Online Vs offline: the public opinion

After the pandemic started in March 2020, schools and colleges were closed.

In this article, we will talk about the advantages and disadvantages of both online and offline classes and the public’s opinion on both.

As students, we are all aware that when we prepare for exams, we need proper notes, an understanding of the subject, and the will to study. For years, we have all woken up early in the morning, to get ready for school or college and interact in a social environment. After conducting thorough research on both offline and online, it has been decided by the public that offline classes hold the power. Students were asked what would they prefer if they had any choice and most of the replies came back positive for offline classes. There are both advantages and disadvantages to both online and offline. Let us discuss some of them in this article:

Online classes:

For almost 2 years now, we have all been stuck at home listening to online classes, writing assignments, and barely having any social contact. If it has to be decided whether online classes are better or worse, we need to discuss the advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

• It is more convenient: We can all agree that online classes are more convenient. Students who have to commute for a long time, now have the freedom of staying at home avoiding the commute. This saves them both energy and time
• It is more flexible: Earlier we had to be at our college or school early in the morning. Today, we have more flexibility. You can save time and money by not traveling every day. You could use the saved extra time to take up courses, work on personal projects or just relax.
• It is cost-effective: Since there are no physical classes, the institution saves money by not running their buses and less electricity bills to pay. This in turn makes online classes much more affordable for parents.
• Student-teacher interaction: If a student is shy to ask a question in front of their classmates, they have the option to privately text the instructor. Even though offline interaction is better, online also has an advantage to some degree.
• Less intense: After a long day at school, you come home and there’s no energy left to participate in any extracurricular or hobbies. With online classes, you enter the class at the given time and are free after that to indulge in other activities.

Disadvantages:

• It may create a sense of isolation: When you are alone at your home, trying to comprehend what the teacher is saying, you might have feelings of being isolated. Whereas in an offline class, you have your peers next to you trying to learn.
• It requires self-discipline: Unlike offline classes where you need to sit through the class and be alert, in online classes you could easily withdraw attention. To be able to listen to the whole lecture, you need to have self-discipline as there won’t be a teacher to hover over you making you do the assignments
• Lose focus: In online classes, since you are at home, you may get too comfortable and not focus on classes.
• It requires a stable internet connection: While those who have  good network connection at home are set but it’s difficult for those who live in areas where the network is bad as they are often unable to join classes. This remains one of the biggest disadvantages of online classes.
• It requires additional training for teachers: Those who have little to no knowledge about the software must learn them first to be able to teach.
• Online means more screen time: For both students and work-from-home employees, online work means a longer screen time causing eye problems and headaches.
• Requires you to sit at one place: Unlike offline classes, online classes requires students and employees to sit at one place resulting in no physical activity which may cause obesity.

Now let us turn to offline classes,

Advantages:

• Small kids cannot cope with online classes. For them, offline classes offer better opportunities.
• Student-teacher interaction: It is only possible in offline mode where students have the chance to directly interact with their lecturers.
• Students learn to maintain discipline: With teachers looking over all their actions, the students are much more focused on their work.
• No more gadget addiction: Since children do not require the use of gadgets it reduces their screen time.
• It involves practice-based learning.

Disadvantages:

• Commute: The main issue with offline classes for most is the long distance they have to cover every day to reach on time
• Longer schedule: Offline classes might require the students to stay longer in schools and colleges.
• Lectures once delivered cannot be repeated: Unlike online classes where a teacher can record the class and then share, that cannot be done in offline classes.
• Loss of studies: It is easier for students to attend online classes when they are sick rather than not going and missing out on studies.

With this, we have established the pros and cons of each model.

Let us talk about public opinion.

After interviewing multiple parents, teachers, and students, I have concluded that most prefer offline classes. Without internet problems, the teacher’s and the student’s jobs become easy. Although online classes have a lot of advantages most parents prefer their kids to go out in the world, interact and explore. For toddlers, social interaction is extremely important so that they don’t become shy and reserved. The students also prefer offline classes as they have more social interaction, better learning, and more extra-curricular activities.

While both have their pros and cons, offline classes have been the winner.

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