Online Leraning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Online Leraning - Essay Example In this essay, I'll discuss why online learning has the advantages that it makes it compete with traditional classrooms. The first online courses were delivered on command-line systems. Later on, Archie, Veronica and Gopher were used from course providers to give students access to information and MOO's (Multi user dungeon Object Oriented) came to provide real-time text-based communication. During the 90's, newer conferencing systems became available, and after the advent of the web they supported audio and video also, to conclude to web-in-a-box software for student tracking (Mason, 1998). Most online courses are based on applications known as "course management systems", where topics are outlined and students and teachers have discussions, complete tests, submit papers; and where resources and grades are posted. These characteristics enable people with tight-schedules, remote locations or simply with preference to study from home, the possibility of learning at their own pace, organizing their time (flexibility), and interacting with a lot of different people. Therefore, their most important advantages include flexibility, interactivity, lower costs, multimedia and hyperlinking. Another important advantage is that distractions are minimized. ... These characteristics enable people with tight-schedules, remote locations or simply with preference to study from home, the possibility of learning at their own pace, organizing their time (flexibility), and interacting with a lot of different people. Therefore, their most important advantages include flexibility, interactivity, lower costs, multimedia and hyperlinking. Another important advantage is that distractions are minimized. Since the student can access the course whenever he/she wants, he/she will be more attentive to the contents than in an obligatory lecture in a day where he/she perhaps has a headache or a classmate is distracting him/her. The possibility of taking courses at far-distanced universities. What about courses that are not offered at your campus Let's say you would like to learn Serbian, but your college doesn't offer it. You could enroll for Serbian 101 at a college located hundreds of miles away. Still another advantage is that, taking these types of courses can strengthen other important skills needed studying and/or at a job. "On-line courses provide the opportunity to improve technology and Internet skills," says Tim Ely, director of instructional design at Harcum College in Pennsylvania.2 Not everyone is for online courses, some articles say. One of the major disadvantages is that the face-to face relationships with teacher and classmates are gone. "A drawback is that you have no face-to-face interaction with peers and instructors, meaning you can't tune in and react to clues such as body language, facial expression, and tone of voice," says Ely. "A feeling of isolation and lack of community may also develop due to lack of human contact." Motivation He who wants to learn shall learn. Whether inside of a classroom or in front of a