Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning in the COVID-19 Pandemic

This report discusses the changes in the education system due to Covid-19 and the advantages and disadvantages of online learning. It also includes an essay on the challenges faced during the project and lessons learned.

STUDY SKILLS

Table of Contents
TASK 1- REPORT..................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..........................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................................7
TASK 2- ESSAY.....................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES......................................................................................................................................11

TASK 1- REPORT
INTRODUCTION
Academic skills can be defined as the knowledge and habits of individuals which can help
them succeed in their career. These skills are acquired by the individuals in their school,
college and from various other institutions. Acquiring academic skills and understanding them
will help the students and individuals to study better with more concentration. Academic skills
include some major skills like critical thinking, reading skills, writing skills and
communication skills which have to be pertained by every student to have competitive
advantage over other students (Mason 2019). This report will be providing a brief description
about the changes in the education system due to Covid-19. The rise of Covid-19 has force the
institutions to choose online education as there medium to deliver classes. This report also
includes the essay on challenges faced due to online education and various skills and
knowledge gain from it.
The topic selected for this report is “Due to COVID- 19, most university classes are now
delivered online. From your experience, what are the advantages and disadvantages of
online learning? Use reasons and examples to support your answer.”
MAIN BODY
Online learning can be defined as the education system which takes place through internet.
Online learning is often called as e- learning and can be defined as the type of distance
learning. Online education system is booming in the society after the rise of the Covid-19. In
Covid-19 the students cannot move out from their houses to gain knowledge. Thus online
education system has been adopted by the education institutions to provide classes to the
students (Davies, 2022). After Covid-19 the education system has changed drastically, as the
rise of e- learning has undertaken the teaching at remote level on digital platforms.
Online learning has made the students more independent and confident learners, as it allows
personalised learning. Online learning helps the students to opt for creative courses at low
costs and through online learning the students can learn from anywhere at any time. Online
learning is an alternative way of studying where the students need not to go to the classrooms

and can study at home. In online learning the reading material, assignments, reports and
classes are all delivered digitally and all these study material is available to the students so
that they can watch it later. There are some advantages and disadvantages of online education
system which have been discussed below and are analysed from my own experience-
Advantages of online learning-
 Convenient and comfortable- Online learning has made education more convenient for
the students which are living in the rural areas or are having any health issues. It is hard for
me to daily travel to long distances and battle with the health problems (Sinfield and Burns,
2022). Online learning has allowed various training programs and have opened up new
opportunities for me. For example, I can now learn new skills and techniques through online
education system. In online learning students do not have to reschedule their activities, as they
have the access to complete their course assignments whenever they want. Online learning has
allowed me to learn new skills and gain knowledge which are required according to their
profession.
 Increased retention rates- Online learning tools help the developers to make more
attractive and creative content which had helped me to learn and remember the information
for more time. I was able to enjoy learning online, because I was able to retain the information
for a longer period of time and apply the concepts at work. Online learning is less stressful
and put less pressure on the students as the students are learning from there place (Hopkins
and Reid, 2018). For example, the course material and details are available with me for the
lifetime thus I can refresh my memory by reading it again and again. These factors have
attracted me to come back again and again to online education system.
 Availability and affordability- The opportunities which students are having through
online learning are boundless as the courses provided in online learning are affordable for
students. For example, I was able to save on rents and transportation as I was taking classes
from my home. Online learning is a boom for society as it helps the students to learn remotely
from their home and also allows students to prepare themselves for the professional
environment (Amini and Samani, 2021). Online learning has been a benefit for me in the
COVID- 19 pandemic as it is not possible to afford huge fees amounts for my parents. In
online education the payments can be done in instalments and there are various scholarship
programs and discounts given to the students learning through online mode. Online learning

helps in cutting down the extra costs which are infrastructure expenses, tuition fees and
transportation fees. This had helped me to utilize my money in more productive activities and
learning new skills.
 Personalized learning- The major advantage of online learning is it is flexible and allows
students to learn according to their capacity and skills. Online learning had helped me to learn
independently and customize my courses according to the skills required in my professional
career (Boettler and et.al., 2022). Technology is the important part which had helped in
enhancing the teaching techniques and learning in a variety of ways like innovative study
material, more personalized learning for the students. I had personally opted for courses
according to the skills and techniques required by me which had helped me in tailoring my
strengths and weaknesses. Personalized learning is the way in which the students change their
learning styles. For example, personalized learning improves student's engagement in the
activities and helps the students in meeting the deadlines quickly with less mistakes.
 Ability to advance career- There are many individuals who are studying while
maintaining their job. This seems to be a complicated task, as it is not easy to maintain a
balance between the studies and the professional career. The challenges which are faced by
the working professionals are overcome by the online learning platforms. Through online
learning the working professionals can gain new skills and apply for different courses without
disturbing their job routine. Online learning provides flexibility and convenience in learning
as the individuals can learn from anywhere and at any time. The working professionals are not
required to go to the educational institutions, thus they can improve their communication and
management skills while working on their career. online learning helps in giving global
exposure to the working professionals as they have the chance to learn from the top
universities of the world while earning money.
Disadvantages of online learning-
 Create a sense of isolation- In online learning there is a lack of interaction between the
students and the teachers after the Covid-19 pandemic. I had personally faced social isolation
issues as I was not able to interact with my friends, thus this had a great impact on my mental
health (Cottrell, 2020). In online learning there is a lack of interaction between the students
and the teachers which had created a feeling of loneliness among the students. For example, in
online learning the students are demotivated and are not able to share their ideas with the

teachers and other students. In traditional learning students have chance to interact with their
teachers and ask their problems which helps in better understanding of the course theories.
 Feedback is limited- In traditional learning the students can get immediate feedbacks from
their teachers which is lacking in online learning. For example, if there is any problem faced
by me then the teachers can resolve them quickly in between the lectures in traditional
approach (Miranda and et.al. 2022). It is important for me to get personalized feedbacks from
the teachers so that I can enhance my skills and improve the studying techniques accordingly.
In online learning I personally experience the lack of personalized feedbacks from the
teachers. So in online learning providing student feedback is a disadvantage and this might
take time as specific strategies have to be build.
 Cheating prevention- The biggest disadvantage in online learning is the prevention of
cheating. For example, students use several methods in which they can cheat in their
assignments and exams (Cazan, 2020). In online learning I have experienced that I cannot
directly be observed as online assessments are complicated than traditional assessments. In
online learning the students are able to let a third person do their exams and assignments
instead of themselves which will provide fraud outcomes. So to reduce the frauds in online
education, anti- cheating strategies can be implemented by the institutions which include
automated ID verification and machine learning which helps in detecting the test results.
 Teachers focus on theory rather than practice- The teachers in online learning tend to
focus on developing theoretical knowledge rather than practical knowledge. In my school life
I have experienced that the theoretical lectures are easy to be implemented than the practical
learning (Hamlin, 2022). Online learning lacks in face to face communication and workshops
which can enhance practical knowledge of the students.
 Lacks face- to- face communication- Online learning is lacking in face- to- face
communication as it does not allow me to get proper feedbacks and also cause social isolation
among the students. There is no pressure on students so they are free to abandon their studies
when required (Villarreal and Martinez, 2018). It is important for me to get proper feedback
on my performance so that they I increase my efficiency by reducing the mistakes. Teachers
can use video chats and discussion boards which can help them in reducing the negative
effects of the face- to- face communication.

 More prone to technical issues- The most faced problems while attending online classes
are technical issues. Both the students and teachers face some type of technical issues while
attending online classes. Online classes are totally dependent on internet connectivity and
digital appliances. It may happen that students are having some network issues, which will
disrupt the classes. In online learning the students and teachers are likely to download some
applications which will become a medium to deliver the classes. If that application is facing
some issues or is not working, then the teachers have to postpone the classes. In online
learning the teachers and the students can face several issues like internet connectivity,
glitches in application.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it is concluded that online digital platforms for learning have
negative and positive effects on lives of every individual whether it is professional, personal
and learner’s life. The preceding report aids for getting the overview of points of personal
evaluation while doing the research like learning lessons, issues and problems, acquired
knowledge and skills which are needed for enhancing the upcoming learnings and researches.
Further the exposure of the learners to the online digital platforms helps in getting new
attributes and aiding in time management and is very cost effective. In last the challenges
which the educators and learners faced in the online learning have been discussed.

TASK 2- ESSAY
Even before the starting of the project there is a lot of planning and strategies have to be
made so that the project is accomplished in the given time. While making this project on the
topic of online classes in the COVID pandemic crisis I also faced many problems and
challenges as there was difficulty for me to perform appropriate research in the time available.
As everybody knows that while completing this project thorough research is needed and I had
less time available for accomplishing project. The primary task was of collecting the accurate
and proper information which is very time consuming. Hence for collecting the data I bought
lot of academic books, journals and articles and also took the access of various sites on online
platforms. Though it was very expensive for me as the monthly budget got over. Further the
gathering of accurate and appropriate data and information impacted my other working
immensely. Meanwhile my major time was taken for collecting of data which leaded in the
incapability for coping with other aspects of projects. I was facing difficulty for meeting the
deadline of project which was very lengthy. It resulted me for deadline missing which was
very frustrating and disappointing. I was not able for manage my time in an effective manner
while completing project which made me in missing the project deadlines.
Each and every project is made by the certain criteria and one motive for making this project
is being getting the experience. In the COVID crisis time I was doing my study on online
platforms itself only. Hence when I started making this project there were many areas which I
personally loved a lot. I kept always researching various things on the online digital platforms.
I even enjoyed a lot while the gathering of data as I was able to do intense and deep research
about the subject. So when I completed the project I got to learn many things. By the reading
of various kinds of articles and lot of books which was the favourite part of the project as I
like to read a lot and I enjoyed very much. While the making of the project I improved my
communication as I had to talk to many peoples and learners and do interaction with them
which very funny for me as I love to do interaction with the individuals. While completing the
project I got to know about many things about the crisis of COVID which I feel was very
informative and essential for me to know. As I have my experience of online learning so I add
the feelings and perspective in the project. By adding my feelings in completing this project
was the best things which I loved and enjoyed very much. In the making of the project each of
the individual have various view points and aspects. So for knowing the feelings and the

perspective for the online learning and teaching was very informative and I enjoyed a lot. By
this I enhanced my skills of presentation and writing for which I got appreciation and will be
essential for me in my future. Lessons which I have learned while completing this project. In
the making of the project I have got to learn many things. Learning online is the contemporary
way of learning where the pupil is able in learning from any person he or she wishes. It is
nothing but the learning or education which took place on the internet. For learning by online
mode various applications, websites, channels get involved. It is somewhat of long distance
learning where the student is not required for visiting various places for attending the lectures.
It is crucial in different aspects and areas like time saving which is sometimes taken in
travelling. It may be done at any place, ant time and there are many other benefits. It is helpful
in developing the latest skills which may not be developed in the academics. Learning by
offline mode is the way of conventional method of learning where the learner has to come to
the various locations like colleges, schools, coaching and other places. It’s the simple and
easiest way of learning as the assignments deadlines are thee, many tests are there, many
individuals are there for the same purpose so the environment is little bit competitive. In this
type of competitive environment, the learner has the will for learning and there is feeling of
doing better and passing the tests. While I was working on the project I felt that there are
many aspects where I need to do some improvements. I found that my research skills are little
bit weak and it is a vital skill which permits the researcher for searching the content, organize,
locate and extract and others in an effective manner for the specific topic. In consists of the
different areas like the collection of data, writing of the report, perform analysis and many
others. I need to enhance all these areas as I faced many difficulties which I want to reduce as
these aspects waste my precious time which I may use in other activities. I need to be a better
researcher and writer of the report as I think these are very fundamental skills which the
students must have. It is the type of skill which is crucial for analysis and evaluate the specific
topic or the issues in a deep manner. They are the skills which permits the learners for
understanding themselves in a better way, which encourages them and is very crucial in
completing any research and project. I must develop these type of skills as I faced may issues
while thinking in an effective manner in different subjects. It is vital skill for the students as
there is regular working of making of different projects and perform research about academics
and in corporate life also. I also need to develop the interpersonal skills such as non-verbal

and verbal skills which gets displayed during the interaction with other individuals. This skill
will aid me in building the strong professional and personal relationships with the other
peoples. I will be greatly benefited for understanding the friends, co-workers and others for
making the impression when I have to research about the project. It will also aid me in
growing the social network which will further facilitate the discussions and enhance my
productivity. It will help me in future when I will work on the other projects for making sure
that my team works in a smooth manner and have the cordial relationship of working. I also
felt that I lacked the organizational skills including planning and skills of managing the time
as they use my energy, time and mental capabilities and other resources in an effective way
for achieving the goals of professional life and project completion. This skill will aid me in
maintain the clear thinking and in a logical manner. If I was able to plan, prioritise and
delegate the activities of the project my stress would reduce to a great extent and enhance my
productivity which will further aid me for achieving the outcomes which I want and I will be
able to focus on big objectives. It also removes the procrastination and result in enhanced
motivation between peoples. Confidence is the last skills which I want to enhance as I was
unable to communicate with the other individuals in a proper way which resulted in less
information gathering for the project. Confidence gives the sense of accomplishment as the
person is able to talk and perform the daily activities of the project in an effective way. It will
aid me in meeting the challenges successfully and consists of willingness for performing the
essential actions for the success of the project. It is the vital skill which will aid me in
professional and personal situations.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Amini, S. and Samani, S., 2021. Causal modeling of student social support, academic skills and
academic self-efficacy. Biannual Journal of Applied Counseling, 11(1), pp.1-20.
Boettler and et.al., 2022. Academic skills, community engaged, leadership, and global themed first-
year seminars: Comparisons in student success. Journal of College Student Retention:
Research, Theory & Practice, 24(1), pp.213-233.
Cazan, A.M., 2020. An intervention study for the development of self-regulated learning
skills. Current Psychology, pp.1-18.
Cottrell, S., 2020. Teaching study skills and supporting learning. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Davies, M., 2022. Study skills for international postgraduates. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Hamlin, M.D., 2022. Developing Self-Directed Learning Skills for Lifelong Learning. In Self-
Directed Learning and the Academic Evolution From Pedagogy to Andragogy (pp. 209-234).
IGI Global.
Hopkins, D. and Reid, T., 2018. The academic skills handbook: Your guide to success in writing,
thinking and communicating at university. Sage.
Mason, H.D., 2019. Evaluation of a study skills intervention programme: A mixed methods
study. Africa Education Review, 16(1), pp.88-105.
Miranda and et.al. 2022. STUDY SKILLS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF COLLEGE
STUDENTS IN THE NEW NORMAL ENVIRONMENT. Southeast Asian Journal of
Multidisciplinary Studies, 1(2).
Mukingambeho and et.al., 2019.Levels of Study Skills Among Undergraduate Students in Rwanda:
The Case for the National Police College. Interchange, 50(2), pp.221-247.
Sinfield, S. and Burns, T., 2022. Essential Study Skills: The complete guide to success at
university. Essential Study Skills, pp.1-100.
Villarreal, V. and Martinez, A., 2018. Assessing study skills in college students: A review of three
measures. Journal of College Student Development, 59(5), pp.629-635.