Online Education – Is it Suitable for Everyone?

To some, online education is the future of learning, but is it a viable option for all students and learning disciplines?

As online education becomes an increasingly viable option for many students – it’s cheaper, very accessible and flexible to working lives — some are wondering whether it’s a good fit for most students.

Whether a student has work commitments, family responsibilities, or disabilities, they’re able to complete their work without ever leaving home.

And more universities are embracing the idea of online learning. The amount of courses that are available online is increasing tenfold and even some high schools are jumping on the bandwagon by offering online classes.

But is online education better than face-to-face ‘traditional’ learning? The Ecology of Education discusses the limitations of the online format and poses four points to consider before pursuing an online degree.

1. Major Self-Discipline Required

The Ecology of Education emphasize that while one of the biggest appeals of online education is time flexibility, it requires a great dedication and strong self-discipline to make themselves sit down each day to do classwork.

As Marissa Poulson points out at Anthem College Online, there are many interruptions and distractions to overcome in a home environment and it may require a change in lifestyle to overcome them.

2. Hidden Costs

While on the face of it online education is a seemingly far cheaper option than face-to-face conventional education, many costs are hidden. Although students do not have to live on campus or find themselves having to schlep to class every day, other costs are more prescient – such as high-speed internet connection and a competent home computer.

3. Not a Fit for Every Style and Kind of Learning

As MyNextCollege.com points out, online education can appeal to some very unique styles of learning. It forgives the slower student, it allows time for longer consideration and is great for those unable (or unwilling) to learn at paces set by others (whether the pace set is too fast or, of course, too slow).

However, some students require a tutor, a face, to interact with every day and needs either a sounding board or even just someone to ask questions to. This is not so easy with online learning.

4. Minimal Social Interaction

Many web-based learning programs feature face-to-face interaction. Whether through video conferencing or sporadic and occasional evening tutorials. However, as useful as they may be, they do not substitute the regular interaction a student will find in traditional colleges.

The student must ask itself whether it can adapt and flourish in the isolated social environment of the online education system.

The four points the Ecology of Education make indicates that the quality and effectiveness of online learning depends heavily on the commitment and dedication of the student. However, it also depends on the learning discipline of the student. Some people are not able to learn on their own, some people just don’t like it.

Types of subjects must also be taken in consideration. Not all classes are suited to isolated, online learning. Those that require detailed and elaborate experiments and case studies aren’t necessarily compatible with the online format.

The points, rather than dissuade, should invite discussion between the individual student and their family with regards to the viability of online learning. They must judge whether their learning style can adapt to the discipline and whether their needs are compatible with an online format.

Comments

Mike Mackey

October 25, 2011 at 4:17 pm

Points 3 and 4 are crucial, especially the fact that online learning may not be the best solution for every type of class. But for study groups, tutoring, academic coaching, reviews, and more, it can provide an amazing supplemental resource.

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Online Education – Is it Suitable for Everyone? | Education Truth in Louisiana

November 8, 2011 at 10:46 am

[...] Click here for the actual story on EDUCATIONNEWS.ORG Share This Article Related News About Author John, LAEducationTruth Leave A Reply [...]

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November 19, 2011 at 10:45 am

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November 19, 2011 at 1:12 pm

[...] all these numbers mean for you? How do you know if the online education model is right for you? An Education News article listed a few good points to consider when you’re making the [...]

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cyber school person

December 1, 2011 at 5:46 am

I just want to say that these issues are correct to a degree. I was given a computer and printer and my school put money toward my internet bill.

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Blaise Subbiondo

December 31, 2011 at 5:35 pm

Since each student has a different learning style, a student centered digital book can satisfy the needs of students both in traditional and online programs. The digital book can give teachers the opportunity to customize instruction with content they find beneficial. Students can select the digital resources that best fit their learning style. Go to http://www.etap.org to see comprehensive digital books the provides instruction, assessments, videos, etc.

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February 21, 2012 at 5:07 am

[...] Online Education – Is it Suitable for Everyone? [...]

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Sandie Barrie Blackley, MA/CCC

March 1, 2012 at 4:13 am

Online technologies that can also make evaluation and treatment of a broad range of learning disabilities less expensive and more effective.

Language processing differences like dyslexia are by far the most common type of learning disability (LD), accounting for more than 80% of LD children. According to the International Dyslexia Association (Dyslexia Basics) in any group of 20 students there will be 3 to 4 with symptoms of dyslexia. People with dyslexia are typically smart but struggle with slow or inaccurate reading, poor spelling, poor writing, and/or mixing up words. Thanks to insights from recent research, dyslexia can now be diagnosed, even in young children, with far more focused, efficient and less expensive methods than in the past.

In addition, these “best practice” methods for evaluating and treating struggling readers and writers are a perfect match for the emerging technologies in telerehabilitation. Telerehabilitation, sometimes referred to as telepractice or teletherapy, involves direct delivery of services using computer-based telecommunication (online) devices. What about online technologies make them such a perfect match for delivering services to struggling readers and writers? Here is a partial list:

• The computer is a language processing machine. It can filter, sort, order, display, transmit and store words, sentences and passages at the press of a button, thereby increasing the ease and efficiency of providing language evaluations and therapy. For example, consider the Lexercise Screener. This online dyslexia screener presents the words to the child to read. It also presents an audio recording of the correct response for each word to help the adult scoring it correctly. Then, the technology stores and displays the record of correct and incorrect responses, generates a written report and provides a link to information about what the results mean. No need to go to the doctor for this screening. This kind of online technology allows parents to screen their child in the comfort and privacy of their home.

• Web-conferencing technologies allow people who are physically separated to work together face-to-face. The clinician connects with the child for private sessions using web-conferencing. Online sessions can be scheduled with much greater flexibility and privacy than office-base sessions. There is no traveling to the office, and no waiting in the reception room. Web-conferencing naturally encourages family-centered services, and most parents participate in online therapy sessions with their child. All the social and relationship-building aspects that are part of on-site sessions are part of web-based sessions. The clinician can mentor and encourage the child in web-conferencing in much the same was as across a table. With just one touch (and the parent’s agreement) online sessions can be recorded for later review and/or reinforcement.

• On-screen displays are attention grabbing. In most cases, it is natural for a child to focus his/her attention to an on-screen display so attention and motivation are often improved in online services. Many web-conferencing technologies include drawing and writing tools, allowing the child to be an active participant. Recent research has demonstrated that language tests administered via web-conferencing produce results that are equivalent to those administered in a physical office evaluations, so clinicians and parents can have confidence in the results of online evaluations. In addition, computer technologies can provide clinicians with reminders and procedural checklists that help assure the use of research-backed methods.

• Online technologies permit a wide variety of options for review and reinforcement. In between face-to-face therapy sessions the child can use web-based recordings, materials and/or games for the daily structured practice that research has found to speed response to intervention by as much as 400%. Online technologies can capture the child’s practice data (e.g., response accuracy and speed) and provide it to the clinician for use in planning the child’s next session.

To get a real feel for how online services work, take a look at this online evaluation video and this online therapy demo.

Thanks!
Sandie Barrie Blackley
Lexercise.com

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