Distance Education: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes

Even before the corona pandemic starts, a wide variety of online learning opportunities increased significantly. Online tutoring — especially language tutoring — has become more popular recently. And now you can master any language from the comfort of your home. This trend was reinforced with the “forced digitization” caused by the Coronavirus and lockdown.

Now online seminars or learning are completely automated even in governmental educational institutions. Participants can work through the seminar at their own pace. Online learning has been made so easy that even new languages and skills can be learned online. Platforms like LiveXP, Preply, Italki, Cambly, and a lot more, have helped interested students learn languages online like Spanish, German, French, Italian, English, of course, even Hindi, Arabic, Persian, and more.

 

Advantages of Online Classes

Online offers are often significantly cheaper for learners than face-to-face tutoring. Travel and accommodation costs are also eliminated. In addition, some companies are likely to assume that participants will complete the training outside of working hours.

For the provider, it is not only the space and travel costs that are eliminated. Any sales limits (region, capacities, scheduling, …) are eliminated. The scalability of online seminars or training means that a huge amount of training can be sold in parallel. Even with webinars, the effort is reduced compared to face-to-face training.

Flexibility in terms of time and place

Learners can take lessons at their own pace, in their own place, and at their own time. Online courses don’t impose a bad schedule on learners. One can adapt their learning plan to their personal situation. 

Lower costs

With an online course instead of face-to-face training, you save costs such as costs for transportation, extra feeding while outside, the cost for hiring an outside instructor, the cost for printed materials and a physical location to house them, and a lot more.

Simply update content

The world around us never stands still. Regulations are adjusted, legislation is constantly changing and research results are refuted. This is why books and articles quickly lose their relevance. Replacing printed materials and manuals on a regular basis is expensive. Updating online courses is not. Of course, it takes time. But the changes made to the content are instantly available to the learning audience anywhere in the world.

 

Disadvantages of Online Classes

Requires self-discipline and good time management

Great freedom comes with great responsibility. Some people can handle it, others can’t. Online learning requires self-discipline. Students need to take the time to exercise. This means that they must give priority to the course and not insert any other activities in between. Anyone who has a seemingly endless to-do list could get into trouble with it.

Communication with the trainer is often limited

Online learning reduces the interaction between the instructors and the participants to the bare minimum. For some, an instructor, personal attention, and discussions with other participants are essential to absorbing new information. 

Uncomfortable to read

Sitting at the computer or tablet for hours without breaks can impair vision. Back problems could also become a serious problem. If you’ve already spent the whole day behind your desk, it is understandable that further reading on the screen does not sound tempting.

 

New job possibilities. How to work from home?

If you’re a native English speaker, tutoring can be the perfect way for you to make money teaching online. You don’t have to drive to a school to take tutoring. Online platforms have become a popular way of tutoring without leaving your home. English as a second language (ESL) is something that will never go away. 

The great thing about teaching English online is that it is one of the lowest barriers to entering the distance job market. You don’t need any teaching experience. And with some platforms, you don’t need a degree either. As long as you speak English, online education work may be possible for you.

It goes without saying, but you must have access to a reliable internet connection as an online English teacher. Once your classes are booked, you need to show up. If you are interested in this opportunity, consider LiveXP as a platform for teaching online.