Learning is a lifelong key to success, especially for career-oriented individuals who hope to

advance on both a personal and a professional level. Unfortunately, many of us find it difficult to
add new challenges to our demanding and inflexible schedules. Online learning is the solution.
People can learn about virtually any subject online, anywhere, anytime. Of course, nothing is
perfect. In this article, we delve into the top 5 advantages of online classes as well as the top 5
disadvantages of online learning, to help you decide if it is an option for you.
Advantages of online classes
 Online classes are efficient
One of the biggest pluses of online classes is that they grant instructors more efficient methods of
delivering teaching material that the traditional classroom setting doesn’t provide. Since online
classes require the use of video software to connect instructors and learners, one can use a myriad
of modern visual instructional materials to teach students. These range from PowerPoint
presentations and decks to other types of learning material such as videos, PDFs, and even non-
traditional types of learning material like podcasts. Utilizing such diverse types of teaching
material that emphasize visual learning equips instructors with even more ways to improve the
efficiency of their teaching skills.
 Online classes offer more programs
Another benefit of having online classes is that they offer students the ability to access a wider
range of courses, programs, and lectures that otherwise wouldn’t be easily accessible in a
traditional classroom setting. On the one hand, this takes into account the fact that traditional
classrooms tend to be more expensive due to the elevated costs of maintaining physical classroom
settings. Needless to say, this cost is reflected in the tuition fees students pay to enroll in the
program, thus making it more difficult for students to access them. On the other hand, this also
refers to lessons offered in specialized programs that are easier to deliver online as opposed to in a
traditional classroom. Specialized programs in traditional classrooms often require a minimum
number of registered students for the program to be delivered. However, online classrooms allow
courses or specialized lessons within a program to be recorded and taken by the student at their
own leisure.
 Online classes are convenient
The first obvious advantage of online classes is the sheer convenience factor. Perhaps some of you
are burdened by a lengthy commute after a long day. The thought of traveling to yet another
location before heading home is an impossibility. Now, with virtual learning, you have the option
of taking classes in the privacy of your own home while wearing your comfy slippers. You
can search for whatever video you might have missed and catch up on class later! You could even
make efficient use of your time commuting and attend an online course on the bus or train ride
home. All you need is an internet connection and a computer or a smartphone.
 Online classes are flexible
Not only have you saved hours by not having to travel to a physical location to take a class, but
with online courses, you have greater flexibility in choosing the best time to study. You may not
be able to find a face-to-face instructor to teach you Spanish online at 3 am, but your options are
infinitely greater online. Online courses ultimately enable you to achieve your professional and
educational goals in a manner that fits your schedule.
Another great benefit of online classes is that you can learn at your own pace. Some individuals
learn quickly, while others take more time to understand new concepts and ideas. The best part is
that it avoids the need to rush through lessons to just keep up with others and vice versa.
 Online classes are more affordable
The major advantages of online classes center around the tremendous amount of savings for the
learning institution, which no longer has to rely on reserving a physical location to teach courses.
This ultimately translates into more cost-effective classes for the student. Having to show up at a
physical classroom location increases your expenditures as a student quickly. In addition to saving
on the basics like books and supplies when you take classes online, you also save money on lunch
and travel costs.
 Online classes foster more interaction
Some might assume that traditional learning in a physical setting is the most natural and best way
to interact. But that’s not necessarily true. In an online class, no student sits in the back row.
Everyone sits basically front and center! Those that are too shy to ask a question in front of their
entire class now have the option of initiating a live, private chat with their instructor. A student
uncomfortable with broadcasting to the entire class may even opt to mute their microphone or
disable their camera while continuing to participate in the lesson. A student with the ability to hide
may seem like a disadvantage of online courses.
But now, teachers have the option of administering online quizzes to ensure every student is
engaged. They can edit and enrich videos to create a better learning experience online. In a
physical classroom, the teacher may write notes on a blackboard, in hopes that students are jotting
the information down themselves. With online learning, an instructor can write down notes on
a digital whiteboard or even assign a student to write real-time notes that students can easily
download after the class.
 Online classes unlock more learning opportunities
Have you ever wanted to learn French, but simply never were available? Perhaps the small block
of time you actually managed to carve out around a full-time job and family to learn how to code
didn’t coincide with class hours at your local community center. Was a school in your area even
offering your dream class? Now with virtual learning, the sky’s the limit for new training
opportunities. With online education, students have the option of learning from instructors in any
time zone all over the world, at potentially any time of day. A world of opportunity can now be
accessed from your laptop or smartphone.
Disadvantages of online learning
 Online learning may create a sense of isolation
Everyone learns in their own manner. Some students possess the ability to work independently,
while others find comfort in their community on campus with easy access to professors or their
fellow students. The good news is online virtual classroom platforms have been working to bridge
those gaps, recreating the feeling of community in the virtual space by producing a series of tools
that encourage learners to actively participate in live sessions. Online education must support the
social aspect of learning to match the effectiveness of traditional classes
 Online learning requires self-discipline
Piggybacking off the sentiment above, being part of a community and physically attending classes
increases accountability. If a student does not feel they are getting the proper guidance, they may
not have enough self-discipline to fully engage in the lessons themselves. Moving to virtual, real-
time classes instead of just online courses gives a greater sense of accountability. Tools like live
quizzes help assess understanding in real-time, while breakout rooms encourage group activity.
These tools help foster accountability and keep students engaged.
 Online learning requires additional training for instructors
Online classes imply an initial learning curve and extra effort on the teacher’s behalf to create a
successful online course. Instructors need to get a deep understanding of the different approaches
to teaching and learning to avoid just replicating the physical class environment and miss out on all
the added advantages and tools that eLearning and blended learning have to offer.
Of course, instructors also need proper training to tackle the technical aspect of online learning: the
use of video and audio recording equipment, virtual classroom and lecture capture software, and of
course the Learning Management Software (LMS). The combination of all these new skills
represents a steep learning curve for the teacher, but thoughtful investment in proper training will
pay off tenfold for the institution, the teacher, and the students alike!
 Online classes are prone to technical issues
The classic disadvantages of online learning center around technical problems. Nothing disrupts an
online lesson more than audio, video, or connection issues. Many times in the past, students were
required to download and/or install cumbersome apps or technology that would deliver inconsistent
performances. Luckily nowadays, online classes can be accessed through the click of a link
without the need to install anything. Internet connections throughout the world have improved
dramatically. Additionally, people’s devices have gotten significantly better.
 Online learning means more screen-time
It’s pretty much inevitable in 2022, but darn do we spend a frightening amount of time in front of
screens. Online learning sadly contributes to this problem. Excessive screen-time can lead to all
sorts of physical ailments like poor posture or headaches. But it can also be a personal issue to
students who struggle with learning from or focusing on screens. Especially since the internet is
geared to distract students with social media and entertainment just a click away from the learning
material. The better online learning platforms and software out there have all kinds of tools and
features to help students staying attentive and engaged.
CONCLUSION
There are advantages and disadvantages of online learning for higher education. But as
technological capabilities have reached new heights and many of the major concerns of students
taking online classes have been addressed, the advantages of online classes are beginning to drown
out the disadvantages.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Online Learning

Summary: As with most teaching methods, online learning also has its own set of positives and
negatives. Decoding and understanding these positives and negatives will help institutes in creating
strategies for more efficient delivery of the lessons, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey for
the students.
Discover Everything You Need To Know (Good And Bad) About Online Education
One of the most oft-used terms after the pandemic is the term “new normal.” The new normal in
education is the increased use of online learning tools. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered new
ways of learning. All around the world, educational institutions are looking toward online learning
platforms to continue with the process of educating students. The new normal now is a transformed
concept of education with online learning at the core of this transformation. Today, digital learning
has emerged as a necessary resource for students and schools all over the world. For many
educational institutes, this is an entirely new way of education that they have had to adopt. Online
learning is now applicable not just to learn academics but it also extends to learning extracurricular
activities for students as well. In recent months, the demand for online learning has risen
significantly, and it will continue doing so in the future.
As with most teaching methods, online learning also has its own set of positives and negatives.
Decoding and understanding these positives and negatives will help institutes in creating strategies
for more efficiently delivering the lessons, ensuring an uninterrupted learning journey for students.
What Are The Advantages Of Online Learning?
1. Efficiency
Online learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students. Online learning has a
number of tools such as videos, PDFs, podcasts, and teachers can use all these tools as part of their
lesson plans. By extending the lesson plan beyond traditional textbooks to include online resources,
teachers are able to become more efficient educators.
2. Accessibility Of Time And Place
Another advantage of online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location
of their choice. It also allows schools to reach out to a more extensive network of students, instead
of being restricted by geographical boundaries. Additionally, online lectures can be recorded,
archived, and shared for future reference. This allows students to access the learning material at a
time of their comfort.
Thus, online learning offers students the accessibility of time and place in education.
3. Affordability
Another advantage of online learning is reduced financial costs. Online education is far more
affordable as compared to physical learning. This is because online learning eliminates the cost
points of student transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate. Additionally, all
the course or study materials are available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment
which is more affordable, while also being beneficial to the environment.
4. Improved Student Attendance
Since online classes can be taken from home or location of choice, there are fewer chances of
students missing out on lessons.
5. Suits A Variety Of Learning Styles
Every student has a different learning journey and a different learning style. Some students are
visual learners, while some students prefer to learn through audio. Similarly, some students thrive
in the classroom, and other students are solo learners who get distracted by large groups.
The online learning system, with its range of options and resources, can be personalized in many
ways. It is the best way to create a perfect learning environment suited to the needs of each student.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Online Learning?
1. Inability To Focus On Screens
For many students, one of the biggest challenges of online learning is the struggle with focusing on
the screen for long periods of time. With online learning, there is also a greater chance for students
to be easily distracted by social media or other sites. Therefore, it is imperative for the teachers to
keep their online classes crisp, engaging, and interactive to help students stay focused on the
lesson.
2. Technology Issues
Another key challenge of online classes is internet connectivity. While internet penetration has
grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, in smaller cities and towns, a consistent
connection with decent speed is a problem. Without a consistent internet connection for students or
teachers, there can be a lack of continuity in learning for the child. This is detrimental to the
education process.
3. Sense Of Isolation
Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. However, in an online class,
there are minimal physical interactions between students and teachers. This often results in a sense
of isolation for the students. In this situation, it is imperative that the school allow for other forms
of communication between the students, peers, and teachers. This can include online messages,
emails and video conferencing that will allow for face-to-face interaction and reduce the sense of
isolation.
4. Teacher Training
Online learning requires teachers to have a basic understanding of using digital forms of learning.
However, this is not the case always. Very often, teachers have a very basic understanding of
technology. Sometimes, they don’t even have the necessary resources and tools to conducts online
classes.
To combat this, it is important for schools to invest in training teachers with the latest technology
updates so that they can conduct their online classes seamlessly.
5. Manage Screen Time
Many parents are concerned about the health hazards of having their children spend so many hours
staring at a screen. This increase in screen time is one of the biggest concerns and disadvantages of
online learning. Sometimes students also develop bad posture and other physical problems due to
staying hunched in front of a screen.
A good solution to this would be to give the students plenty of breaks from the screen to refresh
their mind and their body.