Online education: Pros and Cons

What is Online education?
Online education is a type of education which is conducted using computers or mobile phones, by using the internet. The online education market in India is poised to grow by $ 14.33 bn during 2020-2024 progressing at a CAGR of 21% during the forecast period.

Pros of online education:

• Less cost: Online education saves a lot of cost when compared with the traditional form of education, as most of the books and reading materials are available on the internet and can be shared free of cost to the students. Online learning saves up to 70% of cost when compared to the traditional method.
• Different methods of learning: This type of education can be make the students have a very interactive experience in the classes, by using different resources available, for example graphics/ videos to help students understand a topic.
• Boost confidence in students: In India most of the schools have around 50-80 students in a classroom. This reduces the confidence of children who are shy to raise their hands to solve any doubts or to answer questions. Whereas in the online lectures, students can feel comfortable and confident to speak without the fear of being judged from behind a computer screen.
• Increase in attendance rates: As these types of lectures can be attended from anywhere, the attendance rate will increase.
• Accessibility of time and place: Education can be accessed from anywhere, that is why the schools can reach out to a larger number of students from different areas, the education won’t be limited to a particular geographical location.

Cons of online education:

• Minimal personal touch: This type of education makes it difficult for the student and professor to have a proper communication, as it lacks human interaction. The factors like internet issues add to the already existing communication gap.
• Technological issues: The lack of consistent and stable internet connection may cause difficulty in the learning process of the students.
• Sense of isolation: In this type of education there is very less interaction between the peers, which brings in the sense of isolation in the minds of students. Being able to interact with peers is an important factor that helps in the growth of any individual.
• Need of training for teachers: Teachers must be trained to have a basic understanding of how to use digital modes of learning in order to teach online. However, this is not always the case. They don't always have the resources and tools they need to offer online classes.