Online/virtual learning is conquering the world because it is readily available, accessible, convenient, and flexible for use. A survey found that enrollment for online courses grew from 26 million in 2016 to 189 million in 2021. Instead of adjusting learners’ lives to match the educational system, this online mode enables the learners to fit the learning process into their existing schedules. However, some people are still cautious to trust and use online learning to expand their education. It is veiled in misconceptions, which makes it challenging for students to accept it as a reliable option for gaining knowledge.
Busting myths around online learning:
- Learning becomes difficult in online mode: One of the misconceptions about online learning is that it is challenging and involves many tasks. Whereas it is all up to the learner to decide the exact content and level of learning. It can be assured that the courses are designed for learners of every age group.
- Online classes’ flexibility: Online classes are designed based on users’ daily schedules. So if you go out for a vacation or take a break, you do not need to worry about your missing lectures as they will get stored in your feed. And you can refer to them at your convenience.
- Online learning is complex and insufficient: Parents usually do not want their children to take up online coaching as they feel that the educator would not finish the syllabus on time. They also are biased with the thought that their children or they themselves need to be well equipped with the system or applications in order to attend the class. Whereas any online course is planned while keeping in mind the syllabus of each subject. Moreover, an eLearning platform like Tovuti has the designation of being one of the most easily operable LMSs that enable both the instructor and the learner to have an interactive class, along with providing the ease of creating an innovative and engaging course.
- Online learning is not cost-effective: Many parents believe that as it is an online learning program, it must involve the usage of a lot of gadgets which might cost them a fortune. But in reality, this mode of education involves no traveling charge. Moreover, these days LMSs are made mobile-friendly which means 750 million smartphone users can access any mode of online learning if they wish to.
- Instructor’s taking online classes are not experts in their domain: There is no difference between a teacher sharing knowledge online or in a conventional classroom. All the teachers need to go through several tests and training before receiving the opportunity to deliver their knowledge online just like any other conventional classroom teacher.
- Online degrees have no value in the corporate World: A college degree, relevant projects, and a good interview are sufficient to fetch you a job. The recruiter has little to no interest in wasting time over a worthless debate of which degree matters the most an offline degree or an online one. You will be given the same consideration as someone who attended an on-campus university as long as you can demonstrate that you would be able to do justice to the role offered to you. If your resume shows quite many skills and training taken up by you apart from your college courses, that might be an additional benefit for you in bagging the job.
- Does not involve teacher-student interaction: Online classroom interactions encourage students to participate in group projects and actively participate in class interactions since they don’t have to face the crowd or be afraid of making mistakes in front of the entire class. Moreover, in a conventional class, not all the students pay attention in the class. There is always a group of few students who create unnecessary chaos and disturb the rest. Now, this unnecessary discussion is not possible in an online teaching mode.
- Internet usage in this mode ruins students’ attention spans: Another misconception about online education is that using technology and gadgets like phones and computers may distract kids and that the internet cannot produce a distraction-free classroom atmosphere. However, nothing can prevent students from focusing on online classes if they can do so in a regular classroom. To learn the lessons given via online methods, the learner simply needs to pay attention and be patient the same way. And as they are not surrounded by their playmates, are in a comfortable environment, and understand that they are there to learn, students may concentrate successfully in online sessions too. Learning is made more engaging and fun with the assistance of the internet.
Conclusion:
These are all myths that students cannot learn well in a virtual classroom and that understanding gained through online learning differs from that attained in a traditional classroom. Many misconceptions concerning online education have recently surfaced. Despite the development of online and hybrid learning modes, and the fact that digital learning has been advocated in schools for decades, several misconceptions about its benefits and drawbacks continue to exist. Despite the widespread acknowledgment by educators with expertise in digital learning that these fallacies are untrue, media coverage and detractors continue to propagate them. This article aims to eradicate at least a few of the misconceptions mentioned above.
