality of learning through the platform. Thus, from the above information, it is quite clear that online learning has had significant benefits for students in their education. It teaches students important organizational skills, making it easier to strike good work-study stability.
Reference List
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