Online school has become incredibly popular since COVID-19.
There are many questions that people have about online school when considering taking part. Some of the main questions about online school are the pros and cons of online learning, how it has changed since COVID and what online provides that in-person does not.
Online school has many pros and cons. One of the main pros would be the flexibility online allows. Online school allows students to create their own schedules. Obviously there are still due dates and time limits, but if students have other obligations in their lives such as a family or a job, they are able to find times that work best for them to get their work done.
Jacqueline Hulderman-Tavernier, an academic advisor at Kellogg Community College, expressed how online school can be a good fit for students who do not feel comfortable with in person classes.
“Online courses have also seen a rise in popularity for students who do not feel comfortable in an in-person format for personal or health-related reasons,” Hulderman-Tavernier said.
This is something that a lot of students struggle with and online school offers a good alternative.
A con of online school could be the lack of social interaction.
Kris Shrontz, an elementary school teacher, stressed how online learning can take away from social interactions.
“Online learning can be a really good option. However, it lacks the social aspect with peers,” Shrontz said.
Another downside of online learning is if a student learns better face to face. Luckily, COVID is a little more under control now and those students are able to go to in-person classes, but online sometimes is not a good fit for certain students.
Online learning has grown more popular since COVID. There are a lot more options for classes online now that COVID has affected schools. There are many more classes offered and it is easier to enroll online now.
Hulderman-Tavernier spoke about what KCC specifically has done since COVID in regards to online schooling.
“Since the pandemic, KCC has invested in numerous technology improvements and new software that adds more support and resources for both students and instructors,” Hulderman-Tavernier said. “So overall, I would say that since the pandemic online courses have gotten better, instructors have gotten more comfortable teaching them, there are more resources and support for both students and instructors (tutoring, tech support, Starfish, etc.), and more courses are being offered.”
These improvements help a lot of students get the education they deserve online.
Online offers certain things that in-person does not. As discussed earlier, flexibility is one of the main things online offers that in-person does not. The flexibility of online school is a big factor for a lot of students. Being able to do schoolwork on their own time makes school seem a little less daunting.
Online school has its pros and cons, but is the right fit for a lot of students.
