It was unheard of to take online classes before the Covid-19 Pandemic. There was only an idea that it would be a place for students to attend extra training or unique lessons. It nearly wholly replaced traditional education after the Covid-19 Pandemic erupted. Online vs offline classes continue to be a contentious issue between students and parents behind the scenes.
Even though neither online nor offline classes are perfect, both have advantages and disadvantages. Even though the world has mostly returned to normal, children are still using online learning platforms to learn new skills.
Benefits of Online Classes
1. Comfortable and Convenient:
Since offline classes are not as convenient as online classes, there is no doubt that online classes are a better choice. Moreover, students feel more comfortable taking classes in online classrooms. The media is a time and resource saver for students and teachers alike.
2. Ease of Access:
Taking online classes anytime and anywhere is possible if you can access a reliable internet connection.
Unlike offline lectures, where kids only attend once and take notes, online classes and sessions can be recorded for future reference.
3. Flexible:
Online classes give students more flexible schedules since they can attend classes from home. This way, they can schedule their days according to how they divide their time.
As a result of this flexibility, students can learn about other subjects they are interested in, such as coding, piano, and other subjects. This results in both a broadening of knowledge and an increase in personality. In addition to that, kids can pursue their offline interests during the remainder of their free time.
4. Affordable:
School fees for transportation, extracurricular activities, and transportation are different in online schools than in traditional schools. Besides the fixed costs, the majority of households today have access to the internet. The cost savings of online schooling is way more than physical schools.
Drawbacks of Online Classes
1. Screen Time:
Another unavoidable downside of online classes is the number of time children spends on the computer. They spend more time looking at screens than they should, causing health problems.
2. Technical Issues:
There is a risk of connectivity problems when taking online courses. Technology issues can sometimes occur due to unpredictable power and internet connections, which can be a significant barrier to online classes, depending on geographical location.
3. Online Bullying:
Online bullying is a real problem. This is because bullying can have long-term effects on people and can affect their whole personalities. Most often, young children and teenagers become the victims of bullying.
4. Offline Classes
After almost two years, students mostly returned to offline classes after the pandemic forced them to attend online classes. It is more challenging to learn offline as students are required to engage with peers and teachers in addition to books. In traditional school-based education, offline classes remain the preferred choice.
Benefits of Offline Classes
1. Attention:
Online students and teachers can’t easily focus on one another on the same level as offline students and teachers. When a teacher pays more attention to a student, they are more likely to pay attention in class. As a result, the teacher and students can deliver and comprehend the lesson more easily.
2. Experience:
Offline classes offer the opportunity to gain experience, which is one of their most significant advantages. It is not only a student’s time at school that they spend studying textbooks, but also the environment in which they live.
As a result, students can learn topics they would not usually be exposed to in their textbooks. By interacting with peers and teachers, students acquire skills such as leadership, communication, and personality development.
3. No distractions:
A student will likely become distracted while listening to a lecture at home alone, in front of a screen. Due to the confinement of the classroom and the fact that everyone is working towards the same goal, offline classes typically have fewer distractions.
Drawbacks of Offline Classes
1. Extra Resources:
Unlike textbooks and reading assignments, offline courses require a unique curriculum. In addition to the fixed costs, students need to pay for internet and equipment, which can be a disadvantage compared to online classes.
2. Time Management:
Undisputedly, a school day is packed with activities on campus, and students spend the entire day there. Compared to online classes, this may seem a disadvantage because online classes allow for more flexibility.
Due to the reduced commute time, online classes offer effective time management strategies. Students can participate in other activities such as sports and recreation.
3. No Recordings of Classes:
The only way to take notes in a classroom setting is to rely on the notes you took during your class sessions. Alternatively, online classes allow you to record sessions and refer to them later.
Conclusion
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to online classes versus offline classes. Both educational mediums are ideal depending on the situation and the student’s needs. Their advantages and disadvantages are similar, as you can see.
Choosing the right school for your child and you depends upon what you’ve read. Regardless of your chosen medium, your child should be comfortable comprehending and applying everything.
