UNIT 4: Cons of Online Learning Tools

Of course, every new tool has a downside. You may have noticed that many of the advantages involve a certain type of learner – at least a teenager, more likely a young adult. Primary school students will encounter more of these disadvantages. That’s not to say that online learning doesn’t suit them – many talented teachers are making it work – but there are certainly more challenges involved!

4.1. Reliance on technology

Online learning tools are inherently reliant on technology. They need certain hardware, a reliable internet connection, and often, access to particular software. Many students simply won’t have the budget for this – we mentioned earlier that a pro is increased accessibility in some areas. Still, it does come at the cost of inaccessibility elsewhere.

Students who rely on lip-reading may find the lag between audio and visual challenging, and without accurate captioning may find themselves less able to engage than in-person. It can also be overwhelming for autistic individuals or others with sensory processing issues, especially if other students don’t have their microphones muted or there’s a lot of visual stimulation happening at once. For instance, needs that were previously being met, providing hard copies of texts in braille – are no longer being adjusted for.

The biggest cause of inaccessibility is finance – if a student cannot reliably access the technology needed, they’ll be at a disadvantage. Covid-19 has made this even more challenging, as students who may have previously been able to take advantage of libraries, coffee shop wifi, and other facilities are no longer able to do so.

Of course, even for students with the correct hardware and software, it’s not always simple. Internet connections can go down, video call software can freeze and crash, and other technical issues can occur. Not everyone is confident with technology, and much older, or younger students might struggle with the programs required. Distance learning courses must accommodate and be considerate of this. Otherwise, they risk losing students.

4.2. Requires self-motivation and discipline

Whilst flexibility is an advantage, and it comes with a requirement for self-motivation and discipline. For many students, the in-person university starts to hone these skills within a support system. Switching to online study can make it far easier to get distracted – there’s no longer the need to show up in-person to a lecture physically, and all your work is done on a machine that is filled with possible distractions. It’s hard to stay productive when you’re anxious, and the current situation is definitely making that harder to avoid.

This worsens when you think about younger students – let’s face it, there aren’t many seven-year-olds with the motivation to do a full day of schooling sat at their desk!

For some students, this won’t be a problem. However, many simply don’t have the discipline yet and will struggle. Online courses aren’t the best way to learn these skills – they benefit from students already having them. That’s not to say there isn’t support, as many tutors will be willing to aid students who are willing to apply themselves. However, it’s a challenge worth acknowledging, and something new students need to be prepared for.

4.3. Lack of social aspects

For many young adults, the university is the first time they move away from their home towns and families, and start to find their own way. Many universities sell the social aspect of their degrees as much as the course content, which is much harder to do for online programs. Whilst it is possible to host meetups and social events online, it’s not the same as being on campus with thousands of students the same age.

For some students, this won’t be a problem, but many may find it isolating and more challenging than expected. We know that remote workers find isolation one of their biggest problems, and it’s likely to be the same for those studying remotely too.

Source: https://d55o2y2a8v973.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Challenges-of-Work-From-Home.png

This is an even bigger problem for younger students. Whilst university-age adults are likely to have social circles and experience already, younger students – especially those between five and 11 – rely on school for a lot of their socialising. There’s the potential for them to miss out on developing vital social skills. Whilst online friendships are just as valid as in-person ones, an absence of physical closeness may prove difficult. This is especially likely with the pandemic, as children will be going from having those experiences in-person to moving online.

4.4. Potentially inexperienced teachers

We’re all familiar with the university lecturer archetype, who is amazing at research but terrible at teaching. Online learning has the potential to exacerbate these issues, where even good teachers might find themselves struggling due to the new format.

Not everyone’s teaching style translates well to the virtual – it’s a learned skill, and one that not all tutors will have had a chance to learn. Teaching in a video meeting filmed with various snippets of your students’ lives – whether it’s their face, the top of their head, and the ceiling or their interrupting pet – is very different from a classroom or lecture hall.

Excellent, interactive lecturers may find themselves stifled by the need to pre-record without the usual class input to bounce off. Those who are fluent in-person might find themselves stumbling as they attempt to show off slides in a video call.

Not to mention the risks of teachers being inexperienced with technology. If they struggle to upload necessary resources, aren’t sure where to download your submitted papers from, or simply can’t work a discussion forum, it’s going to leave students with a worse experience than in-person. It can already be tricky to stay engaged in online meetings, so adding more distractions will only make this worse.

Luckily, this downside is one that’s fairly easy to improve on – if higher education providers supply detailed training to their staff and have a responsive IT team, this inexperience can often be mitigated.

4.5. Does not suit hands-on courses/topics

Whilst many things can move online and be just as good (or better) than in-person, others can’t. Science students will not be able to use dangerous chemicals in their home and miss out on hands-on experiments. Vocational courses like dog grooming, hairstyling, and electrician apprenticeships will have aspects that can be done online, but still, need a lot of physical practice.

4.6  Practical Assessment (pro/cons)

Take this into consideration:

• What kind of equipment do you have?
• What skills do you have to maintain it technically?
• Do you have knowledge to maintain your LMS platform, or you are going to use online version?
• How many funds do you have to establish this?
• Ask the school for the financial help!

Write it down and look for the opportunities!