Arguments against Online Classes

Online classes allow students to prepare for any recognized qualification without having to physically attend classes, especially on campuses. However, online research is mostly targeted at people who want to pursue a postgraduate degree but are unable to do so due to work or other obligations. Many factors contribute to the growth of online classes and registration, including the decision of younger people to pursue non-traditional forms of education in order to succeed in their careers while continuing and completing their education. There has recently been discussion on whether or not online classes are the best option. Therefore, despite the arguments for online courses, this report will provide arguments against online classes while providing the rationale for that.

Online classes need more time as compared to on-campus courses as one will have to spend more time completing assignments and studying online than when doing the same within an on-campus course. This is because the online classes are text-based implying that messages and responses must be typed for communicating with the instructors as well as other students. Since typing is slower than speaking, it is apparent that one would have to spend more time while studying online (Cook, David & Steinert, P. 930). Similarly, reading lecture notes online can consume more time as compared to listening to an instructor who delivers them.

Second, online classes can develop a sense of isolation and therefore should not be encouraged. Studying alone while only having the laptop as a companion can sometimes be terrifying. There is lack of wise remarks from the peanut gallery, no students to whisper at the back of the room, no presence of a physical instructor to oversee the lesson (Gomezelj, Doris & Žana, p. 159). Besides, the online atmosphere is a much different environment that can even take years for an individual to get used to and adjust, a situation that may not favor some people.

Third, with online classes, there is an intense requirement for self-discipline. Online courses often have deadlines set for tests, assignments, as well as commenting on lectures. However, this is not a big issue. The problem is the organization skills and time management for staying on top of work, allotting an appropriate time for completing each task and balancing coursework against other priorities in one’s life (Salvador, p. 17). Therefore, if an individual tends toward procrastination, then such a person must strengthen his/her set of skills before choosing a program of online classes.

Other terms are necessary for further understanding the meaning of online classes. For example, “asynchronous learning” is a case whereby learners are participating in an online class at different places. It can as well be called web-based training (WBT) or eLearning. It allows the learners in going through their classes at their own schedule and pace. There is also “audio conferencing,” which is a term referring to a connection between three or even more locations involving only voice connection. It usually uses the technology known as Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). It can be used by more than three people to have their online class at the same time while at different locations.

However, on the contrary, other people argue that online classes are better than the traditional form of education. For instance, Marzelli, Svetlana and Loretta (2016) observe that online courses provide the students with the opportunity of planning their study time appropriately beside doing other chores. Moreover, with online classes, students can work as well as study when they are at the peak of their energy, whether it is during late night or early in the morning. Importantly, course materials for online classes are always accessible online as they are always available, and therefore there will be no need for these students in scheduling special trips to a library. All of these make online learning as well as classes a better option for those students who feel like balancing their study, work, and family commitments.

Part 2-Draft of the Research Paper

From a personal perspective, online classes should never be the option that one chooses as it does not have more educational benefits as compared to on-campus learning. A student is only capable of developing correctly when in a group of other students. At campuses, students learn various ways of making friends, being patient, eliminating disappointments, and competing effectively. Competition among colleagues in on-campus classes can be very encouraging and stimulating and to a great extent can benefit the students. It, therefore, implies that online courses do not have the capability of offering human interaction and thus should be avoided at the expense of on-campus classes or traditional form of education. Besides, online classes do not have the potential of coping with thousands of students who will be joining discussions on a single online class session (Shaver, p. 40). They are as well challenging, mainly when it involves practical disciplines such as sciences.

Online classes also lack complete supervision, assessment, testing, and positive advice from the instructor. If a student is not motivated in finishing what they started, then it would be probably not the best idea in taking an online class. While there might be expectations as well as deadlines from the instructor of an online class, there will be no one responsible for reminding a student to take the tests or to do the assignments. Moreover, students lacking skills on the internet cannot expect in performing well with an online course, which means that he/she must be capable of accessing a laptop or even a desktop computer (Painter, Mollie, et al, p. 75). These are a must requirements that students should consider before taking online classes.

Also, attending online classes results in the loss of group experience as noted by Cook, David and Yvonne (2013, p. 931) who state that “There’s something about watching a movie with a large group of people that is different from watching it all alone. Same for the classroom, it’s a group experience. Maybe it evolved from our time long ago sitting around the fire at night listening to stories that imparted knowledge from one generation to the next. There was an evolutionary advantage to having everyone jointly locked into what was being said. In any case, when a lecture is live in a classroom rather than at home on video there are no interruptions from roommates, there is no refrigerator calling your name, you don’t have the choice to procrastinate and put it off until later, etc., etc. A classroom commands your attention in a way that videos do not.”

Additionally, online classes make a student to be a real poor quality person. Although the options of online classes have significantly grown in recent years, there are still numerous disciplines of study such as engineering and healthcare that are not fully integrated online as they require face-to-face instructions. Moreover, there is lack of hybrid programs that can be used in combining online schooling with on-campus components, thus making online classes to be a challenge to some group of students. Moreover, the quality of offered programs through online classes may also be questioned. It is because most of the online schooling programs are not accredited by any legitimate agency having a better business bureau standing (Gomezelj, Doris and Žana, p. 160). Besides, some employers in some fields may still perceive an online form of education to have less value as compared to the traditional degree program. All these make a student taking online classes to be a really poor quality person.

Also, a student taking online classes is a human being without brains. This is because such a person blindly decides to take online courses without looking at the possible challenges. For instance, such an individual does not have the ability to determine that there is lack of interactions among peers with online classes. A healthy cooperation and competition with classmates are only what can motivate young scholars across the world. Besides, interaction with peers usually involves scheduling group discussions, exchanging notes, as well as organizing circles (Shaver, p. 41). Unfortunately, this will not be the case if a student is taking online classes as he/she has to study on his/her own without the help of an instructor or peer, and therefore might end up feeling depressed.

Furthermore, taking online classes can result in a student being so stupid to the extent of copying everything from the web including the name of the website and the date and even pictures while taking online tests, which can be treated as cheating of the highest degree. It is because online classes can make an individual’s sense of discipline to go out of the window. Regular assignments, homework, and tests form an integral part of online schooling. However, there is no instructor responsible for monitoring whether indeed students are completing such tasks in a way that they should be done (Salvador, p. 18). Unless there is a strong sense of discipline among these students, the temptation to peep into online resources or books can be overpowering especially during online tests. Therefore, such like “cheating” practices do not reflect the very purpose of education.

With online classes, students can feel as if they are overloaded to the extent that they cannot walk. There is always a danger of information overload with online courses. Although the adequately designed course curriculums of teaching online classes are often keeping things organized, students may sometimes feel a tad flabbergasted by the massive volume of information on the internet. Since teachers and instructors are absent for filtering the most relevant references and information for the students-the maze of online information can leave a young learner completely confused (Marzelli, Svetlana & Loretta, p. 8). Moreover, it can be as well as wastage of time while trying to read a lot.

Online classes also increase chances of fraudulent practices. This is because online tricksters are capable of luring young students to pay hefty upfront fees for enrolling online classes (Shaver, p. 42). They can put an attractive website appearance as well as unsubstantiated promises concerning a 24/7 support in addition to placement assistance, which can lure these students in selecting some online courses.

In conclusion, the idea of online classes should be perceived as an extension and a complement of the classical forms of learning. There is no even a single best online course capable of completely replacing the personal contact with an instructor or a teacher, or even the human relationship that can develop in a group of students. Therefore, traditional classes should not be replaced with online classes.

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Works Cited

Cook, David A. and Yvonne Steinert. “Online Learning for Faculty Development: A Review of the Literature.” Medical Teacher, vol. 35, no. 11, Nov. 2013, pp. 930-937. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3109/0142159X.2013.827328.

Gomezelj, Doris and Žana Čivre. ”Tourism Graduate Students’ Satisfaction with Online Learning.” Tourism (13327461), vol. 60, no. 2, June 2012, pp. 159-174. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hjh&AN=78392255&site=ehost-live.

Marzelli, Svetlana and Loretta Dicker. ”Overcoming Facelessness in the Online Classroom.” Distance Education Report, vol. 10, no. 3, 2/1/2016, pp. 4-7. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=19626905&site=ehost-live.

Painter-Morland, Mollie, et al. ”Conversations across Continents: Teaching Business Ethics Online.” Journal of Business Ethics, vol. 48, no. 1, Nov2013 Part 2, pp. 75-88. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=11992341&site=ehost-live.

Salvador, Roberta. ”Take Off! With ONLINE LEARNING.” Instructor, vol. 114, no. 3, Oct. 2014, pp. 16-21. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tfh&AN=14705193&site=ehost-live

Shaver, Jennipher. ”In & out of the Classroom.” Fitness Business Pro, vol. 21, no. 10, Oct. 2015, pp. 40-43. EBSCOhost, .ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hjh&AN=18657908&site=ehost-live.