Online education has become popular in recent years due to the desire for flexibility and increased accessibility since COVID-19. Despite the convenience of online education, it has some significant flaws. Students’ academic performance in online classes is more likely to be negatively impacted by factors such as procrastination, lack of structure and reduced motivation.
During the pandemic, schools were introduced to the concept of virtual learning. This increased the number of students who decided to take online courses post-pandemic. According to Devlin Peck, a Master of Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies, about 49 percent of students have completed online classes. This has increased by 900 percent since 2000.
Cell phones pose a great threat to productivity when taking online courses. With constant access to cell phones, reduced motivation has become more prevalent in students. According to the National Institute of Health, phone addiction is perceived to negatively affect everyday life, which can interfere with a student’s academics at home.
It’s also important to ask: Will students use ChatGPT or other Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms to complete their assignments for them?
We’ve all seen the work that AI can do, and students are already taking advantage of these resources in classes that are in-person. Nothing is stopping students from using these resources while doing online courses outside of the classroom. With growing rates of students taking courses online, there will be less retention of material because of the internet and AI resources that do their work for them. Many students don’t complete assignments to their full potential and instead choose to take the easy way out by using AT to their advantage.
To add, with the lack of guidance to complete work during online classes, students are forced to manage their time on their own. In online courses, it’s easy to put off reading assignments and studying for exams. Students taking online courses don’t have someone reminding them about the upcoming tasks and help with questions during the course. You are completely responsible for your learning.
According to National Public Radio, students are about half a grade behind, especially in reading and math, compared to the scores before the sudden increase in online classes. Online courses don’t provide any structure for a student, and structure is crucial to be successful in an educational setting.
Some of the most common online classes that Redwood students take are online geometry, chemistry, Spanish and French.
Sophomore Madeline De Mos completed an online French course to meet her required language criteria.
“I would procrastinate and [it was] challenging at times to get the motivation to complete it,” De Mos said.
However, online courses let students work at their own pace and allow for flexibility in a student’s life, which traditional in-person education can’t match.
“Online French gave me flexibility. I could complete it after school, at home, in a car and even on an airplane,” De Mos said.
On the positive side, online education also allows students to experience what it’s like at some real-life work environments. In the real world, you may not have guidance on how and when you work. Online courses offer that experience, and help students gain experience that could benefit their futures.
As we transition to a tech-based society, especially with growing rates of online course attendance, it’s important to understand the meaning of collaboration and growth without relying on a device, leading to a more effective and structured learning experience.
To ensure a student gets a proper, well-rounded education, structure and guidance in a student’s academic life need to be prioritized. In the end, clear structure and guidance with the support of teachers in in-person classrooms are far more valuable than the convenience of online classes.
