As of 2014, six million students took online courses in subjects ranging across the board. That’s only counting the United States, and we know that millions upon millions of students learn an unlimited spectrum of subjects on sites like Udemy and various other online learning platforms. We’re lucky enough to live in a world where an incredible amount of learning is done online and worldwide, and languages are among the most accessible. But is online learning right for you? Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of online learning to help with such a decision.
Staying MobileThe most obvious plus is that learning online can, with very few exceptions, be done from anywhere. While some schools or universities may require you to be on campus even for online classes, the vast majority of online learning is done independently. This means that you can learn on the go, utilizing audio lectures and lessons with portable speaker systems and headsets, whether you’re in the car or the gym. And while you might think that completing a class from your computer would be easy, you can expect a comfortable level of challenge - you’re still learning a new language, after all.
On Your Own Terms
There can be exceptions to this, but the dominant majority of online language learning can be done on your own schedule. One of the greatest perks is the ability to make your own timetable. Rather than having to report to class and keep attendance, you can work on your lessons whenever your busy schedule allows! This is incredibly useful to those of us that might be working while also going to school. The added flexibility makes it so that rather than constantly stressing deadlines, a student can take what workload they can to suit their life.
Stay Motivated
One of the drawbacks to consider is the lack of a structured classroom. Depending on your style of learning, this may be a pretty sizeable con, as some students require a rigid structure to retain learning. If you’re not one of those students, then fantastic! You can keep on learning on your own terms. On the same theme as missing a classroom, you might also be missing an instructor. A risk with online classes is that the professor can feel distant, amorphous, or just nonexistent. Research the class you intend to take to ensure that you’re comfortable learning in this manner.
All in all, online learning is one of the fastest growing styles in the world. A massive number of universities and other such online learning tools utilize online classes or connections. Do your research into each class to make sure that you’re using the right platform to best learn English, or any other subject.
Author Bio: Karoline left her corporate job to spend more time with her family and indulge in her passions of writing and travel. She now works as a freelance writer, offering advice and tips on a range of topics.
Staying MobileThe most obvious plus is that learning online can, with very few exceptions, be done from anywhere. While some schools or universities may require you to be on campus even for online classes, the vast majority of online learning is done independently. This means that you can learn on the go, utilizing audio lectures and lessons with portable speaker systems and headsets, whether you’re in the car or the gym. And while you might think that completing a class from your computer would be easy, you can expect a comfortable level of challenge - you’re still learning a new language, after all.
On Your Own Terms
There can be exceptions to this, but the dominant majority of online language learning can be done on your own schedule. One of the greatest perks is the ability to make your own timetable. Rather than having to report to class and keep attendance, you can work on your lessons whenever your busy schedule allows! This is incredibly useful to those of us that might be working while also going to school. The added flexibility makes it so that rather than constantly stressing deadlines, a student can take what workload they can to suit their life.
Stay Motivated
One of the drawbacks to consider is the lack of a structured classroom. Depending on your style of learning, this may be a pretty sizeable con, as some students require a rigid structure to retain learning. If you’re not one of those students, then fantastic! You can keep on learning on your own terms. On the same theme as missing a classroom, you might also be missing an instructor. A risk with online classes is that the professor can feel distant, amorphous, or just nonexistent. Research the class you intend to take to ensure that you’re comfortable learning in this manner.
All in all, online learning is one of the fastest growing styles in the world. A massive number of universities and other such online learning tools utilize online classes or connections. Do your research into each class to make sure that you’re using the right platform to best learn English, or any other subject.
Author Bio: Karoline left her corporate job to spend more time with her family and indulge in her passions of writing and travel. She now works as a freelance writer, offering advice and tips on a range of topics.
RSS Feed
