Distance learning, synonymous with online learning, refers to a method of education where students are placed in an internet-based learning environment. Conversely, on-site classes are defined as a mode of learning where students within the same class attend lessons conducted by a teacher at a physical location.
First and foremost, face to face interaction simply cannot be replicated via digital learning. A cross-sectional study conducted by George Mason University suggested that the potential pitfall in online education is the lack of face-to-face interaction between students and teachers. In-person communication is intrinsic to motivating and helping students understand course material, and the ability to discuss, collaborate, practice and role play ‘live’ with guidance from a facilitator is invaluable.
Second, the discrepancies in utility and quality between onsite and distance learning are conspicuous. according to a 2017 paper published in the American Economic Review, taking an online course reduced the probability of a student receiving an A grade in the class by over 12% in four year, for-profit colleges. Its authors further explained that students taking online courses were also more likely to drop out of college than students enrolled in in-person classes. It is not difficult to connect the dots and check the boxes. Deprived of the enthralling hands-on laboratory experiments, how could a child remember Newton’s third law? Without the PE lessons, what other lessons could a teenager look forward to on a tedious Monday morning? Even in blended modes of learning, where online educational materials are used in on-site classes, the lagged participant response impedes critical school functions like drama classes, hampering the quality of education.
Third, it is essential that we address the lack of accountability caused by remote learning. With the spread of the pandemic, another phenomenon detrimental to the education system is growing ever-rampant: student misbehavior. Imposing discipline in a virtual environment is strenuous and ineffectual. According to advocates interviewed by the EdSource website, “school discipline, such as suspensions and expulsions, is still happening during distance learning, although less frequently than when students attended school in person”. This is exemplified by fraudulent behaviour including cheating in tests, which often goes unpunished, disruptive deviant behaviour, and in cases where interviewees were college students, drug and even weapon violations.
It is also imperative that we address the indefensible fallacies present in the arguments supporting distance learning.
The first of such arguments is with regards to convenience, locational and temporal constraints. Contenders allegethat with distance learning, the problem of wasted travelling time, locational inflexibility and incompatible time zones can be resolved. Another argument includes the scalability of distance learning. The student-to-teacher ratio can be further expanded by utilising pre-recorded videos uploaded on online platforms like Edmodo and Schoology, hence minimising the cost of education on the school’s behalf.
This flawed argument is negated by its preferential prerequisites. Financial costs are incurred to ensure a consistent internet connection, functioning hardware, and a conducive remote learning environment, all of which may not be at an underprivileged student’s disposal. To put this in context, a survey conducted by the US Census Bureau evinced that over 4.4 million households do not have apt access to the internet and are currently facing barriers to connectivity. This is further compounded with the need for parental supervision for younger students, which grassroot families simply cannot afford. Furthermore, the lack of personalised feedback and real-time interaction is a key flaw in the reliance on remote learning, whilst transferring the financial burden from school authorities to the student’s parents. Economically speaking, distance learning further disenfranchises students who are at the bottom of society’s echelon and exacerbates inequalities in educational opportunities.
On-site learning, albeit tedious and dull to some, is a far more beneficial mode of learning. After all, even the most efficacious medication leaves a bitter aftertaste. For some, perhaps online learning may seem like a convenient shortcut, some kind of cure-all miracle. But at what price?
Sources:
Writer: Angela Chan
Editor: Gaille Su
Artists: Holly Liu, Ran Zhao
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