is online learning good or bad essay

The pros and cons of online learning

What to look for in an online course.

By: MIT xPRO

If you’re at a point in your life where you’re considering continuing your education, you may wonder if online learning is the right path for you.

Taking an online course requires a notable investment of time, effort, and money, so it’s important to feel confident about your decision before moving forward. While online learning works incredibly well for some people, it’s not for everyone.

We recently sat down with MIT xPRO Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager Luke Hobson to explore the pros and cons of online learning and what to look for in an online course. If you’re waiting for a sign about whether or not to enroll in that course you’ve been eying, you just might find it here.

Pros of Online Learning

First, let’s take a look at the true value of online learning by examining some of the benefits:

1. Flexibility

Online learning’s most significant advantage is its flexibility. It’s the reason millions of adults have chosen to continue their education and pursue certificates and degrees.

Asynchronous courses allow learners to complete work at their own pace, empowering them to find the optimal time to consume the content and submit assignments.

Some people are more attentive, focused, and creative in the mornings compared to the evenings and vice versa. Whatever works best for the learners should be the priority of the learning experience.

2. Community

When Luke asks people about their main reason for enrolling in a course, a common answer is networking and community.

Learners crave finding like-minded individuals who are going through the same experiences and have the same questions. They want to find a place where they belong. Being in the company of others who understand what they’re going through can help online learners who are looking for support and motivation during challenging times and times that are worth celebrating.

Some learners have created study groups and book clubs that have carried on far beyond the end of the course-it’s amazing what can grow from a single post on a discussion board!

3. Latest information

“Speed is a massive benefit of online learning,” and according to Luke, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

“When we say speed, we don’t mean being quick with learning. We mean actual speed to market. There are so many new ideas evolving within technical spaces that it’s impossible to keep courses the way they were originally designed for a long period of time.”

Luke notes that a program on Additive Manufacturing , Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality , or Nanotechnology must be checked and updated frequently. More formal learning modalities have difficulty changing content at this rapid pace. But within the online space, it’s expected that the course content will change as quickly as the world itself does.

Cons of Online Learning

Now that we’ve looked at some of the biggest pros of online learning, let’s examine a few of the drawbacks:

1. Learning environment

While many learners thrive in an asynchronous learning environment, others struggle. Some learners prefer live lessons and an instructor they can connect with multiple times a week. They need these interactions to feel supported and to persist.

Most learners within the online space identify themselves as self-directed learners, meaning they can learn on their own with the right environment, guidance, materials, and assignments. Learners should know themselves first and understand their preferences when it comes to what kind of environment will help them thrive.

2. Repetition

One drawback of online courses is that the structure can be repetitive: do a reading, respond to two discussion posts, submit an essay, repeat. After a while, some learners may feel disengaged from the learning experience.

There are online courses that break the mold and offer multiple kinds of learning activities, assessments, and content to make the learning experience come alive, but it may take some research to find them-more on what to look for in an online course later in this article! Luke and his colleagues at MIT xPRO are mindful of designing courses that genuinely engage learners from beginning to end.

3. Underestimation

Luke has noticed that some learners underestimate how much work is required in an online course. They may mistakenly believe that online learning is somehow “easier” compared to in-person learning.

For those learners who miscalculate how long they will need to spend online or how challenging the assignments can be, changing that mindset is a difficult process. It’s essential to set aside the right amount of time per week to contribute to the content, activities, and assignments. Creating personal deadlines and building a study routine are two best practices that successful online learners follow to hold themselves accountable.

Experience the Value of Online Learning: What to Look For in an Online Course

You’ve probably gathered by now that not all online courses are created equal. On one end of the spectrum, there are methods of online learning that leave learners stunned by what a great experience they had. On the other end of the spectrum, some online learning courses are so disappointing that learners regret their decision to enroll.

If you want to experience the value of online learning, it’s essential to pick the right course. Here’s a quick list of what to look for:

• Feedback and connection to peers within the course platform. Interacting regularly with other learners makes a big difference. Luke and the MIT xPRO team use peer-reviewed feedback to give learners the opportunity to engage with each other’s work.
• Proof of hard work. In the online learning space, proof of hard work often comes in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or specific certifications. MIT xPRO course participants who successfully complete one or more courses are eligible to receive CEUs , which many employers, licensing agencies, and professional associations accept as evidence of a participant’s serious commitment to their professional development.

Online learning isn’t for everyone, but with the right approach, it can be a valuable experience for many people. Now that you know what to look for in an online course, see what Luke and the MIT xPRO instructional design team have to offer by checking out the latest MIT xPRO courses and programs .

Originally published at http://curve.mit.edu on August 8th, 2022.

The pros and cons of online learning was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Open Learning newsletter

How Effective Is Online Learning? What the Research Does and Doesn’t Tell Us

• Share article

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series on the practical takeaways from research.

The times have dictated school closings and the rapid expansion of online education. Can online lessons replace in-school time?

Clearly online time cannot provide many of the informal social interactions students have at school, but how will online courses do in terms of moving student learning forward? Research to date gives us some clues and also points us to what we could be doing to support students who are most likely to struggle in the online setting.

The use of virtual courses among K-12 students has grown rapidly in recent years. Florida, for example, requires all high school students to take at least one online course. Online learning can take a number of different forms. Often people think of Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, where thousands of students watch a video online and fill out questionnaires or take exams based on those lectures.

In the online setting, students may have more distractions and less oversight, which can reduce their motivation.

Most online courses, however, particularly those serving K-12 students, have a format much more similar to in-person courses. The teacher helps to run virtual discussion among the students, assigns homework, and follows up with individual students. Sometimes these courses are synchronous (teachers and students all meet at the same time) and sometimes they are asynchronous (non-concurrent). In both cases, the teacher is supposed to provide opportunities for students to engage thoughtfully with subject matter, and students, in most cases, are required to interact with each other virtually.

Coronavirus and Schools

Online courses provide opportunities for students. Students in a school that doesn’t offer statistics classes may be able to learn statistics with virtual lessons. If students fail algebra, they may be able to catch up during evenings or summer using online classes, and not disrupt their math trajectory at school. So, almost certainly, online classes sometimes benefit students.

In comparisons of online and in-person classes, however, online classes aren’t as effective as in-person classes for most students. Only a little research has assessed the effects of online lessons for elementary and high school students, and even less has used the “gold standard” method of comparing the results for students assigned randomly to online or in-person courses. Jessica Heppen and colleagues at the American Institutes for Research and the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research randomly assigned students who had failed second semester Algebra I to either face-to-face or online credit recovery courses over the summer. Students’ credit-recovery success rates and algebra test scores were lower in the online setting. Students assigned to the online option also rated their class as more difficult than did their peers assigned to the face-to-face option.

Most of the research on online courses for K-12 students has used large-scale administrative data, looking at otherwise similar students in the two settings. One of these studies, by June Ahn of New York University and Andrew McEachin of the RAND Corp., examined Ohio charter schools; I did another with colleagues looking at Florida public school coursework. Both studies found evidence that online coursetaking was less effective.

About this series

This essay is the fifth in a series that aims to put the pieces of research together so that education decisionmakers can evaluate which policies and practices to implement.

The conveners of this project—Susanna Loeb, the director of Brown University’s Annenberg Institute for School Reform, and Harvard education professor Heather Hill—have received grant support from the Annenberg Institute for this series.

To suggest other topics for this series or join in the conversation, use #EdResearchtoPractice on Twitter.

Read the full series here .

It is not surprising that in-person courses are, on average, more effective. Being in person with teachers and other students creates social pressures and benefits that can help motivate students to engage. Some students do as well in online courses as in in-person courses, some may actually do better, but, on average, students do worse in the online setting, and this is particularly true for students with weaker academic backgrounds.

Students who struggle in in-person classes are likely to struggle even more online. While the research on virtual schools in K-12 education doesn’t address these differences directly, a study of college students that I worked on with Stanford colleagues found very little difference in learning for high-performing students in the online and in-person settings. On the other hand, lower performing students performed meaningfully worse in online courses than in in-person courses.

But just because students who struggle in in-person classes are even more likely to struggle online doesn’t mean that’s inevitable. Online teachers will need to consider the needs of less-engaged students and work to engage them. Online courses might be made to work for these students on average, even if they have not in the past.

Just like in brick-and-mortar classrooms, online courses need a strong curriculum and strong pedagogical practices. Teachers need to understand what students know and what they don’t know, as well as how to help them learn new material. What is different in the online setting is that students may have more distractions and less oversight, which can reduce their motivation. The teacher will need to set norms for engagement—such as requiring students to regularly ask questions and respond to their peers—that are different than the norms in the in-person setting.

Online courses are generally not as effective as in-person classes, but they are certainly better than no classes. A substantial research base developed by Karl Alexander at Johns Hopkins University and many others shows that students, especially students with fewer resources at home, learn less when they are not in school. Right now, virtual courses are allowing students to access lessons and exercises and interact with teachers in ways that would have been impossible if an epidemic had closed schools even a decade or two earlier. So we may be skeptical of online learning, but it is also time to embrace and improve it.

A version of this article appeared in the April 01, 2020 edition of Education Week as How Effective Is Online Learning?

Sign Up for EdWeek Tech Leader

Edweek top school jobs.

Sign Up & Sign In

Is online education good or bad? And is this really the right question?

Associate Professor, Warner School of Education, University of Rochester

Disclosure statement

From 1995-2002, Eric Fredericksen was a Principal Investigator for grants received from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for ALN (Asynchronous Learning Environments). Eric is a member of the Board of Directors for the Online Learning Consortium (formerly Sloan Consortium), the professional society in higher education focused on quality online education. In 2013, he was honored as a Sloan-C Fellow.

View all partners

For the past twenty years, I’ve heard this question asked many times about online education. It might be tempting for enthusiasts to say “of course it is good,” but I see this as a kind of “trick question.” We should consider asking this question in the context of the traditional classroom.

Have our experiences in traditional classroom been stellar? All of us have had great classes in traditional settings and perhaps some that were not. I would suggest that quality and effectiveness of learning are not tied to “mode” of instruction.

In the same way that we can have good (and not so good) traditional classroom courses, we can also have good (and not so good) online courses. Further, re-conceptualizing and converting a traditional classroom course to an online course doesn’t necessarily make it better or worse.

What does the research tell us? And what are the lessons for teaching – and learning – in the future?

Research about online education

An abundance of studies have examined online education. They explore effectiveness through a number of criteria including satisfaction, retention and achievement.

An objective review published by the American Educational Research Association ( How Does Distance Education Compare with Classroom Instruction? A Meta Analysis of the Empirical Literature ) examined the literature between 1985 and 2002.

The authors analyzed 232 studies at all academic levels (K-12 and higher education) examining achievement (based on 57,019 students), attitude (based on 35,365 students) and retention (based on 3,744,869 students) outcomes. This meta-analysis highlighted that some applications of online education were better than classroom instruction and some were worse.

Another notable analysis was published by the US Department of Education in 2010. The Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies found that, on average, students in online learning conditions performed modestly better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.

What should we conclude from this?

I believe it tells us that online learning can be effective – but that alone is not a guarantee that it will be effective. It is not predetermined that online education is better (or worse) than a physical classroom.

Perhaps a more important question to ask is, “ How can online education be effective?”

Developing an online course

After two decades of work in and dedication to this field, I believe that we can positively impact the learning experience for students in online courses. A vital aspect of this is the support and assistance provided to faculty who are designing online courses and that we openly discuss the advantages and constraints of this “type of classroom”.

Effective online courses are developed through the systematic design of instruction with emphasis on the achievement of course learning objectives. This rigorous approach to course development and the creation of learning activities (which vary by course) is fundamental to create an effective learning environment and increases the potential for student learning and their construction of new knowledge.

Thoughtful course planning takes best practices (e.g., consistency of course interface and similarly structured course modules) into account and should be complete prior to the start of the course. In one research study it was interesting to note that faculty who go through the process acknowledge that this conscientious approach to pedagogical review also has positive impact in traditional classrooms.

Admittedly, one great advantage of online learning is the enhanced access for students: removing the constraint of commuting to a specific location at a certain time. Annual studies document that millions of students are able to enroll in online courses. But what are the educational advantages of the online classroom?

A common misperception of online education has been that it is an isolating experience for students. In fact, research studies that I have conducted with colleagues show quite the opposite.

Through asynchronous discussion boards, there can be increased interaction, both in quantity and quality, with and among students. These class discussions are not constrained to a small window of time but can transpire over a week or two. This environment allows all students to engage and actively participate in the discussion.

Compare this to a traditional classroom where the discussion might be dominated by a subset of students, while the rest of the class is passive. Every online student can have a voice and be heard. In addition, expanding the time for discussion permits students to reflect and explore additional information, thoughtfully consider the views of their classmates, and then take the time to construct their own contribution, which can lead to higher quality responses.

Another advantage is the ability to facilitate peer review – a beneficial instructional strategy for learners to share their individual views and knowledge with their classmates regarding papers or projects. This feedback benefits the student author and the student reviewer. Managing peer review is significantly easier in my online classroom (a discussion board enables exchanges) compared to my physical classroom with the corresponding constraints, where students would need to bring hard copies of their work to distribute to their classmates and then need to create an additional event to somehow exchange feedback.

Focus on learning

This is not meant as a criticism of the traditional classroom. I have enjoyed teaching in physical spaces for more than 25 years and found the experience rewarding and valuable. I will continue to do so. But I believe we need to be careful not to romanticize the traditional classroom.

Not all traditional learning experiences are equal. There is a significant difference between a lecture in a large auditorium with hundreds of students and a small seminar room with 15 students.

The physical classroom has one advantage – the “spontaneity” of the discussion that can occur. These occasions can be wonderful learning opportunities. This lack of spontaneity has been a constraint in online classes due to the limitations of required bandwidth for live (synchronous) web conferencing. However, some of the technological challenges have recently been alleviated and I am able to complement my online courses with class discussions where students can see and hear each other, regardless of their physical location.

So what’s the future for online classes? My hope is that we continue to evolve different models of online learning. The spirit of “blended” or “hybrid” online courses strives to capture the best of online with the best of traditional classroom experiences.

Ultimately, I believe we will progress and develop instruction to the point where these historically based distinctions and categorical terms will blur and become less meaningful, and we will simply just focus on learning.

• Online education

Chief Financial Officer

Director of STEM

Community member - Training Delivery and Development Committee (Volunteer part-time)

Chief Executive Officer

Head of Evidence to Action

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Education Online vs. Traditional Classes

Pros and Cons of Online Learning: A Comprehensive Approach

Table of contents, pros of online learning, cons of online learning.

• Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2017). Digital Learning Compass: Distance Education Enrollment Report 2017. Babson Survey Group.
• Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., & Jones, K. (2010). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. US Department of Education.
• Li, N., Marsh, G. E., & Peltier, J. W. (2020). Exploring students’ motivations and challenges in online courses: A self-determination theory perspective. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 18(1), 56-79.
• Murphy, E., & Rodriguez-Manzanares, M. A. (2017). Students’ experiences in online courses: A qualitative research synthesis. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(5).
• Simonson, M., Schlosser, C., & Orellana, A. (2011). Distance education research: A review of the literature. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 23(2-3), 124-142.

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

• First Day of School
• Online Classes
• Human Practices
• Honor Codes

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

• Essay Samples
• College Essay
• Writing Tools
• Writing guide

Creative samples from the experts

↑ Return to Essay Samples

Argumentative Essay: Online Learning and Educational Access

Conventional learning is evolving with the help of computers and online technology. New ways of learning are now available, and improved access is one of the most important benefits available. People all around the world are experiencing improved mobility as a result of the freedom and potential that online learning provides, and as academic institutions and learning organisations adopt online learning technologies and remote-access learning, formal academic education is becoming increasingly legitimate. This essay argues the contemporary benefits of online learning, and that these benefits significantly outweigh the issues, challenges and disadvantages of online learning.

Online learning is giving people new choices and newfound flexibility with their personal learning and development. Whereas before, formal academic qualifications could only be gained by participating in a full time course on site, the internet has allowed institutions to expand their reach and offer recognized courses on a contact-partial, or totally virtual, basis. Institutions can do so with relatively few extra resources, and for paid courses this constitutes excellent value, and the student benefits with greater educational access and greater flexibility to learn and get qualified even when there lots of other personal commitments to deal with.

Flexibility is certainly one of the most important benefits, but just as important is educational access. On top of the internet’s widespread presence in developed countries, the internet is becoming increasingly available in newly developed and developing countries. Even without considering the general informational exposure that the internet delivers, online academic courses and learning initiatives are becoming more aware of the needs of people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this means that people from such backgrounds are in a much better position to learn and progress than they used to be.

The biggest argument that raises doubt over online learning is the quality of online courses in comparison to conventional courses. Are such online courses good enough for employers to take notice? The second biggest argument is the current reality that faces many people from disadvantaged backgrounds, despite the improvements made in this area in recent years – they do not have the level of basic access needed to benefit from online learning. In fact, there are numerous sources of evidence that claim disadvantaged students are not receiving anywhere near the sort of benefits that online learning institutions and promoters are trying to instigate. Currently there are many organisations, campaigns and initiatives that are working to expand access to higher education. With such high participation, it can be argued that it is only a matter of time before the benefits are truly realised, but what about the global online infrastructure?

There is another argument that is very difficult to dispel, and that is the response of different types of students to the online learning paradigm. Evidence shows that there are certain groups of students that benefit from college distance learning much more than other groups. In essence, students must be highly motivated and highly disciplined if they are to learn effectively in their own private environment.

Follow Us on Social Media

Get more free essays

Send via email

Most useful resources for students:.

• Free Essays Download
• Writing Tools List
• Proofreading Services
• Universities Rating

Contributors Bio

Find more useful services for students

Free plagiarism check, professional editing, online tutoring, free grammar check.

• Business Essentials
• Leadership & Management
• Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB)
• Entrepreneurship & Innovation
• Digital Transformation
• Finance & Accounting
• Business in Society
• For Organizations
• Support Portal
• Media Coverage
• Founding Donors
• Leadership Team

• Harvard Business School →
• HBS Online →
• Business Insights →

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

• Career Development
• Communication
• Decision-Making
• Earning Your MBA
• Negotiation
• News & Events
• Productivity
• Staff Spotlight
• Student Profiles
• Work-Life Balance
• AI Essentials for Business
• Alternative Investments
• Business Analytics
• Business Strategy
• Business and Climate Change
• Creating Brand Value
• Design Thinking and Innovation
• Digital Marketing Strategy
• Disruptive Strategy
• Economics for Managers
• Entrepreneurship Essentials
• Financial Accounting
• Global Business
• Launching Tech Ventures
• Leadership Principles
• Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
• Leading Change and Organizational Renewal
• Leading with Finance
• Management Essentials
• Negotiation Mastery
• Organizational Leadership
• Power and Influence for Positive Impact
• Strategy Execution
• Sustainable Business Strategy
• Sustainable Investing
• Winning with Digital Platforms

Are Online Classes Worth It? 12 Pros & Cons

• 12 Sep 2019

A third of all students now take online courses . Although the reasons why vary, there are several key benefits to learning virtually—from increased flexibility to lower costs.

But online courses aren’t for everyone. Some individuals want to engage with faculty face-to-face or need the in-person touchpoints to stay on track and motivated.

If you’re mulling over the decision to take an online class, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons against your career goals and preferred learning style. To help you decide, here are some advantages and disadvantages to learning online.

Pros of Online Learning

1. you can learn on your time.

Online courses offer unparalleled flexibility, particularly for undergraduate students trying to learn a new skill outside of their major or working professionals already juggling a full-time job . You can complete coursework when it’s convenient for you, whether that’s after work or during your lunch break.

You can also schedule your learning around when you’re most likely to retain new information. Whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, you can log in whenever is the optimal time for you.

2. You Can Learn at Your Speed

Some students don’t feel comfortable raising their hand in class and asking the professor to reexplain a topic their peers already seem to grasp. In an online learning environment, you can pause videos or return to concepts covered in previous modules. You can dive deeper into a particular topic instead of skimming over it.

3. You Can Save Money

While there are many free online courses, even those that aren’t still typically cost less than their on-campus counterparts. By learning virtually, you eliminate room and board fees, as well as any commuting costs. And because there’s greater flexibility, you can simultaneously earn a paycheck and an education.

Related: Should You Take an Online Course? 9 Things to Consider

4. You Can Break Down Geographic Barriers

When choosing an online program, you’re not limited by location. You can register for a program abroad without needing to board a plane.

The lack of geographical constraints extends to your peers, too. Online courses offer the opportunity for you to engage with fellow learners from around the world. Through that interaction, you can gain a global perspective and learn how to work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds and countries— skills employers say they look for in candidates .

5. You Can Gain Practical Tech Skills

Completing an online course proves you’re comfortable with technology, which could positively impact your resume as more companies embrace remote work. Showing you’re familiar with digital tools, know how to communicate effectively, and can stay organized are all traits employers look for. And those are the same traits you’ll pick up in an online class.

6. You Can Achieve Similar Career Outcomes

There are several misconceptions about online learning—particularly that you won’t achieve the same outcomes or respect from employers that you would by attending an on-campus program. But that’s not always the case.

In a recent survey by City Square Associates , 50 percent of learners reported receiving more attention from recruiters after completing a Harvard Business School Online course, while one in four said they received a promotion or title change. An online certificate from a reputable institution can have the same, or even better, impact on your resume than a more traditional degree.

Related: 6 Networking Tips for Online Learners

Cons of Online Learning

1. you might have limited, if any, interaction with faculty.

Depending on the type of online program you choose, you could have limited, if any, interaction with the professors. Your peers may be able to fill that void and answer your questions, but you should consider the level of faculty engagement you need to feel like you’re making progress.

2. You Can't Be Disorganized

Completing an online course requires time management and self-discipline. Because you’re not required to be in class on certain days each week, it’s your responsibility to set aside time to study and work through assignments. If you’re highly organized and can commit to a schedule, then you should succeed in an online environment.

Related: 3 Time Management Tips for Online Learners

3. You Might Have Potentially Fewer Networking Opportunities

Depending on the course you choose, there could be fewer opportunities to network with peers. If the social element is crucial to you, choose an online learning platform built around peer interaction and active participation , or perhaps even offers events .

For example, at Harvard Business School Online, more than 60 percent of surveyed past participants say they feel part of a community with similar aspirations.

4. You Really Need to Do Your Research

With more than 11,400 free massive open online courses available alone, the options can be overwhelming.

As you’re compiling research, jot down the qualities you want in an online education to help whittle down the list. Is earning a credential vital to you? Do you want a more immersive, interactive experience instead of engaging solely with videos? By knowing your preferences, it will be easier to spot and eliminate programs that aren’t the right fit.

5. You Can't Always Find Industry-Specific Online Training

Despite the abundance of online courses, there are still limited opportunities for more specialized industries. But if you’re committed to advancing your career, there are business skills that can help you no matter your profession and online courses that can fill gaps in your skillset .

6. You Might Need to Fight Against Misconceptions

Although online learning is growing in popularity, there’s still some lingering skepticism. That’s changing, though; in a survey of executives, 83 percent said that an online degree is just as credible as one earned through a traditional campus-based program. According to employers, if the online program was from a reputable institution with high-quality learners, it was deemed more credible.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Online Learning

Only you can decide if online classes are for you, based on your unique personal and professional goals and preferred learning style. For many working professionals interested in advancing their careers, online courses offer the flexibility and convenience they need to balance developing new skills with their current life stage and job responsibilities.

Do you want to take your career to the next level? Download our free Guide to Advancing Your Career with Essential Business Skills to learn how enhancing your business knowledge can help you make an impact on your organization and be competitive in the job market.

About the Author

Press ESC to close

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning: IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic

You must write at least 250 words for IELTS Writing Task 2. You will be given a topic and evaluated on your abilities to answer by expressing and defending your viewpoint, explaining the topic, summarising facts, describing challenges, identifying potential alternatives, and illustrating what you write with explanations, claims, and specific examples from your own expertise or experience.

Today we will read about a very popular topic “Advantages and disadvantages of online learning essay”.

So, let’s get started.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes

Let us help you in your IELTS writing preparation with an interesting and informative topic. Read all the 3 sample answers and learn how to approach a topic in different ways.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes Sample Answer One for IELTS Writing Task 2

Online teaching and learning have grown in popularity among students in recent times, and this is viewed differently by different learners. Many students see this as a helpful learning tool, although others believe it is not as successful as classroom instruction. This article would explore the benefits and drawbacks of digital education.

Also Read: Importance of Art in Society: IELTS Essay Sample for IELTS Writing Task 2 Explained for Band 8

Advantages of Online Classes Essay

Students who study online have more flexibility in their schedules and spend less money on their education. They will study their desired courses and subjects at their own pace. This is a fantastic opportunity for learners to learn new skills and expand their experience while remaining in the comfort of their own home. For example, a Nepali student seeking an Australian degree in business administration does not need to travel to Australia; he can train and complete the course while remaining at home. As a result, distance learning is both cost-effective and time-efficient.

Disadvantages of Studying Online

That being said, online classes offer more emphasis on the analytical aspect of learning and there is less instructor and student contact. It ignores realistic learning elements and encourages passive learning. It is clear that students perceive it to be less successful than classroom instruction. According to a new survey, a larger percentage of students considered classroom instruction to be much more successful than digital education.

Conclusion: Merits and Demerits of Online Teaching

In conclusion, the ever-increasing availability of digital education has gained traction among young adults for many years and is viewed as helpful by many and less successful by others. The focus should be placed on its efficacy in order to identify it as the most cost-effective learning method other than classroom instruction.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes Sample Answer Two for IELTS Writing Task 2

Recently, the course has grown in popularity, resulting in more excellent learning options for students. While this movement may have some benefits, it may also have some risks and challenges as a result. Both sides of learning will be addressed in more detail in the following chapters. On the one hand, distance education has certain benefits. For starters, the simplicity of distance learning is essential.

Also Read: IELTS Essay in Writing Task 2: Here’s How to Organize it Well

There is no time constraint and the online classroom and teacher are (theoretically) accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As a result, students will stick to their schedules without impacting their learning outcomes.

Second, the advantage of learning is that it saves resources. Tuition at online schools is often smaller than at conventional universities. Building repairs, grounds maintenance, food service, class accessories, and other expenses that impact the cost of credits are not needed.

Learners, on the other hand, may suffer from a number of disadvantages of simulated learning. To continue, students can encounter technical issues, which can have a variety of implications.

Furthermore, some students are not equipped with the good internet access that online courses necessitate, and therefore fall behind their simulated classmates: poor monitors find it difficult to obey the course Management.

The system, as well as their learning process, becomes troublesome. Another downside to digital education is the scarcity of accreditation and the poor standard of instruction. The growing demand for digital education has resulted in an uncontrollable proliferation of colleges, including some unregulated schools, and there is no way to check the content of all courses. As a consequence, illegal organisations can con several students out of money.

Finally, online education can be helpful in terms of scheduling flexibility and reduced tuition. However, immersive learning has some drawbacks, including poor student conditions and a lack of quality control over classes.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes Sample Answer Three for IELTS Writing Task 2

These days, online learning is becoming increasingly popular. Many conventional colleges began to make their classes available for free. It represents a simple and convenient way to gain expertise in almost any area, from law and accounting to social sciences such as sociology, anthropology, and history. Digital education is a fantastic alternative to conventional universities, particularly for people who do not have the time or resources to attend traditional universities. So what are the benefits and drawbacks of online learning?

Also Read: Opinion Essay for IELTS: How to Plan and Write a Perfect Opinion Essay?

While many people still believe that traditional colleges are the only way to gain expertise and obtain a diploma, digital education has proven to be an excellent option. Students should study on their own time, and particularly for free. It is an excellent way to learn a variety of subjects while still increasing self-motivation. Online learning is so successful because students can complete their assignments easily, leaving more time for hobbies or job search.

Access to all of the opportunities of a typical course allows learners to practise wherever they are, giving them the opportunity to prepare wherever they choose. An individual may attend various courses with only an Internet connection. Students’ accountability and self-discipline are among the benefits of digital learning.

Limitations of Online Learning

An individual can only learn properly in a small group. Learners learn at school how to make new friends, be polite, deal with failure, and, most importantly, compete. Competition among colleagues can be very exciting, and students can learn greatly from it. Human contact is not possible for digital learning.

Another drawback is that online classes cannot handle the thousands of students who attempt to participate in debates. Furthermore, if digital education is intended for disciplines that need preparation, it can be challenging.

Conclusion of Studying Online

Finally, digital education can be seen as a supplement to and expansion to traditional ways of learning. Even the best online course cannot completely substitute physical interaction with an instructor or the human connections formed in a group. As a result, standard classes can not be replaced by digital learning.

Any essay can be satisfactory if addressed correctly. It is critical to remember in IELTS writing that each type of essay necessitates a different approach. In the case of an ‘advantage and disadvantage’ essay, a mixture of solid structure and appropriate data is a game-changer. As a result, in order to achieve a 9 band in your exam, you must devote some time to planning and structuring your essay.

If you need more assistance on this, you can simply visit IELTS Ninja .

Also Read: How to Write Agree and Disagree Essays in IELTS? Tips to Write the Perfect Essay

One Comment

Thank you for providing the advantages and disadvantages of the online learning, but many prefer online learning over self study, what do you think about it?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Share Article:

About the Author

Madhurjya chowdhury.

Madhurjya Chowdhury, a web content writer in Ufaber EduTech has a very strong passion for writing and alluring the readers. You can find him writing articles for the betterment of exam aspirants and children. With immense interest in research-based content writing and copywriting, he likes to reach out to more and more people with his creative writing style. On the other side, he is an Electronics and Communication Engineer from LPU, Jalandhar. In his leisure time, he likes to play badminton or read about space discoveries. Apart from this, he is a pro gamer on PC, PS and Mobile gaming platforms.

You might also like

Describe Something Important that has been Kept in Your Family: A Cue Card Sample Topic for IELTS Speaking

How to Use an IELTS Calculator? Calculate Your Overall IELTS Exam Score

What is a Good IELTS Score? Is 7.5 a Good IELTS Score? Here’s All You Need to Know

Other stories, describe a tall building in your city you like or dislike: a speaking test cue card, ielts advantage outweigh disadvantage essay questions: sample questions for ielts exam 2021.

Boise State Online

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share through Email

The pros and cons of online learning: exploring the good, the bad and the WiFi drops

So, you’re thinking about diving into the world of online learning? Well, you’ve come to the right place! Boise State University offers adult students a flexible and convenient alternative to the traditional classroom experience through more than 100 online degree programs and 800 online courses .

We have a lot of experience and have worked with many online students over the past few decades. Let’s explore the pros and cons of online learning and the benefits and drawbacks of the digital education revolution.

Online Learning Pros

Flexibility and convenience.

Picture this: no more rigid schedules or trying to make everything fit in a typical 9-5 day. With online learning, you call the shots. You can create your own schedule and prioritize your educational pursuits while juggling work, family and everything else life throws at you. It’s like being the boss of your own academic destiny.

Anytime, Anywhere Access to Education

Say goodbye to geographical limitations and hello to the world of learning without borders. Online learning lets you access education from your cozy couch, the local coffee shop or even that exotic beach you’ve been dreaming about. As long as you’ve got an internet connection, you can dive into the virtual classroom wherever your heart desires.

Learn how Kris Pruett pursued a Boise State Online cyber operations degree from her small town in Idaho while balancing her responsibilities as a mom. This video is available with captions and a video transcript .

Learning at Your Own Pace

No more getting left behind in the academic dust. Spend extra time on those tricky concepts that make your brain sweat and breeze through the stuff that comes naturally to you. It’s all about personalized progress and mastering the material at your own speed.

Diverse Course Selection

Prepare to feast your eyes on an array of exciting online courses and programs. Explore your interests and dive into those niche topics that might not be readily available in traditional educational institutions. It’s like having a buffet of knowledge at your fingertips.

Access to Expert Instructors and Industry Professionals

Online learning isn’t just about textbooks and virtual lectures; it’s about learning from the best in the biz. Many online platforms feature instructors and professionals, like adjunct instructor Sandy Dunn , who bring real-world knowledge and experience straight to your virtual doorstep. Get ready to soak up their wisdom, guidance and mentorship, and take your understanding of the subject matter to the next level.

Customizable Learning Paths and Degree Programs

Online learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. It’s more like a choose-your-own-adventure book where you get to be the protagonist. You can design your own learning path and tailor your degree program to match your interests and career goals. With a variety of elective courses and customization options, your education becomes a personalized journey that’s all about you.

Many Boise State Online degree programs offer customization options, from the Bachelor of Arts to Interdisciplinary Studies to the Bachelor of Science in Advanced Medical Imaging to the Master of Business Administration and many more. Prioritize your interests and professional goals to craft a degree that’s meaningful to you!

Collaborative Learning Opportunities

Who says online learning is a solo journey? Think again! Despite the distance, online learning platforms offer a whole bunch of opportunities for collaboration and connection with your peers. You’ll have virtual discussion boards, forums and group projects to dive into, allowing you to exchange ideas, challenge each other and create a sense of community.

Cost and Time Savings

Say goodbye to commuting nightmares and hello to cost-effective education. No need to spend your hard-earned cash on gas or public transport. And guess what? Many online programs offer flexible payment options and affordable tuition rates, making education accessible to a wider range of people. Plus, if you’re a speedy learner, you might even finish your degree in record time and save even more. Talk about a win-win situation.

Online Learning Cons

Lack of face-to-face interaction.

Okay, let’s be real for a second. Online learning does have its downsides. One of them is missing out on those face-to-face interactions with instructors and fellow students. Sometimes you just need that physical presence, those non-verbal cues and the immediate feedback that can make the learning experience extra immersive. But fear not, intrepid learner, there’s a whole world of digital communication waiting for you.

Limited In-Person Networking Opportunities

Online learning might make networking a tad trickier. Those in-person events, campus mingles and chance encounters with classmates can be valuable for building professional connections and expanding your social circle. But don’t despair! You can still network like a pro. Find virtual networking events, engage in online communities and use social media to connect with like-minded individuals. You’ve got this.

Reduced Non-Verbal Communication

Let’s face it: non-verbal communication matters. Those gestures, facial expressions and body language cues help us understand messages on a whole different level. In the online learning world, we rely more on written or verbal communication, which can sometimes lead to reduced non-verbal cues. But fear not, my friend. Emoticons, GIFs and good old-fashioned words can help bridge that gap and keep the communication flowing.

Potential for Feelings of Isolation

Online learning can get a little lonely sometimes. If you thrive in social learning environments, the virtual nature of online education might leave you craving some human interaction. The lack of physical presence and limited social engagements can make the learning experience feel solitary. But remember, you’re not alone in this. Reach out to your peers, connect with instructors and join online study groups to create a virtual community that will keep your motivation soaring.

Self-Motivation and Discipline Required

Online learning isn’t for the faint of heart. It demands a hefty dose of self-motivation and discipline. Without the structure and accountability of a traditional classroom, you’re the one at the wheel. You need to be the master of time management, the organizational wizard and the guardian of your own focus.

Reliable Internet and Technology Required

To fully embrace the online learning adventure, you’ll need a trusty internet connection and access to compatible devices. It’s true that not everyone has reliable internet or the latest gadgets, and that can be a bummer. Reach out to your institution or explore community resources that might provide solutions. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Digital Platforms Dependency

Online learning relies heavily on digital platforms and learning management systems. They’re like your trusty sidekicks, delivering content, course materials and assessments right to your virtual doorstep. But here’s the catch: sometimes these platforms hit a snag. Technical difficulties or system failures can temporarily restrict access to essential resources.

Limited Hands-on Experience

Let’s be real: not all learning can be done through a screen. Some disciplines thrive on hands-on experience and practical skill development. Think healthcare, laboratory sciences or the arts. It can be challenging to replicate those experiences in the online learning environment. However, there are still ways to nurture your practical side. Seek additional support, explore local resources or consider hybrid learning options that combine online and in-person instruction.

Just because Boise State’s Master of Social Work and the Bachelor of Science in Advanced Medical Imaging are fully online doesn’t mean they skip out on the hands-on experience. Instead, these programs work with you to find local opportunities for clinicals or fieldwork in your community.

Which One Is Right For You?

Well, there you have it! The ups and downs of online learning laid bare. It’s a journey of flexibility, convenience and boundless opportunities, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. Online learning empowers you to take control of your education, offering the freedom to pursue your dreams while balancing work, family and life’s many demands. With the right mindset, self-discipline and support system, you can navigate the virtual classroom and emerge with a wealth of knowledge and a shiny diploma in hand.

Learn More About Boise State Online Programs

Boise State University offers nearly 100 online programs and 800 unique online courses to help you realize your educational dreams – whether you need a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree or a single online class.

ChatGPT, personal communication, June 29, 2023

• Follow us on Facebook
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Youtube
• Follow us on Linkedin

EdTakeAways

How effective is online learning what the research does and doesn't tell us.

By Susanna Loeb

Students who struggle will likely struggle more online

The times have dictated school closings and the rapid expansion of online education. Can online lessons replace in-school time?

Clearly online time cannot provide many of the informal social interactions students have at school, but how will online courses do in terms of moving student learning forward? Research to date gives us some clues and also points us to what we could be doing to support students who are most likely to struggle in the online setting.

The use of virtual courses among K-12 students has grown rapidly in recent years. Florida, for example, requires all high school students to take at least one online course. Online learning can take a number of different forms. Often people think of Massive Open Online Courses, or MOOCs, where thousands of students watch a video online and fill out questionnaires or take exams based on those lectures.

Most online courses, however, particularly those serving K-12 students, have a format much more similar to in-person courses. The teacher helps to run virtual discussion among the students, assigns homework, and follows up with individual students. Sometimes these courses are synchronous (teachers and students all meet at the same time) and sometimes they are asynchronous (non-concurrent). In both cases, the teacher is supposed to provide opportunities for students to engage thoughtfully with subject matter, and students, in most cases, are required to interact with each other virtually.

Online courses provide opportunities for students. Students in a school that doesn’t offer statistics classes may be able to learn statistics with virtual lessons. If students fail algebra, they may be able to catch up during evenings or summer using online classes, and not disrupt their math trajectory at school. So, almost certainly, online classes sometimes benefit students.

In comparisons of online and in-person classes, however, online classes aren’t as effective as in-person classes for most students. Only a little research has assessed the effects of online lessons for elementary and high school students, and even less has used the “gold standard” method of comparing the results for students assigned randomly to online or in-person courses.  Jessica Heppen and colleagues  at the American Institutes for Research and the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research randomly assigned students who had failed second semester Algebra I to either face-to-face or online credit recovery courses over the summer. Students’ credit-recovery success rates and algebra test scores were lower in the online setting. Students assigned to the online option also rated their class as more difficult than did their peers assigned to the face-to-face option.

Most of the research on online courses for K-12 students has used large-scale administrative data, looking at otherwise similar students in the two settings. One of these studies, by  June Ahn  of New York University and  Andrew McEachin  of the RAND Corp., examined Ohio charter schools; I did another with colleagues looking at Florida public school coursework. Both studies found evidence that online coursetaking was less effective.

It is not surprising that in-person courses are, on average, more effective. Being in person with teachers and other students creates social pressures and benefits that can help motivate students to engage. Some students do as well in online courses as in in-person courses, some may actually do better, but, on average, students do worse in the online setting, and this is particularly true for students with weaker academic backgrounds.

Students who struggle in in-person classes are likely to struggle even more online. While the research on virtual schools in K-12 education doesn’t address these differences directly, a study of college students that I worked on with Stanford colleagues found very little difference in learning for high-performing students in the online and in-person settings. On the other hand, lower performing students performed meaningfully worse in online courses than in in-person courses.

But just because students who struggle in in-person classes are even more likely to struggle online doesn’t mean that’s inevitable. Online teachers will need to consider the needs of less-engaged students and work to engage them. Online courses might be made to work for these students on average, even if they have not in the past.

Just like in brick-and-mortar classrooms, online courses need a strong curriculum and strong pedagogical practices. Teachers need to understand what students know and what they don’t know, as well as how to help them learn new material. What is different in the online setting is that students may have more distractions and less oversight, which can reduce their motivation. The teacher will need to set norms for engagement—such as requiring students to regularly ask questions and respond to their peers—that are different than the norms in the in-person setting.

Online courses are generally not as effective as in-person classes, but they are certainly better than no classes. A substantial research base developed by Karl Alexander at Johns Hopkins University and many others shows that students, especially students with fewer resources at home, learn less when they are not in school. Right now, virtual courses are allowing students to access lessons and exercises and interact with teachers in ways that would have been impossible if an epidemic had closed schools even a decade or two earlier. So we may be skeptical of online learning, but it is also time to embrace and improve it.

Susanna Loeb is a professor of education and of public affairs at Brown University and the director of the university's Annenberg Institute for School Reform. She studies education policy, and her interests include social inequality.

• Data Science
• Engineering
• Entrepreneurship
• Technology Insider
• Manufacturing
• MIT Bootcamps
• MIT Open Learning
• MITx MicroMasters Programs
• Online Education
• Professional Development
• Quantum Computing

  View All Posts

By: MIT xPRO on August 8th, 2022 5 Minute Read

Print/Save as PDF

The Pros and Cons of Online Learning—and What to Look For in an Online Course

Online Education | Professional Development

If you’re at a point in your life where you’re considering continuing your education, you may wonder if online learning is the right path for you. 

Taking an online course requires a notable investment of time, effort, and money, so it’s important to feel confident about your decision before moving forward. While online learning works incredibly well for some people, it’s not for everyone. 

We recently sat down with MIT xPRO Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager Luke Hobson to explore the pros and cons of online learning and what to look for in an online course. If you’re waiting for a sign about whether or not to enroll in that course you’ve been eying, you just might find it here.

Pros of Online Learning

First, let’s take a look at the true value of online learning by examining some of the benefits: 

1. Flexibility 

Online learning’s most significant advantage is its flexibility. It’s the reason millions of adults have chosen to continue their education and pursue certificates and degrees. 

Asynchronous courses allow learners to complete work at their own pace, empowering them to find the optimal time to consume the content and submit assignments.

Some people are more attentive, focused, and creative in the mornings compared to the evenings and vice versa. Whatever works best for the learners should be the priority of the learning experience. 

2. Community 

When Luke asks people about their main reason for enrolling in a course, a common answer is networking and community. 

Learners crave finding like-minded individuals who are going through the same experiences and have the same questions. They want to find a place where they belong. Being in the company of others who understand what they’re going through can help online learners who are looking for support and motivation during challenging times and times that are worth celebrating. 

Some learners have created study groups and book clubs that have carried on far beyond the end of the course—it’s amazing what can grow from a single post on a discussion board! 

3. Latest information 

“Speed is a massive benefit of online learning,” and according to Luke, it often doesn't get the attention it deserves. “When we say speed, we don’t mean being quick with learning. We mean actual speed to market. There are so many new ideas evolving within technical spaces that it's impossible to keep courses the way they were originally designed for a long period of time.” 

Luke notes that a program on Additive Manufacturing , Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality , or Nanotechnology must be checked and updated frequently. More formal learning modalities have difficulty changing content at this rapid pace. But within the online space, it’s expected that the course content will change as quickly as the world itself does.

Cons of Online Learning

Now that we’ve looked at some of the biggest pros of online learning, let’s examine a few of the drawbacks: 

1. Learning environment 

While many learners thrive in an asynchronous learning environment, others struggle. Some learners prefer live lessons and an instructor they can connect with multiple times a week. They need these interactions to feel supported and to persist. 

Most learners within the online space identify themselves as self-directed learners, meaning they can learn on their own with the right environment, guidance, materials, and assignments. Learners should know themselves first and understand their preferences when it comes to what kind of environment will help them thrive.

2. Repetition 

One drawback of online courses is that the structure can be repetitive: do a reading, respond to two discussion posts, submit an essay, repeat. After a while, some learners may feel disengaged from the learning experience. 

There are online courses that break the mold and offer multiple kinds of learning activities, assessments, and content to make the learning experience come alive, but it may take some research to find them—more on what to look for in an online course later in this article ! Luke and his colleagues at MIT xPRO are mindful of designing courses that genuinely engage learners from beginning to end.

3. Underestimation  

Luke has noticed that some learners underestimate how much work is required in an online course. They may mistakenly believe that online learning is somehow “easier” compared to in-person learning. 

For those learners who miscalculate how long they will need to spend online or how challenging the assignments can be, changing that mindset is a difficult process. It’s essential to set aside the right amount of time per week to contribute to the content, activities, and assignments. Creating personal deadlines and building a study routine are two best practices that successful online learners follow to hold themselves accountable. 

Experience the Value of Online Learning: What to Look For in an Online Course

You’ve probably gathered by now that not all online courses are created equal. On one end of the spectrum, there are methods of online learning that leave learners stunned by what a great experience they had. On the other end of the spectrum, some online learning courses are so disappointing that learners regret their decision to enroll. 

If you want to experience the value of online learning, it’s essential to pick the right course. Here’s a quick list of what to look for: 

• Reputation and expertise. With so many online courses available these days, an easy way to narrow down your options is to consider courses offered by reputable institutions. Next, learn more about the instructors teaching a course of interest. Are they well-respected experts in their field of study?
• Engaging curriculum. It takes a variety of learning methods to keep people engaged and interested in learning. Many online courses stick to a standard selection of readings, videos, and quizzes. Look for courses that include practice questions, reflection questions, group-based work, simulations, polls, discussions, and other interactive or hands-on activities.
• Flexibility in content delivery and deadlines. Whether an online course is fully asynchronous or not, flexibility is a green flag. In practice, this could look like having all the assignments due at the end of the course so that learners can create their own schedules or providing suggested deadlines that aren’t set in stone.
• Feedback and connection to peers within the course platform. Interacting regularly with other learners makes a big difference. Luke and the MIT xPRO team use peer-reviewed feedback to give learners the opportunity to engage with each other’s work.
• Proof of hard work . In the online learning space, proof of hard work often comes in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or specific certifications. MIT xPRO course participants who successfully complete one or more courses are eligible to receive CEUs , which many employers, licensing agencies, and professional associations accept as evidence of a participant’s serious commitment to their professional development. 

Online learning isn’t for everyone, but with the right approach, it can be a valuable experience for many people. Now that you know what to look for in an online course, see what Luke and the MIT xPRO instructional design team have to offer by checking out the latest MIT xPRO courses and programs . 

• More about MIT xPRO
• About this Site
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Chapter 10 Online Learning

10.2 Pros and Cons of Online Learning

As you evaluate whether or not online learning is a good fit for you, it helps to consider the pros and cons. Some of these pros and cons will be more important to you than others, depending on your situation, so it’s important to consider your own specific circumstances and your learning strengths and weaknesses. Here are a few things to consider:

Schedule flexibility.  Increasingly, students have complicated schedules, often juggling several part-time jobs, family responsibilities, and other commitments. For many, education has been out of reach when traditional scheduled classes did not mesh with their busy schedules and obligations. Online learning means students can learn when it suits them. Students can do their readings throughout the day in between other commitments. They can work on and submit assignments in the middle of the night if that suits them. The time flexibility literally means that students who just couldn’t take classes on a traditional schedule can now further their education on a flexible schedule according to their needs.

Location flexibility. Online learning also opens up education for people who live in areas that do not have post-secondary institutions, especially remote communities. People can study at home or in local libraries or in convenient locations that eliminate the need to commute to physical institutions. This can save students hours of daily commuting time. It can also save students substantial amounts of money if it means they do not have to relocate to attend school. This is a significant factor for many who have financial concerns, housing concerns, or have a family member who cannot relocate due to employment or other obligations. Even people in big cities that do have post-secondary institutions welcome the opportunity to forgo a long commute to and from a college or university numerous times a week.

Multi-media. Learning happens more efficiently when several modalities are engaged. It helps to see (read or watch), hear (lecture or demonstration), do (labs, practice a skill, or write), as well as practice. Often people think that learning online will restrict learning because they’ll have to read everything. The opposite is actually true. With so many options for multi-media, modalities can be fully engaged through online learning. Courses can include video clips, lab demonstrations, and virtual labs where students can dissect something over and over until they’ve got it (as opposed to having one crack at it for an actual dissection). Courses can include hyperactive web links which can conveniently direct you to websites, web articles, and web demonstrations  that add fascinating content. Courses can include high quality diagrams, graphs, interactive demonstrations, video podcasts, animations, Ted-Talks, YouTube clips, interactive digital learning games, blogs, wikis, learning objects, virtual worlds, and much more. Edutainment is a term describing applications that incorporate multimedia entertainment with educational objectives. Quality online courses have an array of possibilities that can keep the curriculum current and engaging.

Classmates. Online learning offers a diversity in classmates that often exceeds that of a face-to-face class. As you get to know your classmates through class discussions, online forums, group work, and class presentations, you will often meet people from all over the world. This allows for some interesting perspectives and a more global way of thinking and interpreting information.

Course selection. Making the decision to learn online means that there are seemingly limitless options in course selection. You have the option of enrolling in a different college than the one you would have chosen if you had to move there. It doesn’t matter how far away it is if you are learning online. You can choose courses according to price, convenience, and interesting topics. Often you do not necessarily have to take all your courses from one institution if there are courses elsewhere that interest you. If you are taking courses from more than one institution, just be sure to check out transferability into the program you are enrolled in or want to graduate from, prior to taking a course from elsewhere so you do not lose credit for the course. See Chapter 13 The BC Transfer Process for more information.

Financial. Tuition and books are often priced the same for online and face-to-face courses, however, there are financial considerations that can make online learning more affordable. Firstly, the flexibility of online means you may not need to quit your job, since you can work on coursework around work hours. (Be cautious that you don’t work so much that you don’t have time for your courses, though.) Having an income while going to school can relieve a great amount of financial burden and reduce accumulation of student loans. Secondly, you will not have extra accommodation fees or relocation costs taking online courses since you will not have to move to go to school. Even if the college or university is local, you won’t have transportation costs including public transit costs or gas and parking fees to travel to and from the institution. If you are a parent, you will likely have less child-care costs. You can also save money, since students are likely to eat out more when traveling to a campus.

Combination of online and face-to-face. It can be an option to do some of your courses face-to-face and some online. This can cut down on commutes if you choose to do online courses on certain days and work your schedule accordingly. This strategy can take advantage of the pros of both. It can also allow you to get to know instructors from a program in person during your face-to-face classes, giving you a personal connection with them for your online classes. Another use for combining formats is to take missing prerequisites online so that you don’t miss an opportunity to take a course according to your education plan. This can often save you from having to add an extra year to your education. Another pro of combining formats is that you can choose to take electives for your program online in the summer months, to get ahead on your education plan, or to lighten the load in the regular school year. There can be many advantages of taking a combination of online and face-to-face courses.

Author’s Story: Pros of Online Learning

I did a Master’s in online learning. I had an education leave from the college where I work, so I was free to travel and could have chosen to attend any one of several institutions. However, I chose to take my program online. I did this for several reasons. Since I was learning about online learning, it made sense to experience it firsthand while I was studying about it. It gave me many examples to draw from to demonstrate different learning theories.  It also gave me the freedom to travel around while I was working on it.

My program was a lot of work – to which I was committed. Even still, I took advantage of some of the fringe benefits of online learning. I spent the fall in my hometown, where I saw lots of family and old friends. Though my course load was heavy and I was working on my schooling 10-12 hours a day, it still meant that I had tea breaks with my mom, lunches and dinners with different family members and friends, and had the ability to just be around them even though I was busy a lot of the time. I look back at that time as incredibly precious. I otherwise could never have spent so much time with my mother in my adult years as I did that fall, and it was wonderful. Online learning made that possible.

I was fortunate in that I went to the Dominican Republic for the winter semester. I rented out my home which more than paid for the rent on my beautiful villa by the ocean. I kept a rigorous schedule for my program. I woke up to the sounds of roosters crowing each morning at 6 a.m. I made coffee and went out onto the deck overlooking the ocean. I did my computer work in the morning, contributing to forum discussions and other course work. I did a work out,  made breakfast, and continued on the computer. After lunch, I went down to the beach, got settled into my lounge chair, did my readings, and took notes. I went for a long swim in the ocean every afternoon.  I dried off in the sun on my lounge chair while I continued my readings. In the evenings, I went back to the villa and worked on my assignments. This was my schedule all winter. I had the odd excursion and time out with people I met there, but my time included a lot of studying and writing papers. I had an amazing winter in the Dominican and met some incredible people. I had the opportunity to volunteer at a school there, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I learned a lot about their culture. The experience was life-enhancing, and I am so glad that I did my studies that way.

— Mary Shier, College of the Rockies

Time management. You have to be very organized when you take courses online. It is entirely up to you to stay on-track. Although this is true in a face-to-face class as well, students often feel more pressure when they have scheduled classes. They don’t want to miss class or get behind. They have classmates around them talking about upcoming assignments and tests, who inadvertently pressure them into getting things done. When they know they have class Monday morning, for example, they make sure they complete the course work that is required before that class. These scheduled things are more conducive to keeping on track. Online students are notorious for procrastinating and getting behind. It is vital to keep a schedule as if you were attending face-to-face classes. Once your study times are in your schedule, don’t divert from the schedule unless it is critically important. (That doesn’t include that your friend called you up and asked you to go to the show!) You have to get used to telling people you are busy with your school work and that you are not available. Review Chapter 7: Time Management for further time management strategies.

Motivation. Motivation is another key factor for success in online learning. If you are constantly talking yourself out of doing assignments, doubting your abilities, or not willing to give it your all, this can seriously impede your ability to be successful. Some people know themselves and are aware that they don’t have the motivation, self-drive, and determination to be consistent in their online studies. They will make the sacrifices required to commit to face-to-face courses. In other words, they are willing to commute and change their schedules to accommodate their scheduled classes, because they know that, for them personally, they are likely to be more successful in their courses.

Weak readers. Online learning most often involves a lot of reading. Some learners are strong readers and find they learn more by reading than listening in a class. Others find reading tedious and lose focus. If reading is a struggle, you may want to find out the differences in the amount of reading between the specific face-to-face classes and the online classes you are interested in taking. This may have a bearing on which format you choose.

Limited computer skills. Those who have very little experience with computers will find it more challenging doing online courses. As well as learning the course material and expectations of the instructor, these people will have to deal with learning computer skills concurrently. This is not necessarily a con as they will benefit greatly, however, it would be important to allow extra time needed for dealing with the learning curve of gaining the necessary computer skills. Of course, taking a face-to-face course likely will require computer skills as well, so it is wise to gain them regardless. Likely, it will initially be a little more challenging with an online course. Prior to starting online courses, it would be beneficial to take a computer skills course at a local community college, if possible.

The social aspect. Some learners enjoy the dynamics of being in a physical classroom. They get to form a personal relationship with the instructor. They meet classmates in person and can form study groups. They can benefit from the answers to questions that others ask or from the class discussions that arise. After class, they can easily discuss issues that they didn’t understand or they can go deeper into an issue, furthering understanding. Even moral support is a beneficial perk of having face-to-face classes. Other classmates can detect whether or not you are struggling and can offer support, lend materials, and offer a much needed smile. Many people really appreciate the social aspect of attending classes and being part of a college or university where they can join teams and clubs, have a drink at the campus pub, live in residence, and develop a healthy social life. This is particularly important for young students who have recently left home after completing high school. Older students who already have children and jobs, may not necessarily be looking to expand their social lives.

The format of some online courses are specifically designed to include a social aspect to learning. The course incorporates group assignments and forum discussions. Students get to know each other even though they may all be in different locales. Other courses don’t have any social component to them. Often in these online courses, students can feel very alone as they do their courses. If the social aspect is important to you, find out how the courses are structured at the institution where you are considering taking your program.

Author’s Story: Social Interaction Online

I wouldn’t have believed that social interaction online could match social interaction in a face-to-face classroom, but I experienced it. Of course, it depends on the structure of the course because some courses don’t facilitate it in their set-up.

During my Master’s online, the courses were designed using a constructivist philosophy. We regularly had to do group work and participate in online discussions. I got to know many of the people in my cohort. As a result, I got to know those I worked well with, and those I didn’t necessarily want to work with again. As group work assignments were assigned, we had the option of choosing our groups. I went through the forum discussions to see people who I would likely work well with, and eventually I had specific people that I knew I worked well with, so we planned to work together in future assignments.

In order to do our assignments, we emailed, messaged, and Skyped often. We contributed to group documents, and commented regularly on each other’s contributions. It became quite natural to be working together with folks who were all over the world. I got to know them, we asked each other about things going on in our lives, and encouraged each other through challenging times. I celebrated with a class mate in Greece, who got engaged. I knew throughout the term that she was hoping for a proposal, and I was genuinely excited when it finally happened. I learned about others’ children and their struggles. I discovered others’ tips and tricks for fitting the program into their busy lives. We regularly had class discussions about different concepts, and I learned a lot from my classmates.

When I went to the graduation ceremony, I met many fellow classmates and instructors for the first time in person, and yet it felt like I already really knew them. I did. It was a time of celebration. Even long after graduation, I am still in touch with a few classmates. We have contacted each other to catch up, get professional advice, and even to network for jobs. The social interaction in my online courses contributed richly to my educational experience.

Exercise: Evaluate if Online Learning is a Good Personal Option

Consider the several factors above and any others that apply. Relate them to your own personal circumstance, and evaluate whether online learning is a good personal option for you. As you evaluate consider the following:

• your options
• your circumstances that affect your ability to take classes
• your strengths and weaknesses
• your best choice

Write an answer that includes the above factors and explains why you came to the conclusion you reached.

Student Success Copyright © 2020 by Mary Shier is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• Request Info
• Personal Support Center
• Admissions Overview
• International
• Admitted Students
• Commit & Deposit
• Cost & Aid
• Academics Overview
• Majors & Programs
• Academic Calendar & Catalog
• Career Services
• Tutoring and Accommodations
• Student Life Overview
• Student Central
• Clubs & Organizations
• Campus Ministry
• Student Experience
• Campus Police
• Counseling Services
• About Concordia University Texas
• Commitment to Belonging
• Our History
• Mission, Vision & Values
• Lutheran Identity
• President's Office
• Presidential Search
• Campus Maps
• Navigate for Student
• Employee Portal

The Pros and Cons of Online Learning and Online Classes

Going to college is a big decision—and it has become more accessible than ever before. Whether you’re attending a university for the first time or returning to finish your degree, you have the opportunity to choose online vs. in-person classes.

Extended closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced most institutions to migrate to online learning in 2020. Though campuses have reopened, many students are opting to continue their studies online. According to the BestColleges 2022 Online Education Trends Report , 60 percent of remote learners are choosing to enroll in online courses regardless of whether their campuses maintain normal operations.

Upon reviewing the advantages of online education, it’s easy to see why. Universities like Concordia University Texas (CTX) give you the ability to earn a high-quality degree completely online, without sacrificing the student support services you’ve come to expect from in-person learning.

Still, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of online learning for yourself to determine if it’s the best decision for you. Keep reading to learn about some important considerations.

The Pros of Online Learning

When you partner with a university that is well-versed in serving online students, you’ll have the opportunity to develop personally and professionally in a format that works in tandem with the responsibilities of your busy life. Consider the following benefits to online learning:

1. Flexibility

Online programs like the ones at CTX are designed to allow busy students to continue their education without interrupting personal commitments outside of school. Accessible from almost anywhere, as long as you have internet access and can commit to meeting weekly deadlines, you’ll be able to complete your assignments in the morning, at night, or any time between.

The flexibility that online learning provides is key if you’re balancing multiple responsibilities at once. Today’s students don’t necessarily have the ability to drop everything when pursuing their degree. The freedom to complete your school schedule around the other priorities in your life can help you maintain much-needed balance as you tend to family and work needs in addition to advancing your education.

3. No Commute

The fuller your plate gets, the more you find yourself doing the mental gymnastics required to ensure you make it to each appointment, meeting, class, sporting event, or recital on time. Factoring in the commute needed to get from place to place only adds to the endless cycle of “busyness.” One of the major advantages of online learning is that it eliminates the need to commute to campus. With the time you save, you can finish your coursework sooner and allocate more time toward the other priorities in your life.

4. Strong Time-Management Skills

One primary difference of online vs. in person classes is that online students are responsible for managing their time. You may be provided with a list of due dates for assignments, asynchronous class discussions, quizzes, and exams. It will be up to you to ensure you keep up with the course load and hit those deadlines.

As an online student, you’ll need to develop a study routine that’s right for you. This will help provide you with a strong sense of independence and initiative, while developing and refining your time management skills—all of which can be directly applied to your career, improving your efficiency and productivity at work.

5. Options for every Learning Style

People learn differently. Some are visual learners, while others are avid note-takers. There are also individuals who need to hear the material to absorb it. And for many, some combination of all three is needed to retain the material. One of the undeniable advantages of online learning is that it enables you to employ the learning methods that work best for you.

At CTX, for example, students have the option to download online course content into a variety of file formats, such as ePub (e-book file format), electronic braille, audio, BeeLine Reader (which adds color gradient to text to help you read more efficiently), and translated versions. Online learners have the unique benefit of tailoring their experience to fit their needs.

6. Immediate Accessibility

Another pro of online learning is the immediate accessibility students have to their faculty, peers, and class documents. While those taking on-campus classes are typically regulated to specific class times and office hours, online students at CTX can instantly reach out to their professors with questions, connect with their peers on a project, and view all of their class documents online.

Each of our online classes has a Microsoft Teams channel where students can message faculty and classmates, share files for group work, and schedule meetings.

7. Increased Affordability

Typically, online programs have lower tuition costs than in-person programs. This is due to a number of different factors. For starters, because you don’t have to pay for transportation (e.g., gas, public transportation, etc.), meal plans, and other costs often associated with in-person learning, you’re likely to experience fewer out-of-pocket costs.

Some institutions offer a lower price-per-credit for online courses, as well. For example, the tuition per credit hour for online undergraduate students at CTX is about half the cost for in-person undergraduate students.

8. Access to Academic Support Resources

One element that often keeps people from enrolling in online programs is the preconceived notion that you’ll be largely left to fend for yourself as an online student. This couldn’t be further from the truth for online students at CTX.

It’s important to seek out an institution that offers the same quality of comprehensive student support services to online learners as it does to those attending courses onsite. At CTX, online students have access to the same robust suite of supportive resources. Some examples include tutoring opportunities, counseling services, technology help, assistance with financial aid, and accommodations for students with disabilities, such as extra time to take tests.

The Cons of Online Learning

While the benefits are clearly numerous, it’s helpful to keep in mind that there are both pros and cons of online learning, depending on what you’re looking for in your education. In examining some of the potential drawbacks, consider how the online programs at Concordia University Texas address them.

1. Less In-Person Interaction

When learning online, you can see your professors face-to-face virtually, but you don’t typically interact with them in person. Some wonder if this could act as a barrier to high-quality, interactive education.

The CTX solution:

Our online classes do not require students to sacrifice that important element of person-to-person interaction. Because everyone in an online class is required to participate, the discussions actually become much more engaging. The online environment provides a format for everyone to contribute, from the most introverted to the most extroverted students.

Many find this to be a distinct advantage, as it allows them to sort through their thoughts before engaging in the group discussion. “Online discussions provide ‘wait times’ for everyone to reflect and think of questions, which creates amazing dialogue,” says Dr. Alex Herron, the associate vice president of digital operations at CTX.

2. You're Limited to Certain Majors

Not every major is eligible for online learning, so the degrees you can choose from are limited. Some programs, especially the disciplines that require hands-on experience, simply cannot be translated into an online format.

For example, the Music major at CTX requires in-person classes. Students need one-on-one interaction with their professors to receive immediate feedback and help with playing an instrument or mastering a solo.

While not all programs can be offered online, the University does offer online degrees in a wide range of disciplines. Additionally, CTX offers all its graduate programs online—although in some cases, a brief on-campus residency may be required.

3. Increased Autonomy

Classes on campus require students to meet in person multiple times per week and finish coursework within specific deadlines. These factors work together to create a daily routine for students. While online learning also has regular deadlines, students aren’t held to the same regimented course schedule that requires them to meet at a specific time each day.

As highlighted above, this flexibility affords some undeniable perks. But it’s also true that with more freedom comes more responsibility. Online students must develop a personal routine to ensure they complete coursework on time while balancing their other priorities.

The professors in CTX online programs make themselves easily accessible and encourage students to attend optional virtual meetings. Regular check-ins of this nature help faculty gain a clearer understanding of whether their students might be struggling. “I always tell my students, ‘I don’t know how you are doing unless you tell me,’” Dr. Herron explains.

4. Technological Requirements

Success as an online student is dependent on access to a computer and reliable internet. Some students find they have to spend more money on devices, like a faster computer or one with more memory. And since everything you do for online classes is on the computer, you’ll likely encounter more technological issues that may be difficult to overcome from afar (e.g., connection problems, server errors, etc.).

To minimize technological obstacles, all of our online courses are web-based. This means all you’ll need is access to an internet browser, eliminating any requirement to download various programs and/or applications to your computer.

The University also gives online students access to the entire Microsoft Office 365 Suite (including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams) so that you don’t have to purchase the programs independently. Finally, for any issues that do arise, the Personal Support Center is available 24/7 via phone, chat, or email to help students with technological issues.

5. You Might Experience Distractions

Physical classrooms help to minimize distractions and allow professors to see if you’re paying attention. When you take online classes, you’re responsible for finding a workspace that provides an environment where you can learn effectively and without unnecessary interruption.

Online students who live locally are always welcome to come to campus. Set on 440 beautiful acres in Northwest Austin, there are plenty of quiet places to study, such as the CTX Library, outdoor areas, or empty classrooms.

If you do find it difficult to concentrate, make sure to let your online professors know. The more they know, the better they can support you.

6. Fewer Networking Opportunities

Students taking virtual classes have plenty of chances to connect with their peers through discussion boards and other online tools. But one of the obvious cons of online learning is that it doesn’t provide as many opportunities to network with the entire campus community.

Our Career Services Center , regularly posts events on Blackboard (the University’s online learning platform), allowing online students to see and sign up for both in-person and online networking events.

Experience the best of online learning at Concordia University Texas

While there are both pros and cons of online learning, the online classes at CTX maximize the advantages while providing innovative solutions for any potential challenges. Our online learning programs deliver the same impactful experience that in-person students enjoy.

Learn more in our article 3 Reasons Students Love Concordia University Texas Online Programs

Ready to learn more?

• Academics Business
• Academics Computer Science
• Academics Education
• Academics Fine Arts
• Academics Nursing
• Alumni Stories
• Career Advice
• Faculty & Staff Stories
• Student Stories
• Tips & Tricks

How does virtual learning impact students in higher education?

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, stephanie riegg cellini stephanie riegg cellini nonresident senior fellow - governance studies , brown center on education policy.

August 13, 2021

In 2020, the pandemic pushed millions of college students around the world into virtual learning. As the new academic year begins, many colleges in the U.S. are poised to bring students back to campus, but a large amount of uncertainty remains. Some institutions will undoubtedly continue to offer online or hybrid classes, even as in-person instruction resumes. At the same time, low vaccination rates, new coronavirus variants, and travel restrictions for international students may mean a return to fully online instruction for some U.S. students and many more around the world.

Public attention has largely focused on the learning losses of K-12 students who shifted online during the pandemic. Yet, we may have reason to be concerned about postsecondary students too. What can we expect from the move to virtual learning? How does virtual learning impact student outcomes? And how does it compare to in-person instruction at the postsecondary level?

Several new papers shed light on these issues, building on previous work in higher education and assessing the efficacy of online education in new contexts. The results are generally consistent with past research: Online coursework generally yields worse student performance than in-person coursework. The negative effects of online course-taking are particularly pronounced for less-academically prepared students and for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees. New evidence from 2020 also suggests that the switch to online course-taking in the pandemic led to declines in course completion. However, a few new studies point to some positive effects of online learning, too. This post discusses this new evidence and its implications for the upcoming academic year.

Evaluating online instruction in higher education

A number of studies have assessed online versus in-person learning at the college level in recent years. A key concern in this literature is that students typically self-select into online or in-person programs or courses, confounding estimates of student outcomes. That is, differences in the characteristics of students themselves may drive differences in the outcome measures we observe that are unrelated to the mode of instruction. In addition, the content, instructor, assignments, and other course features might differ across online and in-person modes as well, which makes apples-to-apples comparisons difficult.

The most compelling studies of online education draw on a random assignment design (i.e., randomized control trial or RCT) to isolate the causal effect of online versus in-person learning. Several pathbreaking studies were able to estimate causal impacts of performance on final exams or course grades in recent years. Virtually all of these studies found that online instruction resulted in lower student performance relative to in-person instruction; although in one case , students with hybrid instruction performed similarly to their in-person peers. Negative effects of online course-taking were particularly pronounced for males and less-academically prepared students.

A new paper by Kofoed and co-authors adds to this literature looking specifically at online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a novel context: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. When many colleges moved classes completely online or let students choose their own mode of instruction at the start of the pandemic, West Point economics professors arranged to randomly assign students to in-person or online modes of learning. The same instructors taught one online and one in-person economics class each, and all materials, exams, and assignments were otherwise identical, minimizing biases that otherwise stand in the way of true comparisons. They find that online education lowered a student’s final grade by about 0.2 standard deviations. Their work also confirms the results of previous papers, finding that the negative effect of online learning was driven by students with lower academic ability. A follow-up survey of students’ experiences suggests that online students had trouble concentrating on their coursework and felt less connected to both their peers and instructors relative to their in-person peers.

Cacault et al. (2021) also use an RCT to assess the effects of online lectures in a Swiss university. The authors find that having access to a live-streamed lecture in addition to an in-person option improves the achievement of high-ability students, but lowers the achievement of low-ability students. The key to understanding this two-pronged effect is the counterfactual: When streamed lectures substitute for no attendance (e.g., if a student is ill), they can help students, but when streaming lectures substitute for in-person attendance, they can hurt students.

Broader impacts of online learning

One drawback of RCTs is that these studies are typically limited to a single college and often a single course within that college, so it is not clear if the results generalize to other contexts. Several papers in the literature draw on larger samples of students in non-randomized settings and mitigate selection problems with various econometric methods. These papers find common themes: Students in online courses generally get lower grades, are less likely to perform well in follow-on coursework, and are less likely to graduate than similar students taking in-person classes.

In a recent paper , my co-author Hernando Grueso and I add to this strand of the literature, expanding it to a very different context. We draw on data from the country of Colombia, where students take a mandatory exit exam when they graduate. Using these data, we can assess test scores as an outcome, rather than (more subjective) course grades used in other studies. We can also assess performance across a wide range of institutions, degree programs, and majors.

We find that bachelor’s degree students in online programs perform worse on nearly all test score measures—including math, reading, writing, and English—relative to their counterparts in similar on-campus programs. Results for shorter technical certificates, however, are more mixed. While online students perform significantly worse than on-campus students on exit exams in private institutions, they perform better in SENA, the main public vocational institution in the country, suggesting substantial heterogeneity across institutions in the quality of online programming. Interviews with SENA staff indicate that SENA’s approach of synchronous learning and real-world projects may be working for some online students, but we cannot definitively call this causal evidence, particularly because we can only observe the students who graduate.

A new working paper by Fischer et al. pushes beyond near-term outcomes, like grades and scores, to consider longer-term outcomes, like graduation and time-to-degree, for bachelor’s degree-seeking students in a large public university in California. They find reason to be optimistic about online coursework: When students take courses required for their major online, they are more likely to graduate in four years and see a small decrease in time-to-degree relative to students taking the requirements in-person.

On the other hand, new work considering course completion during the pandemic is less promising. Looking at student outcomes in spring 2020 in Virginia’s community college system, Bird et al. find that the switch to online instruction resulted in an 8.5% reduction in course completion. They find that both withdrawals and failures rose. They also confirm findings in the literature that negative impacts are more extreme among less-academically-prepared students.

Online learning in the fall and beyond

Much more research on virtual learning will undoubtedly be forthcoming post-pandemic. For now, college professors and administrators should consider that college students pushed online may be less prepared for future follow-on classes, their GPAs may be lower, course completion may suffer, and overall learning may have declined relative to in-person cohorts in previous years. These results seem particularly problematic for students with less academic preparation and those in bachelor’s degree programs.

The research is less clear on the impact of virtual instruction on college completion. Although course completion rates appear to be lower for online courses relative to in-person, the evidence is mixed on the impact of virtual instruction on graduation and time-to-degree. The negative learning impacts, reduced course completion, and lack of connection with other students and faculty in a virtual environment could ultimately reduce college completion rates. On the other hand, there is also evidence that the availability of online classes may allow students to move through their degree requirement more quickly.

As the fall semester approaches, colleges will need to make critical choices about online, hybrid, and in-person course offerings. Maintaining some of the most successful online courses will enhance flexibility at this uncertain time and allow some students to continue to make progress on their degrees if they get sick or cannot return to campus for other reasons. For those transitioning back to campus, administrators might consider additional in-person programming, review sessions, tutoring, and other enhanced supports as students make up for learning losses associated with the virtual instruction of the past year.

Related Content

Stephanie Riegg Cellini, Kathryn J. Blanchard

July 22, 2021

Daphna Bassok, Lauren Bauer, Stephanie Riegg Cellini, Helen Shwe Hadani, Michael Hansen, Douglas N. Harris, Brad Olsen, Richard V. Reeves, Jon Valant, Kenneth K. Wong

March 12, 2021

Education Policy Higher Education

Governance Studies

Brown Center on Education Policy

Phillip Levine

September 3, 2024

Zachary Billot, Annie Vong, Nicole Dias Del Valle, Emily Markovich Morris

August 26, 2024

Online only

11:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT

Online learning: The good and the bad for students in 2021

As a billion-dollar industry, “online learning” is an advancement in tertiary education — but say the term in 2021, and you would likely draw groans from international students. To those who have had no choice in the matter, switching to a fully-online programme unexpectedly continues to alter their university experience. Here’s a look at the good and bad, according to international students.

i appreciate professors that understand the struggles of college students (online & during a pandemic) 🥺 — amber🧝🏽‍♀️ (@lilsusgrl) August 23, 2021

The good: Positive community support

Online classes can take 40 to 60% less time than in-person classes. Combined with the flexible nature of online programmes, it has widened tertiary education options for those unable to leave their home country. At the same time, students know that the quality of delivery varies greatly between universities and the people within its communities.

Alison Thom, Manager of Teaching and Education at the Crawford School of Public Policy, remarks that remodelling online learning frameworks for the pandemic required communicating a level of certainty. When done well, online learning can aid the formation of supportive informal communities, as well as the “rapid increase in skill” among self-starting students. “First, [institutions must have] a very clear idea of what the student experience should be, and what our commitment is to that,” she says.

@MindShiftKQED : “The number one skill is listening,” says Wendi Pillars about making sketchnotes. This style of note taking is helping students stave off Zoom fatigue, while giving them more agency over how they take notes. https://t.co/SyVyWfUGqO — JoAnn Delaney (@JdelaneyJoAnn) August 18, 2021

The bad: Online learning compromises student experience

In the US (where 13,000 institutions taught online in spring 2020), two-thirds of first-year students struggled with online learning , according to a new ACT report. Not only did they have trouble finding motivation, they also struggled to retain information and grasp concepts without the “hands-on” experience expected at tertiary level. A further 82% expressed concern that pandemic online learning would jeopardise their academic success; most believe the impact would be long-lasting.

Such issues are echoed around the world, where online learning has exposed inequalities of access among students. Laptop and connectivity issues make it hard for many to follow lessons. Then there’s the time zone issue; students signing into virtual classrooms from the other side of the world turned their schedules upside down to accommodate classes, groupwork, and assignments in their home life.

Does every grad student have 10 zoom meetings a week??? IS it just me??? The international collabs r fun but the time zone stuff is killing me — Justin Stewart (@thecrobe) August 26, 2021

As much as we try to recreate connections virtually, some lessons must take place in person — especially those requiring live feedback and collaboration. On top of that, students are easily fatigued by the sheer number of video calls and catch-ups they have to do to substitute all that missing interaction.

Online learning also does not account for lab work, which has complicated postgraduate studies for international students locked out from their universities. Research candidates have described how they have been forced to abandon their work, and question what it means for their academic progress.

Compounding this is the exhaustion of students who have been begging to be let back into education hubs like Australia and China. For example, Indian medical students locked out of China were “completely missing out on practicals”. Study International spoke to numerous students who were at their wits end despite online learning concessions, yet remain hopeful to resume their studies soon. The perks of online learning can never replace their life on campus.

My research started 4 years ago with my Master’s Degree. I was about to reach the apex of it with my PhD and now I’m forced to drop out. Research is something so specific it can’t be done elsewhere. Future ruined as well as my past #takeUsBackToChina — Pietro (@Pietro40914291) August 17, 2021

Popular stories

‘i wanted to be an example’: meet the hearing-impaired ib graduate setting the bar for others.

6 WFH jobs every busy student can take up

8 sexiest languages in the world

The surprising degrees that Linkin Park members hold

Lost research, hanging future: A PhD student's plea to return to China

Effective online learning makes you a better professional

A positive online learning experience by a Kazakhstan university

E-learning in USA: Pros and Cons

E Learning Definition: What Is It?

Let's start with the e learning definition. Also known as online learning or online education , e-learning is any training or educational courses delivered using digital means (software and hardware). It comes in many forms, including:

• Teachers leading live one-on-one or online group lessons using videoconferencing tools;
• Students watching pre-recorded video lectures or listening to podcasts;
• Learners using educational apps to learn a particular skill (e.g., a foreign language);
• Schools introducing blended learning platforms that allow students to pass tests and send assignments online.

E-learning can power both synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences:

• Synchronous learning includes any online activity that happens live. For example, this can be a Zoom seminar or lecture taught in real time.
• Asynchronous learning online means students can access materials any time they want. Pre-recorded video lessons and interactive learning games are two good examples here.

Is e-learning the same as distance learning ? While the two terms are often used interchangeably, there's one key difference between them.

In e-learning , students and teachers can use digital tools during in-person classes. In distance learning , they're not in the same room, by definition. So instead, both parties use digital tools to bridge that distance.

The global e-learning market is worth an astounding $315 billion. The lockdowns caused by the pandemic accelerated its growth. Approximately three-fourths of U.S. students, for example, were enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2020 – that's a 97% year-on-year increase.

So, e-learning is here to stay. But is online education good or bad? Let's try to answer this question by breaking down online education advantages and disadvantages.

Do You Require Help With Your Upcoming Paper?

Get a custom essay example written to your specifications by contacting our expert writers!

Pros and Cons of Online Learning

Before breaking down both the pros and cons of online learning, let's be clear: they depend on who you ask. For example, a student taking classes online won't list the same thing as their professor.

Plus, for some learners, online learning is simply not a good fit – and for others, it's the best one ever. Their answer depends on their autonomy, preferred learning approaches, the environment they need, and so on.

This said, let's review the advantages and disadvantages of online classes for school students.

6 Advantages of Online Education

Online learning comes with inarguable advantages. They're convenient, they facilitate access to higher education, and they help students save time.

When it comes to practicalities, here are the seven major benefits of online education that students can take advantage of.

They're Convenient

Convenience is at the forefront of the advantages of online education, and that's for a good reason.

Most of the time, students can take online courses at their own pace. Learning material is available at any time and from anywhere, after all. This allows students to maintain a flexible schedule and balance their personal life and, in some cases, a job with studies.

Online learning is usually accessible from multiple devices: smartphones, tablets, and laptops or PCs. So, learners can review materials or participate in interactive activities on the go (while they commute, for example).

They're Easier to Participate In

Education at a tap or a click of a button – that's what studying online means in practice. College students can gain access to course content whenever and wherever they need to, for one.

They also have more control over how they learn, too. For example, they can choose to focus on reading course materials, watching videos, or chatting with other students.

A virtual classroom doesn't force social interaction, either. This can be a tremendous benefit for students struggling with social anxiety.

Combine all of that, and it's understandable why online learning tends to improve attendance and success rates among college students.

They Make Education Easier to Access

Here's another one of the advantages of online classes: online learning renders higher education more accessible.

For one, earning an online degree is often more affordable and less time-consuming than enrolling in an in-person program. Plus, more and more employers recognize these degrees when students put their online education on a resume .

What's more, anyone can attend an online course, regardless of where they are. Students don't have to save money to move to another city to enroll in traditional classes. They don't have to limit themselves to accessible campuses if they have a disability, either.

They're More Time-Efficient & Flexible

Even learners with busy schedules or full-time jobs can find the time to learn at their own pace. Online education gives the opportunity to do just that: be in charge of their learning process.

Online students can choose to study when they're at their most productive – or simply when they have the time, be it late in the evening or early in the morning.

When it comes to living online classes, students also don't have to commute – or even dress up – to attend them. That makes online programs more time-efficient, as well.

They Facilitate Access to Resources

E-learning means the world of knowledge is the learner's oyster, to paraphrase a popular expression. Unlike in a traditional classroom setting, online, students and educators aren't limited by textbooks and printing services available.

Educators can add as many learning materials as they want to cover every aspect of the topic – and cater to the students who want to go deeper into it.

Students, in turn, can choose from dozens of formats and delivery styles. This allows them to find the materials and learning styles that work best for them personally.

They Boost Creative Teaching

This is one of the least evident advantages of online learning, but it's an important one.

Teaching in a virtual classroom comes with certain limitations. So, educators have no other choice but to find new, more student-centered approaches to transferring knowledge and fostering skills.

Educational institutions also have to account for many learning styles and preferences. For example, when developing special education programs for online students, they have to remember that some prefer quizzes and reading materials. In contrast, others learn best when watching videos or playing games.

4 Disadvantages Online Class Comes With

Online courses aren't without downsides, of course. For example, they require a great deal of self-discipline and self-motivation from learners. They also make collaboration way more challenging than in a traditional classroom setting. And they rely heavily on technology.

Let's take a closer look at the four disadvantages online class comes with.

They Require More Effort to Focus

Without tremendous self-discipline and a strong ability to focus, online students may struggle with making the most out of e learning platforms.

That's understandable: if students take their online classes at home or on the go, they have to deal with way more distractions than there'd be in the classroom. And if they learn at their own pace, it takes some power of will and motivation to simply get started with or get back to the lessons.

This is also why online students are more likely to require college paper help than their counterparts in the traditional classroom setting.

They Make Collaboration Harder

Most opponents of online education name the potential lack of collaboration as its main drawback. And it can be a real threat to learners that need face-to-face social interaction and collaboration to study productively.

Collaborating on a project over Zoom can be frustrating if people try to talk over one another. It also lacks the same spirit and engagement that comes with in-person teamwork. That's because collaboration is often reduced to emails, messages, and tools like Google Docs or Trello.

Student-teacher communication is also more challenging in online programs. For example, it's more difficult to ask questions during live online courses; plus, talking to the educator in person can be next to impossible.

They Depend on Technology Working Smoothly

An internet connection is a must for online learning. So, if the student lives in an area without broadband internet access, watching video lessons or attending Zoom classes can be a tough feat.

You can also list the dependency on devices among the disadvantages online class attendance comes with.

Imagine you're an online student. Your laptop unexpectedly breaks down, and you have a deadline coming up. You may have no other choice but to turn to a dissertation writing service to avoid failing the online class!

They Require Certain Computer Literacy Skills

This might not seem like much of a con for the tech-savvy among you. But the quality of the online learning experience does depend on the digital skills of both the learner and the educator.

If you ever had to attend an online class taught by someone far from tech-savvy, you know how frustrating it is to be on the receiving end of it. Unfortunately, this can turn online classes into a waste of time.

And if you're the one lacking computer skills, this can be a full-fledged education barrier for you, too.

Tools of E Learning

E-learning can involve using dozens of various digital tools, from quiz platforms and language learning apps to videoconferencing tools and learning management systems.

That said, all tools of e learning can be grouped into four categories. Let's review each of them.

Communication Tools

Communication is essential whether you need to drop a line to a research paper writer or ask your teacher some questions. That's why communication tools are irreplaceable in online courses – and why all e learning platforms include them.

Communication tools can serve two goals

• Fostering teamwork and building a sense of community between learners;
• Facilitating the student-teacher exchanges.

Here are a few examples of communication tools used in online learning:

• Online forums, chats, and discussion boards;
• Videoconferencing applications like Zoom and Skype;
• Email and instant messaging apps like Slack or Discord.

Learning Management Systems (LMS)

Learning management systems are the software that allows educators to create, upload, and manage online course content easily. They also facilitate delivering online courses and monitoring learners' progress.

Here are five key features of any LMS:

• Social learning and communication tools for educators and learners;
• Analytics and reporting to track the group and individual progress;
• Course management to create online courses, enroll learners, set deadlines, and more;
• Virtual classrooms and video conferencing tools;
• Gamified learning activities and quizzes.

Some educational institutions have custom LMS for their online programs and courses. Others use the off-the-shelf systems dominating the e learning industry, such as:

• Khan Academy;

Digital Learning Games

Gamification of the learning process improves student engagement, motivation to study, and knowledge retention. How? Playing games is fun and effortless; that draws learners in and makes them more attentive.

So, it's no wonder gamified learning is a must-have for any e-learning platform these days – and why it helped create standalone online learning gamification apps, too.

Here are a few examples of games that can be used in online programs:

• Prodigy Math Game;

Online Learning Materials

This is the 'miscellaneous' category of e-learning tools. It includes all the materials that don't fit into the categories above. Typically, these aren't standalone apps; they are educational content students can use in distance learning.

This content can come in various formats, such as:

• Reading materials (articles, e-books, etc.);
• Workbooks and activity notebooks;
• Printables.

Sesame Street and PBS Kids are two good examples of online learning materials for kids. For college students, those can include topic-specific YouTube channels, pre-recorded video lectures (e.g., MIT OpenCourseware), and websites like Open Culture.

5 Studying Online Tips

Online learning, despite all of its perks, comes with certain challenges. It requires students to take charge of their learning process, which can be a tough feat for some.

So, if you're taking or plan to take an online course, keep in mind these five studying online tips that'll help you ace it.

Keep Yourself Laser-Focused

Your ability to concentrate can depend on many factors. Your physical needs (hungry or sleepy students are rarely productive), your mood, and your environment are just a few.

In e-learning, there's no one-size-fits-all trick that will make you laser-focused by magic. So, think back to all the times you were most concentrated. What do they have in common? Where and when is it easier for you to focus?

Based on your answers, develop corresponding habits. If the right playlist kicks in your focus, make it a habit to use your noise-canceling headphones when studying. Schedule your study sessions accordingly if you learn best late in the evening.

Polish Off Your Digital Skills

You don't want the lack of digital skills to stand in the way of your online education, right?

You probably won't need to develop them from scratch – you've probably been using a laptop and smartphone since you were a kid. Still, it's worth checking if you have the right digital skills for online learning.

These skills include:

• Using online learning tools efficiently;
• Collaborating and developing relationships online;
• Having the right online safety and data security habits;
• Troubleshooting common software and hardware issues.

If you need to use a new tool for an online class, set aside time to familiarize yourself with it in advance.

Find the Right Study Space

Since you don't have a physical classroom to signal to your brain, 'It's time to study,' you'll need to find a dedicated study space for online learning. Of course, you should use this space only to study; otherwise, this trick won't work.

Your study space can be a library, living room, or even a nearby coworking space. But before you choose it, make sure it's:

• Quiet and comfortable;
• Spacious enough;
• Equipped with a reliable internet connection;
• Tidy and neat.

Get Ahead of Common Distractions

You often see this advice on lists of studying online tips, and that's not without reason. Distractions are what break your concentration, by definition. So, to be a productive learner, you need to stay ahead of them.

Here are three actionable tips to help you avoid common distractions:

• Put away your phone somewhere you can't see it (and put off your smartwatch if you wear one);
• Install an impulse blocker on your laptop if you can't help opening YouTube or another website unrelated to studying;
• Put on noise-canceling headphones to tune out the noise.

Know Where to Turn to for Help

If you feel you can't manage online learning for one reason or another, don't hesitate to reach out for help. Share your struggles with your teacher or fellow students. Or, find a ' write my essays for me ' service.

So, is online education good or bad? The answer depends on you, whether you're a learner or an educator.

If you, as a student, can keep yourself disciplined and motivated to pursue an online program, you can reap all the benefits of online learning. And if you, as an educator, can find ways to foster collaboration and engagement despite the constraints of a virtual classroom, your students will become more productive learners.

Is the Volume of Homework Getting Out of Hand?

Receive an outstanding essay from our expert writers that you can't wait to turn in on time!

Annie Lambert

specializes in creating authoritative content on marketing, business, and finance, with a versatile ability to handle any essay type and dissertations. With a Master’s degree in Business Administration and a passion for social issues, her writing not only educates but also inspires action. On EssayPro blog, Annie delivers detailed guides and thought-provoking discussions on pressing economic and social topics. When not writing, she’s a guest speaker at various business seminars.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Remote vs In-person Classes: Positive and Negative Aspects Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Positive aspects of remote classes, negative aspects of remote classes, a mix of remote and in-person classes.

Educators and learners approach the new normal of remote learning with concern or enthusiasm, optimistically or skeptically. While each of them might have genuine concerns, it is essential to open-mindedly understand the advantages and disadvantages online learning creates for both learners and teachers. There are always pros and cons for every good or bad idea, and remote classes are no different. Students, instructors, and all stakeholders in the American education sector must weigh the pros against the cons of developing a resilient model for today’s learning environment.

Remote classes allow students to access learning materials at any time, from wherever they are, and at their speed. Such access creates high levels of convenience and efficiency in place and time, enabling learners to study at the best pace and style. Online class discussion forums support high-quality conversations and are student-centered (Criollo-C et al., 2018). The asynchronous nature of discussion forums gives learners time to understand and reflect on posts from their instructor or fellow students before offering their comments or feedback. Traditional in-person classes require learners to respond on the spot, which gives them limited time for the articulation of ideas and forethought.

Educators reap the benefits of remote classes through higher creativity in content delivery and learners’ engagement. Instructors have to match their lesson delivery to the self-directed and self-autonomous nature of online classes, which include interactive environments (Mukhtar et al., 2020). Unlike in-person classes, remote classrooms require educators to upgrade their instruction styles, and course objectives, and create new content suitable for the online learning environment (Mukhtar et al., 2020). For example, while in-person classes do not require video lessons, some concepts must be demonstrated in videos for online learners. Traditionally, in-person presentations could not be repeated in front of learners but now students can watch the uploaded video as many times as necessary to understand a concept.

Limitations around technology, accessibility, and equity are the major drawbacks of remote classes. Both learners and educators should have access to an internet connection to participate in classes. Logistic, technical, and economic reasons can hinder access to the learning environment (Criollo-C et al., 2018). Successful remote learning should establish mechanisms to restore access as quickly as possible to ensure equal learning opportunities for all students. Computer literacy levels might also limit the use of the classroom features and functionalities for both educators and learners, lest they drag down the program. Technology failures pose a threat to accessibility as such systems are bound to experience downtimes, only when such failures will occur is unpredictable (Mukhtar et al., 2020). Such failures can occur at the individual or school level, ranging from personal computer (PC) problems, server crashes, network downtimes, and software malfunctions.

While online learning creates convenience and independence, individual educators and students might lack the qualities necessary to succeed in the environment. The autonomous and asynchronous nature of remote learning requires highly responsible and disciplined students, who have excellent organizational and time management skills (Mukhtar et al., 2020). Dependent and young learners may not succeed in such an environment. Educators must receive adequate training to ensure a successful transition from physical to online teaching. The instructors should be good at written communication and create a supportive environment to compensate for the lack of physical closeness (Mukhtar et al., 2020). Nevertheless, a supportive environment cannot replace physical classrooms and some students might feel left out.

School should not be 100% remote or in-person but a hybrid of the two environments. Instructional and learning models cannot be translated from physical to remote classes without adjustments. Additionally, hands-on and practical subjects that require practice and movement to achieve learning cannot be successfully conducted online (Hapke et al., 2020). Young and dependent learners require physically present instructors to support their learning. My school design would incorporate both remote and in-person classes for all the students. I would want dependent and young learners to take partial online classes to gain experience with digital education tools but most of their learning would be in physical classrooms. Hands-on and practical classes would be 80% in-person and 20% online. For all other classes, I would require students to have physical mid and end of term exams and project presentations while everything else is completed virtually. Therefore, every learner would have an experience with both in-person and remote classes.

Hybrid classes will reduce school dropout and absenteeism, which are typical in purely remote and in-person learning, respectively. The hybrid style will also enhance the usage of resources as most of the students learn remotely and relieve resources to utilize for the practical subjects (Hapke et al., 2020). For example, staff will not be overworking and teachers will have time to create quality content for online learners. Physical classrooms will also be free for the learners in practical subjects, which is a vital resource for maintaining safe social distance during this pandemic period (Hapke et al., 2020). In comparison to pure in-person learning, hybrid learning expands access beyond geographical boundaries. Therefore, a hybrid model of virtual and in-person classes is the best school design for the current generation.

Teachers and students might have concerns about online learning vs. in-person classes. Virtual classes have their benefits and drawbacks, as well as physical classrooms. It is essential to open-mindedly understand the advantages and disadvantages online learning creates for both stakeholders. All the parties involved in the American education sector must weigh the pros against the cons of developing a resilient model for today’s learning environment. Additionally, school administrators must consider the value of hybrid environments.

Criollo-C, S., Luján-Mora, S., & Jaramillo-Alcázar, A. (2018). Advantages and disadvantages of M-learning in current education . In 2018 IEEE World Engineering Education Conference (EDUNINE), 1-6. IEEE.

Hapke, H., Lee-Post, A., & Dean, T. (2020). 3-in-1 hybrid learning environment. Marketing Education Review , 1-8.

Mukhtar, K., Javed, K., Arooj, M., & Sethi, A. (2020). Advantages, limitations and recommendations for online learning during COVID-19 pandemic era . Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences , 36 (COVID19-S4), 27.

• “Developing the Curriculum” by Peter
• ADEC Curriculum: Overview
• Telemedicine as a Form of Healthcare Delivery
• Telehealth: Legal and Ethical Considerations
• The Use of Telemedicine in Chronic Diseases
• The Contraceptives Project Self-Evaluation
• The Role of Slavery for the American Society: Lesson Plan
• Programming for a Year 5 Class on Bullying
• Benchmark - Classroom Management Plan
• Curriculum Differentiation and Assessment in Gifted Education
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, July 13). Remote vs In-person Classes: Positive and Negative Aspects. https://ivypanda.com/essays/remote-vs-in-person-classes-positive-and-negative-aspects/

"Remote vs In-person Classes: Positive and Negative Aspects." IvyPanda , 13 July 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/remote-vs-in-person-classes-positive-and-negative-aspects/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Remote vs In-person Classes: Positive and Negative Aspects'. 13 July.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Remote vs In-person Classes: Positive and Negative Aspects." July 13, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/remote-vs-in-person-classes-positive-and-negative-aspects/.

1. IvyPanda . "Remote vs In-person Classes: Positive and Negative Aspects." July 13, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/remote-vs-in-person-classes-positive-and-negative-aspects/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Remote vs In-person Classes: Positive and Negative Aspects." July 13, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/remote-vs-in-person-classes-positive-and-negative-aspects/.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

France Confronts Horror of Rape and Drugging Case as 51 Men Go on Trial

A man is accused of drugging his wife and then inviting dozens of men to rape her over almost a decade. The questions raised by the case have unsettled the country.

By Catherine Porter and Ségolène Le Stradic

Reporting from Paris

For years, she had been losing hair and weight. She had started forgetting whole days, and sometimes appeared to be in dreamlike trances. Her children and friends worried she had Alzheimer’s.

But in late 2020, after she was summoned to a police station in southern France, she learned a far more shattering story.

Her husband of 50 years, Dominique Pelicot, had been crushing sleeping pills into her food and drink to put her into a deep sleep, the police said, and then raping her. He had ushered dozens of men into her home to film them raping her, too, they said, in abuse that lasted nearly a decade.

Using the man’s photographs, videos and online messages, the police spent the next two years identifying and charging those other suspects.

On Monday, 51 men, including Mr. Pelicot, went on trial in Avignon, in a case that has shocked France and cast a spotlight on the use of drugs to commit sexual abuse and the broader culture in which such crimes could occur.

The accused men represent a kaleidoscope of working-class and middle-class French society: truck drivers, soldiers, carpenters and trade workers, a prison guard, a nurse, an I.T. expert working for a bank, a local journalist. They range in age from 26 to 74. Many have children and are in relationships.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .