A few months ago, I wrote an essay for A Beginner’s Guide to Writing English for University Study, a course I took through FutureLearn. Although not currently available, this course may be offered again in the future.
Students had to choose a subject where people could have different viewpoints and experiences, then discuss some pros and cons.
I have revised the essay slightly for this blog post. The original was submitted on March 3, 2018.
Essay Title: Discuss the Reasons Why More People Choose to Study Online.
As access to the internet is becoming more widespread throughout the world, online learning is becoming more popular. According to www.class-central.com, by the end of 2017 more than 81 million students were enrolled in over 9400 MOOCs available through various course providers. This number does not include courses taken online as external offerings by individual universities. Five years previously, in late 2012, around 2 million students were enrolled in 250 courses. Here are some reasons for the exploding popularity of online courses.
Advantages
Two major reasons for the increased popularity of online learning are that it is cheap and convenient. Many online courses are free or cheaper than those taken on-campus. Often no pre-requisite knowledge or minimum school results are needed to enroll. There is no commute, as students can study at home. Isolated students can learn from anywhere in the world, as long as they have access to a device connected to the internet. Students often also enjoy the convenience of being able to learn at any time of the day or night.
Surveys such as on Class Central (https://www.class-central.com/report/class-central-learner-survey-2017/) show that many people learn online to improve their resumes and job prospects. They can include completed courses on their resume and also provide examples of knowledge and skills learned. As well as these specific points, completing online courses can demonstrate self-discipline, self-motivation and time management skills.
Disadvantages
Although there are many advantages of online learning, there are some disadvantages. Students may feel isolated due to little or no interaction with educators and fellow students. Not everyone can manage the level of self-discipline and motivation to complete an online course without support from staff or peers. It can also be difficult to receive help if you don’t understand something.
Many online courses do not lead to an official qualification and it can be impossible to do practical work such as experiments that need specialized equipment or gaining experience working with people in health fields.
Future Prospects
In the future, participation is expected to continue to rise around the world, especially if virtual reality technology is introduced for experiments and case studies.
A Final Thought
Even though there are some disadvantages of online learning, the advantages can outweigh these, which is why online learning is increasing in popularity.
By Pat Bowden, published May 22, 2018.
