Disadvantages of Online Learning And How To Improve It

Is online learning effective?

In an article published in the Journal Educational Verkenning, researchers argue that as online learning opportunities increase, students and teachers alike have more access to resources and different learning methods. Teachers have more resources available to them to enhance classroom activities, are no longer limited to materials provided by the schools, and can access resources from around the world.

While there are so many benefits of online learning, it poses new challenges that students have to confront. The EDHEC Business School outlines some of the biggest disadvantages of online learning as follows: online courses can be solitary and lack interaction, they can often involve a bigger workload, there may be a lack of access to comprehensive materials and support, and online education requires real self-discipline.

Online courses lead to more procrastination

Online courses are structured totally differently than in-person learning. If you are new to distance education, it will take time to adjust to the structure and timeline for learning online. Procrastination is a normal part of learning. Most people will experience varying levels of procrastination throughout their education. Procrastination doesn’t typically have serious consequences. However, in an online learning environment procrastination is magnified and often has negative consequences due to the self-regulating nature of this type of education.

Online students generally take on more responsibility in monitoring their own progress and completing tasks.There are a multitude of reasons why students begin to procrastinate, including difficulty of the coursework, poor time management, and valuing short-term rewards over the long-term.

Literature suggests that procrastinating tasks is a form of coping with challenging emotions related to difficult tasks, including boredom, anxiety, insecurity, frustration, resentment, and self-doubt. Dealing with difficult or even boring tasks results in negative feelings which drive procrastination.

It is easy to procrastinate in online courses because of the isolated learning environment and the number of distractions. Procrastinating your coursework will cause you added stress and can lead to you falling way behind.

How to counteract the inclination to procrastinate

Strong self-motivation and time management skills are a must for coping with the demands of online learning. An example of a helpful time management tool is making a schedule for learning and setting timers. For example, you can set a timer for 15 minutes in which you will focus and work without interruption. After each increment you can give yourself a break or reward to make the learning process easier.

More useful skills to learn in 2021

Make distractions difficult to access. With endless possibilities to distract yourself from learning, it’s easy to get off course. You may find yourself more distracted than ever before when learning online because you’re not in an in-person classroom where distractions are limited and controlled. If you don’t need the internet for parts of your course, turn it off so you aren’t tempted to surf the web instead of studying. Leave your phone out of reach so you don’t find yourself mindlessly scrolling. Find a calm and quiet environment for learning so you aren’t distracted by other people or background noises.

Create a study group with your online coursemates. Even though you can’t study together in person, you can still create groups to help each other study and hold each other accountable. Working with others can provide support and help you stay on track.

Lack of accountability

Online learning often lends itself to less accountability. Lack of in-person interaction in combination with the endless distractions at hand make it easy for students to ride under the radar. For some students, distance learning provides the perfect place to hide and do just the bare minimum to get by.

It’s difficult for teachers to spot this. Without face-to-face interaction and being able to monitor students’ progress, teachers face the harsh reality of being more disconnected with their students and less accessible for providing help. If students aren’t being held accountable they most likely won’t get the most out of their online learning and will fall short of reaching their full potential.

How can students increase their accountability?

It’s vital for teachers and professors to create a positive learning environment which promotes self-accountability. Teachers need to set clear expectations and make their students responsible for meeting them. Certain standards need to be laid out from the beginning of the course so learners know what is expected of them and what steps they need to take to reach each learning milestone. Teachers should provide constant feedback to students to help reinforce their accountability, whether the student is meeting the classroom expectations or not. Knowing that your professor will be checking in with you and giving you feedback helps incentivize you to complete your work on time.

Another potential solution is finding accountability partners. Whether students choose a partner themselves or are assigned one by the teacher, having another student to work with and check in with can increase one’s sense of accountability. Knowing that one of your peers will be reviewing your work or progress can motivate you to work harder.

Technological problems associated with online learning

The most obvious challenges concerning online learning are technology-related. Whether it’s wifi connectivity issues, lack of proper equipment such as webcams and microphones, or even ineptitude in using technology, students in today’s online education world face numerous obstacles. But the problems don’t stop here. We often only think about how the students deal with online learning, while neglecting how teachers are expected to handle these platforms.

Many teachers don’t have specific training on how to handle online teaching and often face technical issues themselves. Especially as many teachers had online teaching thrust upon them with little notice, the way instructors adapt their teaching methods dramatically varies across the board.

How to deal with these technological problems

There is no straightforward answer for how to solve the technical problems associated with online learning. The best thing you can do is make sure that students have access to quality electronic devices and a stable internet connection.

However, there are measures you can take to improve your overall experience. If you are just now starting an online course, make sure the class you are planning on taking is well planned. Check to see if this course has been offered online in the past and read up on the professor’s qualifications. You can also seek out accreditation of the courses you would like to take. When the course has been switched from in-person to online learning, however, you don’t have the same options. This is why it is important to provide teachers with training on how to use online education platforms, how to encourage students learning online, and how to provide high-quality instruction from a distance.

Less hands-on learning

The absence of face-to-face interaction often correlates with less hands-on learning — more theory and less practice. It can be difficult to take courses at home that typically require practice and interaction, such as performing arts or engineering labs for example. While online platforms work well with streaming live lectures, it’s hard to recreate a lab environment digitally. Online learning also lacks face-to-face communication. Students don’t have the same opportunities to interact with their teachers and peers. This has led to many instructors becoming more creative in the ways they teach.

How to incorporate more hands-on learning at home

Some professors and teachers have developed innovative ways of delivering hands-on learning to their online students. At the University of Washington, professors in the College of Engineering altered their coursework to help students complete lab work at home. They modified experiments to be safe from home and sent kits to their students across the state. So even though it’s not the same as in-person learning, there are ways instructors can be proactive to fill the gaps of online learning.

Another way to improve hands-on learning is making sure you find a way to practice whatever you are learning. Even if you don’t have live sessions with hands-on tasks, you can look for ways to practice and enhance your knowledge outside of your lectures. The more you put your knowledge to practice, the faster you will learn.

You can also compensate for the deficiency of face-to-face communication by finding someone who is interested in what you’re learning. Whether this is one of your fellow students or someone you live with, talking about your courses will strengthen your knowledge and increase your retention of new topics.

Online learning impacts mental health

It’s common that students develop a sense of isolation through distance learning. They no longer have the same opportunities as before to interact with their peers both during and after their courses. They may feel lonely and like they have no support. Lack of group work can intensify feelings of loneliness and cause students to struggle in their learning.

According to researchers, remote learning is strongly associated with a sense of isolation. Students become distanced both geographically and socially, resulting in fewer interactions. In a study published by the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, they found that children in primary and secondary school experienced more mental health challenges as a result of social isolation.

How to combat loneliness in online learning

One way to combat learner isolation and loneliness is to employ methods of teaching that are human-centered. Creating student-first environments allows both the students and the teachers to thrive. Building an empathetic classroom provides students with understanding and encouragement. Acknowledging that students may be experiencing feelings of isolation and openly communicating with them about their struggles can help.

Encouraging face-to-face interactions with family and friends can help combat feelings of loneliness. Since online students are no longer surrounded by their classmates and teachers, they need to be exposed to other interactions to maintain a healthy social life.

Edutopia also suggests a few ways to fight loneliness, including having virtual lunch-dates, after-school games nights online, participating in clubs or sports together virtually, or even setting up pen pals to connect with other students.

Online learning impacts physical health

Not only can online learning impact your mental health, but it can affect your physical health as well. Students who are now forced to sit for many hours behind the computer may develop bad posture. The sedentary nature of virtual learning can be physically detrimental, especially if students aren’t encouraged to have active time at home.

Students who spend a great deal of time online are sure to experience back pain and sore neck muscles due to improper posture. Slouching or straining for extended periods of time can lead to other health problems, including stress, muscle fatigue, headaches, tingling sensations and decreased performance, according to Online Schools Center.

How to improve posture

One solution for bad posture is making sure your learning space is set up properly. Setting up an ergonomic working place will not only improve your posture, but also increase your comfort. Adjust your chair and screen so they are at the right levels where you don’t need to crouch over to use your computer. Make sure you feel comfortable from the beginning and also take breaks to stretch your back and legs whenever you start to feel uncomfortable.

Conclusion: More freedom, more responsibility

As we’ve all heard before, great power comes with great responsibility. Online education opens endless possibilities for innovative learning. It provides freedom and flexibility to learners who previously struggled to attend in-person classes. Distance education can be really positive for independent students and self-motivators. However, online learning requires more responsibility, accountability and diligence. The most important way to cope with the disadvantages of virtual learning is first, learning about the challenges and how they may affect you. Second, finding and trying new strategies of coping with difficulties in online learning to help you succeed. Despite the obstacles you will face when learning online, if you are equipped with the right tools you can thrive in an online learning environment.