Online learning has become one of the most popular ways for high school and college students to get their education. In some cases it has become cheaper to hold classes online rather than have students and teachers come to a physical location to attend classes. In other cases it is a matter of location. Some students don't live close enough to the school. In my case, some of the classes that I am required to take are not even offered on a campus, but only online.
This brings me to the question, "What about students that need to be in a classroom?'' I can say from personal experience that I do better in school what I am actually attending classes face-to-face. I find that I am more connected with the subject and the teacher. It leaves me with a more comfortable feeling and I feel like I can connect better with the professor.
What will happen to those students? As teachers we know that we must address the needs of all of our students especially when dealing with all of the different learning styles. Could online learning be considered its own learning style? What if education shifted completely to online learning? What would happen to those students that did not do well with online learning? I believe these questions to be very important and need to be answered.
I am not against online learning. In fact I have learned a lot during my time in EME5050. But I have had my difficulties that have made me wonder about the future of learning. For me online is great but face to face is better.
Whats your opinion?
In my opinion, the online learning environment is unique and not for everyone. Students always ask me about whether to take a course online. My answer has always been are you an online learner? For me, online students must be disciplined, resourceful, and self-motivated. It is an environment for independent learners. I remember reading an article last semester that showed a correlation between introverts and online courses, and extraverts and traditional courses. While many online courses have structure (such as the course we are in now), others don’t. I remember taking an online course that simply required me to submit all work by a certain date. With freedom comes responsibility and I think the online learner must be aware of this. I haven’t even factored in the actual subject matter of the course. Some courses, such as math, I don’t recommend students to take online. There is a need for an interaction. With all of this in mind, I don’t feel online learning is for everyone and I am curious to see what will happen in the future!
ReplyDeleteI taught Physics in a traditional classroom for 7 years and am now in my 7th year of teaching Physics online. I feel online learning is something everyone should try. It is really important for the individual learner to figure out what is best for them. As well, there are pros and cons to both settings which can vary by the individual student's perspective. For example, in the traditional classroom I had 40 students in each class with barely enough lab equipment for half the class. Regardless of the amount of lab equipment I had, the students did get a firsthand look at Physics and were able to interact with each other on a regular basis. However, during the majority of the classes, I did not speak to each and every student individually. On the other hand, my online students have access to a large list of online simulations and tutorials. They also have access to a teacher on call 8am to 8pm daily including weekends. My online students can also attend sessions in my virtual classroom as needed and as they fit into their schedule.
ReplyDeleteStudents in my online physics class take my class for a variety of reasons. For example, some take it to get ahead so they can take AP Physics the next school year, others are in arts schools and would rather focus on those courses during the traditional school day, others take it due to schedule conflicts. And the list goes on. So, overall, I think it is great that students have the opportunity to take a class, regardless of format, that they otherwise might not take at all.
Lastly, I would not discourage a student from taking a math class online. Just as with Physics, I find many students prefer taking this kind of class online. There are many potential benefits. Unlike the traditional classroom, where students have work synchronously with rest of the class, online students have the chance to focus on specific lessons that challenge them and accelerate though lessons that are easier for them. All and all, it’s important to encourage students and parents to educate themselves about their learning options and help them evaluate their own learning styles, making informed decisions.
Kim