Background
Online courses are a major component of contemporary learning. While COVID-19 elicited the topic of their relevance in k-12 and high schools, colleges and other higher education institutions have well-developed mechanisms to foster this form of learning. Nonetheless, while they afford students the chance to learn remotely, they posit various ingrained disadvantages. The following is an illustration of the various disadvantages posed by taking online college courses as opposed to on-campus learning, including limited interaction, technical difficulties, and time management for these students.
Limited Interaction
Dumford and Miller posit a major impediment to learning through online systems in college, stating that it results in limited interaction, hindering communication. The authors dictate that students who pursue online courses exhibit lower concern with collaborative learning (Dumford & Miller 453). This form of education is integral for real-life operations, a field where these students become disadvantaged. Furthermore, they also have reduced student-faculty interactions when compared with students that take part in on-campus studies (Dumford & Miller 460). Such students are also likely to refrain from discussion with other learners in their course, a stark contrast with their counterparts attending traditional classrooms. The authors indicate the reduced exposure to efficient teaching practices these students face as well as inferior interaction quality (Dumford & Miller 452). The study illustrates that while online education has its benefits, it is disadvantageous in many instances as the students do not interact, leading to fewer connections and a tendency to work together with others. Students that graduate from online courses exhibit lower teamwork habits due to the structure of their learning environment.
Technical Difficulties
Internet access and technology are critical components in online learning; however, technical difficulties indicate that access remains limited, positing a negative issue related to online education. Florida College Access Network states that many college students do not have access to reliable internet (Par.1). They are also plagued by issues such as sharing devices with their peers, an issue that hinders their capacity to perform optimally. Reliable internet signifies a major problem for college students, not an inconvenience. Their reliance on high-quality internet makes poor connections an impediment to attaining their degrees (Florida College Access Network par.2). The research also indicates that uneven internet access would boost inequalities between students. For instance, the author states that 1 in 4 students has internet issues that affect their ability to connect to course content (Florida College Access Network par.3). Lack of reliable internet also affects students with caregiver duties, with 27% of the group stating they face these challenges (Florida College Access Network par.3). As such, online learning leads some students to access partial course content with spotty internet connection.
Paul and Jefferson also claim that face-to-face instruction is beneficial to students when compared to online learning, as the latter depends on networked systems. The authors state that students are forced to rely on access to a steady internet connection for their studies (Paul & Jefferson par.20). In this instance, if a student experiences technical problems, they cannot submit assignments, communicate, and may be impaired when accessing study material. Online students are likely to have other obligations and commitments that take up their time. An unsteady connection would frustrate the student, discourage learning, and hinder performance (Paul & Jefferson par.20). Despite the freedom to move around, students are grounded by an internet connection and cannot operate without high bandwidth. While a student may easily find free Wi-Fi locations, their internet connection quality may be low. Online students require a fast connection to work on school projects.
Time Management
Students that take online courses determine time management as the greatest disadvantage to their studies. While online education posits the possibility for an individual to learn anytime and does not limit their location, its best appeal also makes it difficult for most students who choose this option to learn. Online learners feel pressure to finish assignments and operate as in face-to-face classes. They have to be organized, a factor that elicits problems as online students are notorious procrastinators (BC Campus par.12). These students may get behind if they do not have individuals that pressure them to develop timetables to cover their assignments on time before their next classes (BC Campus par.12). Therefore, time management is a crucial disadvantage for students taking online courses as they are not provided with schedules to handle classwork.
Furthermore, Montgomery college showcases one of the online learning’s major issues as procrastination, an aspect of bad time management. Internet-based courses are notorious for procrastination as students do not have a guiding force stating they should attend class on time (Montgomery College par.13). Students’ freedom in this aspect translates to a dangerous state as they do not have reminders for assignments that are due or upcoming exams. This freedom with no supervision makes it easy for individuals to put off assignments and reading in an online environment (Montgomery College par.13). An individual may realize they have wasted a lot of time and are required to submit assignments and take exams they are ill-prepared to handle.
Procrastination is a widespread issue among college students that pursue online courses as they may prioritize other issues as opposed to learning. Irma Jones and Dianna Blankenship also state that procrastination is a major problem for undergraduate students and their faculties (2). They claim the habit’s effects on academic performance pose a significant concern for these institutions. In this instance, student characteristics, technology, and instructor characteristics are the main variables affecting online students’ performance (Jones & Blankenship 2). An online environment provides procrastinators with the perfect environment to deviate from their duties. They discern that study materials are readily available and fail to allocate their days effectively to optimally gain academic information, making the system disastrous to their learning (Jones & Blankenship 2). Online learning provides a good environment for procrastinating, affecting many students’ performance.
Rutgers considers time management in terms of distractions at home as opposed to a classroom setting for college students as a major problem for online learning. Online learning requires electronic devices, an ironic issue as they may distract a student from the learning process for extended periods (Botros par.2). Students are prone to using their phones or keeping them close during study sessions. They may be distracted by incoming text messages, ignoring their timetable and deviating from studying to respond (Botros par.2). It is also plausible for students to watch videos or open social media accounts such as Twitter as they study. These distractions are major detriments to student performance as they do not concentrate on their studies due to time management challenges.
Works Cited
Botros, Sandy. Online Learning Distractions at Home, 2020, Web.
Dumford, Amber D., and Angie L. Miller. “Online Learning in Higher Education: Exploring Advantages and Disadvantages for Engagement.” Journal of Computing in Higher Education, vol. 30, no. 3, 2018, pp. 452–465.
Jones, Irma S, and Dianna C Blankenship. “Year Two: Effect of Procrastination on Academic Performance of Undergraduate Online Students.” Research in Higher Education Journal, vol. 39, 2021, pp. 1–11.
Montgomery College. “Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Courses.” Montgomery College, Maryland, Montgomery College, 2022, Web.
Paul, Jasmine, and Felicia Jefferson. “A Comparative Analysis of Student Performance in an Online vs. Face-to-Face Environmental Science Course from 2009 to 2016.” Frontiers in Computer Science, vol. 1, 2019, Web.
Shier, Mary. “10.2 Pros and Cons of Online Learning.” Student Success, BCcampus, 2020, Web.