Although there are some disadvantages to an online learning environment, for most students it can be a tremendously successful experience. First, an online environment offers students the opportunity to work at their own pace (Lohr, 2009). Traditional classrooms force students to keep pace with the teacher. An advanced student may find this boring while a slower student struggles to keep up. But with an online course, students of all different abilities and levels can benefit (Metz, 2010). Each student has the opportunity to work at a pace that is comfortable for him/her. Students also develop responsibility and take ownership of their own learning. This can motivate many students to perform better.
Online courses also promote self-efficacy. Some tips for promoting self-efficacy include helping students become aware of their control over learning, having them practice independently to master learning, and helping students set short-term specific goals (Moreno, 2010, p. 345). Online learning environments foster all of these things. Children have to take control of their own learning by being self motivated. Practicing and learning independently helps to reinforce the learning process. Finally, online courses (by nature) set short-term specific goals. In my experience, teachers have a curriculum written out with goals set every week. Assignments are usually very clear with detailed expectations. This always helps me to focus on the task at hand and have a better understanding of the teacher’s expectations. It also helps to be able to look ahead and gain a bigger picture of what the main goals are of the class. I have found that overall online classes have clearer goals and cause me less stress than traditional face-to-face classes. Added bonuses include less down time due to travel as well as less wasted time caused by unprepared students.
Online classes have improved greatly in the last few years. More students are finding out the benefits of learning at their own pace and taking control of their own education. In the future I am sure we will see an increase in online classes and greater focus on individual learning instead of the traditional one size fits all mentality.
Resources
Lohr, S. (2009, Aug. 19). Study finds that online education beats the classroom. Retrieved September 25, 2010 from the New York Times: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/study-finds-that-online-education-beats-the-classroom
Metz, Kimberly. "Benefits of online courses in career and technical education." Techniques 85.6 (2010): Academic OneFile. Web.
Moreno, R. (2010). Educational Psychology. Chapter 9, Theories of Motivation and Affect. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
No comments:
Post a Comment