Online vs. On-Campus Classes – What’s Better?

When the students get their college or university acceptance letter, they feel like they are at the top of the world. They feel free and accomplished without even realising what they are in for. Sure, living alone comes with its challenges, but when things start to get tough, the students can quickly pay someone to do their assignments. This feeling makes them feel ecstatic, so they choose to ignore everything else that people tell them, like what to expect when living alone and the cons of college life.

This was all, however, before the year 2020 started. Because in 2020, the world changed tremendously due to which all of us had to adapt. With the spread of Coronavirus and it is becoming a pandemic, the whole world came to a halt. Organisations made their employees work from home, whereas the students were asked to take online classes to contain the virus’s spread. After several months of staying in lockdown, things have started to re-open. While precautions are still being followed, the number of cases is rising quickly, bringing us closer to another lockdown. While all this happens, the students are feeling more and more worried about their education and future. They cannot take online classes forever since they aren’t as good as an on-campus class. But the students are divided. Everyone has picked a side, and it is time we see which method works best.

To start it all off, we will first talk about the online classes and look into their pros and cons.

The pros and cons of online classes:

Pros:

The most significant advantage of having online classes is that they save a ton of money on conveyance. They no longer have to spend all that money commuting from their homes to the campus. Not only this, but they are also getting enough sleep since they can take the class in their pajamas. They have to wake up and turn on their computers or mobiles, depending on what they are taking their study on. They no longer have to waste time getting dressed and ready, having a proper breakfast to eat before leaving because now they can do it side by side their lecture.
The students no longer have to ask for their teacher’s permission to go to the bathroom or eat or drink anything. It saves money and the time and effort it takes every day to get up, get ready, and leave for college.

Cons:

The online classes are quite tricky since they require a deep understanding of the methods being used. In the beginning, it was not easy for the teachers or the students since no one was accustomed to teaching or studying on Zoom or Google Meet. The teachers had to change their strategy to make their lectures interesting enough to keep the students engaged. As if that was not a hurdle in itself, the teachers also had to develop smart ways to quiz the students and prevent cheating and copying. As for the students, not every student has a fast and reliable internet connection, which would make them go thought the lecture seamlessly without disconnecting. Not only that, but not every student has a good laptop, which will support all the things being used. The students find it hard to participate since you always have to unmute and mute yourself, whereas it is not an easy task to stay awake, looking at a computer screen for hours. Not just this, but students who live with their family or caretakers find it much more difficult to cope. They cannot give proper attention to their class due to all the distractions at their homes.

The pros and cons of on-campus classes:

Pros:

The main thing which almost every student misses is the human interaction that took place in on-campus classes. Sure, the whole process of getting up each day and going to college seemed tiring and tedious, but the different people we met and interacted with during this entire process was excellent. Now, sitting at home taking online classes, the students are just confined to the four walls of their homes.

On-campus classes were more accessible when it comes to education since all the students could ask the teacher whatever they wanted after raising a hand. But with online courses, the student would have their hand up (on Zoom), and the teacher might not even notice. This makes it more confusing for the students since they do not understand the topic thoroughly and then have to read reference books to understand those concepts discussed.

Cons:

On-campus classes are far more tiring than in online courses. To reach the class on time, the student had to wake up early, at least an hour before the class, get dressed, eat breakfast and then leave to catch the bus or train to commute. Since studies have shifted to the online medium, a lot of time, effort, and money has been saved.

With the on-campus classes, students who are shy and have stage fright had to spend a lot of time thinking about what to say and what not to say because they fear not speaking up. So when it comes to online classes, every student has the liberty to ask whatever they want without feeling shy.

The final verdict:

If we look at it closely, online classes do have a lot of advantages. But in the long-run maybe this will be the future of education. Colleges and universities might shift to online mediums since it requires less cost in the long run. So, while it is difficult for you right now, learn to live with it and give it a shot with a clear mind.

Although both the online classes and on-campus classes have their pros and cons, we need to see which one works the best in this situation. We cannot afford to put others at risk by conducting on-campus classes, which is why online courses are the way ahead for now. Until things clear up, make sure you make the most of this time and opportunity.

Author’s Bio: George has been working as an academic writer for the past three years. He helps all students who desperately come to him, asking, write my assignment online? He is always up for a challenge and has made it his life’s mission to make education more comfortable and accessible to every student.