Education: The Opposition of Considering Virtual Online Classes being better

than In-person Classes

It has been almost two years since the global pandemic had occurred due to the
enter of the harmful virus known as the Covid-19. This had led into the Department of
Education to implement the closures of schools for the sake of everyone’s safety most
especially the students and after many debates regarding on what will be the educational
status of students amidst of the global pandemic, they had implemented the new normal
type of education or what we all known as the “Online Distance Learning” or well known
as the Virtual Online classes. According to Michael Simonson, Online Distance learning
is defined as form of education within which the most parts embrace physical separation
of academics and students throughout instruction and therefore the use of assorted
technologies to facilitate student-teacher and student-student communication. Distance
learning historically has centered on untraditional students, like regular staff, military
personnel, and nonresidents or people in remote regions United Nations agency area unit
unable to attend schoolroom lectures. However, distance learning has become a longtime
a part of the academic world, with trends inform to current growth. This is very proven
most especially here in the Philippines because our country has been already adapting
the distance learning for almost 3 years since it had started way back in the year 2020 in
which when the global pandemic had started.

Some now find it very convenient upon having virtual online classes because they
were being given a lot of time to finish their school works and they can do leisure at the
same time while attending their classes. Also, Some people find it very convenient
because they would not have to leave their homes to go to school and it will provide them
less hassle upon attending their classes. But even if it is effective to some, there are
some people who don’t believe that Virtual Online Classes was capable enough of
helping students from lower higher levels to learn.
 I would like to disagree to such argument that virtual online classes are better than
the face-to-face classes because , according to the statistics made by Statistics Research
Department in September 2021, “30 percent of Filipino respondents perceive the current
distance learning model was around 20 to 50 percent effective. On the other hand, 14
percent of respondents stated that such learning model is 80 to 100 percent effective.
Distance learning had been implemented in the Philippines as a precaution towards the
spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19)”. This implies that Online Distance learning is
somehow effective but there are some instances that it is not efficient because not all had
the ability to provide enough gadgets for all to attend virtual meetings and as for those
who are taking modular, they had more time to answer the modules but then they were
not learning enough knowledge for their mindset is to answer the module to be able to
still continue to learn in the amidst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the important thing for
them is just to be able to pass it and for them to have grades. Consequently, in reality,
they answer the modules but they don’t learn anything at all; they just answer it for them
to be able to finish the works being given to them and lessens the interest towards
studying and learning. Unlike during the face to face classes, they were being guided by
the teachers in learning and they were able to absorb all of the things being discussed by
the teacher for there is a physical interaction which boosts their self-esteem to perform
excellently in their academics.

In conclusion, even though that having online classes as a new educational

platform, is not yet proven not to be effective because of some people specifically parents,
students and educators and the Department of Education and CHED (Commission on
Higher Education) were agree and in favor of it, I recommend that the Department of
Education should look upon the issue of deaths due to oppressions, stress and
depression of students, the problem in internet connection and capability of students’
learning experience in the online learning platform or well known as the new normal
platform. Lastly, even though it has been almost three years that online classes are being
used and promulgated, we can say that it can be possible somehow but let us focus on
the situation of those unfortunate ones who are having a hard time providing for their
families. Online classes may be effective in other countries due to their advancement in
technology, but in the case of our country, the Philippines, it cannot be completely
effective due to our lack of advancement in technology.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

References:

Simonson, M. (2020). Online Distance Learning: A Literature Review - CIRL.

Retrieved 27 April 2022, from https://cirl.etoncollege.com/online-distance-learning-a-
literature-review/#section1

Statista. (2021). Philippines: view on effectiveness of distance learning 2021

Retrieved 27 April 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1262427/philippines-
view-on-effectiveness-of-distance-learning-compared-to-face-to-face-schooling/