Comparing Online Learning Versus Onsite Learning in 2023

 

There has been an increase in demand of online learning since the COVID-19 pandemic took place and it has come to stay. Digital learning has now become an indispensable method of learning.

During the pandemic, a lot of sectors were affected including the education sector and technology became more useful in the aspect of learning.

In developed countries, it was not entirely difficult to adjust to the online mode of learning as it has already been adopted occasionally as their mode of learning. A few edutech companies like the BJYU, Tencent, and Lark became even more popular. Albeit, the developing countries experienced a few setbacks because they had very little or no access to the resources required to operate an online education.

In Nigeria, where technology is mostly accessible in the urban areas, it was difficult to adjust. Even higher institutions were severely affected and only a few of these institutions were able to adopt the use LMS, organise zoom classes and provided recorded videos to the students. Lecturers and Teachers needed to adjust to the use of technology while students needed to find resources need to learn digitally.

Despite the inadequate internet access to internet and technology experienced by the students, online learning has come to stay in this part of our world as it is still being adopted even after the pandemic.

Advantages of Onlinee Learning over Onsite Learning

1. Online learning promotes convenience as individuals or students are not required to have a definite or standard profile before acquiring knowledge. Unlike the onsite learning, where a definite profile is required before you can obtain knowledge in a four corner classroom
   
2. Research has proven how much online learning has increased the participation of students as they can practice what is known as Asynchronous Learning. Considering onsite learning, students are only open to knowledge given by their teachers in a classroom and reference cannot be exactly made to at any convenient time.
3. Online learning has proven to be flexible and readily accessible. Onsite learning has a few restrictions if protocols are not duly followed. Students tend to be flexible and more comfortable with their teachers. Likewise, teachers are easily accessible unlike in the onsite learning where tutors are busy.
4. Online learning also teaches time management skills as one can even multitask. One can do a few other things alongside online school using the time that should be spent on journeying.
5. Online learning provides a method of preserved learning which the onsite learning cannot provide. Online learning has also been proven to improve retention of knowledge compared to the onsite learning.

Digital learning surely has a lot of advantages over onsite learning, however, onsite learning cannot go into extinction. 

There are a lot of struggles that digital learners suffer especially the experience of unreliable internet access and technology. Online learning can also encourage laziness as students can take tasks with levity. Effectiveness of online learning also differs with respect to several age groups. Of course, a child in nursery is not expected to concentrate effectively as he should unlike when there is an onsite mode of learning.

Traditional learning can work hand in hand with online learning as this would provide a balance among its learners.

Therefore, online learning should not necessarily displace onsite learning but should be incentive.