The past 14 months have shaken up the way we go about our daily lives. Things we took for granted such as shaking hands and travelling have been temporarily put on hold. Arguably one of the biggest changes that took place last year was the transition to online learning. This style of education was a very practical solution for the pandemic, but there have been some questions and concerns regarding its long term effects on students, teachers, and the entire landscape of education. Let’s review the biggest pro and con about online learning and look forward to seeing if it has what it takes to be the permanent way we educate ourselves.

Let’s get the bad out of the way by going over the biggest downside of online learning which has to be the lack of interpersonal communication. While our world may be moving towards the future, we are still the same humans we always have been. We are very sentimental creatures that value sharing time and space with one another. As a matter of fact, we have seen the effects this pandemic has had on our mental health first hand which have reminded us that we are not robots. We may have still been able to communicate essential information to our fellow classmates and instructors, however this new online space has left a void that intimate connections used to fill. This issue may never be solved under the new online program.

A lack of human connection does not mean that online learning has been a complete waste though. The most positive change that has appeared has been the newfound flexibility it has given us. Whether classes are live or self-directed, having the ability to go to school from the comfort of your own home has been a very freeing experience for many people. Students have been able to attend class from all over the world as long as they have internet connection. Extracurricular productivity has increased, giving students the ability to craft their schedules to achieve a healthier work-life balance. It’s safe to say that this new online style has been favoured by many students.

As we begin to make a cautious return to normalcy, the temporary aid of online learning has been appreciated. It may not be a perfect alternative to traditional education, it certainly has its place and will continue to see improvements as we advance technologically.

JENSHOOTS.COM – Unsplash