According to Europa (2022), a significant increase in the number

and variety of online courses has been observed in recent years.

Although online courses have been welcomed as a great

opportunity by a number of students, others still see them as less

useful than traditional face-to-face courses. Evaluate the
effectiveness of online education, and discuss to what extent online

courses can replace traditional classroom teaching.

Nek Arthur Jonathan

R2301D16067470

Induction Module

UOS-IND-M-100-47199

28th February 2023

INTRODUCTION

There is an undeniable lack of contention as regards the extent to which our lives have been
impacted by the internet and world wide web. Technology is a big contributor to the flexible
study options available today, as it makes it easier to connect teachers and students, no matter
whether they are in a physical classroom, in another city or in another part of the world. Today,
even the in-person classes already undoubtedly rely, to a significant extent, on the internet as
most scholars use the platform to access an infinite amount of information on various research
topics, essay papers, et cetera. Ssemakula M.E (2005) examines how the instruction that is being
delivered to students is undergoing an unprecedented transformation as a result of various social,
economic, and technological factors. Online learning provides but a glimpse into the vast global
reach that the internet offers today and if the fairly recent lockdown due to the Coronavirus
disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic is any indication as to how increasingly important this is,
then the foray into online studies is one that must be welcomed by all. Several studies have
investigated student data from online courses and many of these studies have looked at student
satisfaction and dropout rates which indicated that the students in online courses are equally
satisfied and learn as effectively as students in face-to-face courses (Cavanaugh J.K, 2005). It is
also predicted by Palvia et al. (2018) that online education will become the mainstream form of
education by 2025 owing to the massive adoption of the internet and the high demand for use of
the internet. This essay therefore aims to evaluate the effectiveness of online education in
equipping learners with practical life skills and discuss the extent to which online courses can
replace traditional classroom teaching.

BODY

The similarity in format of online courses to in-person courses ensures that the educator/teacher
moderates virtual discussions among the learners, gives assignments and follows up with the
individual students (Loeb S, 2020). An even greater advantage though, is that these virtual
discussions are often recorded, and the learners have constant access to these digital files to
which they can always refer.
According to Means et al. (2010), the success of an education system or modality can be
evaluated on its ability to equip the students with the skill and knowledge to make them efficient
and effective individuals with practical applicability of the acquired knowledge and skill. This
involves giving them a certain amount of freedom and flexibility in their learning and as a result,
online students may have an advantage as their class format typically relies greater on their self-
discipline and self-motivation in comparison with those taking in-person courses.

It is almost unquestionable that several busy professionals find a preference for online courses
that are adaptable to an individual’s schedule and thus ensure continuous professional
development amidst hectic work agendas. This schedule-adaptability attribute of online courses
also develops and encourages the skill of multitasking among online learners hence making them
better equipped to tackle everyday life challenges using practical solutions. “Digital education
facilities have enabled many learners to gain qualifications and even retrain for new careers at
any stage in their life, by offering online learning courses that can be taken over a long period of
time. This opens up formal education for those who can’t leave full-time employment or other
commitments to attend university, allowing them to study and achieve at home and at convenient
times.” (Emma 2020)

Continuing Medical Education (CME) conferences that provide educational opportunities to

improve the skills and knowledge of medical and healthcare professionals are nowadays held
virtually and in so doing, eliminate the expenses associated with physical attendance e.g travel
costs, while at the same time easing access to experts since conversations can be had at any time
and any place.

Another important finding in the several studies that have been conducted on online courses is
the aspect of inclusivity as diversity has become the norm in the modern classroom. “One of the
key factors is incorporating students’ cultural and personal background into the learning
experience, which can be done through discussions and debates.” (Nikotina A, 2016)

Conversely, online education is not without fault and some of the more frequent shortcomings
that are identified by various studies include limited or absent physical social interaction, learner
procrastination given the flexible nature of the course(s), and lack of Information Technology
(IT) competence due to limited/no access to internet and or internet enabled devices especially in
low to middle-income countries. However, one can still argue that virtual discussions among
learners is actually more engaging as they are moderated by the teachers in real time and often
attendance with active participation is mandatory and contribute to the overall grades of the
students. “But just because students who struggle in in-person classes are even more likely to
struggle online doesn’t mean that’s inevitable. Online teachers will need to consider the needs of
less-engaged students and work to engage them.” (Loeb S, 2020). Internet access was declared a
human right by the 2016 UN general assembly and it is only a matter of time before everyone is
able to access it along with the inevitability of online education.

CONCLUSION

From this we can infer that online education is significantly effective in imparting knowledge
and practical life skills in the learners. Moreover, it is nothing short of the new norm that has to
be accepted and adapted to rather than refuted as unbecoming. As per the extent to which it can
replace traditional classroom teaching, only time will tell as technological advances are achieved
every other day.

The category of mixed online and in-person studies, also called hybrid studies was not
considered in this essay and yet it could provide possible prospects of how merging online and
in-person classes could result in a more advanced, efficient and effective education system in
today’s world! More studies are thus recommended in this aspect.
References:

Mukasa E. Ssemakula. (2020). Learning Effectiveness In Online Vs. Traditional Courses. 2005
Asee Annual Conference and Exposition: The Changing Landscape of Engineering and
Technology Education in a Global World. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2--14734

Joseph K. Cavanaugh. (2019). ARE ONLINE COURSES CANNIBALIZING STUDENTS

FROM EXISTING COURSES? Online Learning, 9. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v9i3.1781

Palvia, S., Aeron, P., Gupta, P., Mahapatra, D., Parida, R., Rosner, R., & Sindhi, S. (2018).
Online Education: Worldwide Status, Challenges, Trends, and Implications. Journal of Global
Information Technology Management, 21(4), 233–241.

Loeb, S. (2020) How Effective Is Online Learning? What the Research Does and Doesn’t Tell
Us. Available at: https://www.edweek.org/technology/opinion-how-effective-is-online-learning-
what-the-research-does-and-doesnt-tell-us/2020/03 (Accessed: 27th FEB 2023)

Means, B., Toyama, Y., Murphy, R., Bakia, M., & Jones, K. (2010). Evaluation of Evidence
Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies.
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html

Emma, (2020) Online learning vs. in-person classes – what’s better? Available at:
https://www.ef.edu/blog/language/online-learning-vs-in-person-classes-whats-better (Accessed:
28th FEB 2023)

Nikotina, A. (2016) Online vs In-Class: Are We Asking the Wrong Question? Available at:
https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/online-vs-class-asking-wrong-question (Accessed: 27th FEB
2023)