Friday, October 28, 2011

The Pros and Cons of e-Learning

e-Learning has become a popular choice these days for both hobbyists and professionals alike. Even those who have long wanted to finish a degree finds hope with online courses that are easy to sign up for. But you might be wondering, what is it about learning online that people find so much of an advantage?

The Benefits of e-Learning

Stay-at-home moms, people with a full time job, working students—what could be their common denominator? It’s that they have current responsibilities that they cannot just discard. With this in mind, they cannot attend school just like most students could. But this doesn’t mean that they don’t have enough extra time for other things because they do. It’s just that their extra time might only be during evenings or  the weekends.

e-Learning generally allows you to learn at your own pace and at your own time. Classes are not simply handed out to you but you are given the choice which class schedule would work for you. What’s even better is that sometimes, the instructors would simply give a deadline and allow you to learn through your own way. Just make sure that you can submit the requirements as needed.

Most e-Learning sites are also equipped with online forums. This way, you can meet fellow learners like you who have taken the said course. This can also be a good opportunity for you to have new business networks and prospects. If you are also taking up a hobbyist course, you can instantly be part of a community where you can practice what you guys are learning online.

Some Probable Cons with e-Learning

But you should know though that e-Learning is not exactly a perfect setup for everyone. For one, you are left on your own to study most of the time. If you don’t have anything against working on your own as opposed to working in groups, then it should be fine with you. Most of these online courses also offer their own references online but there are times when you are also left on your own to find good resources for your paper work.

Also, there could be a lot of distractions when you work from home. So if you want to learn online, you may want to have a separate room once you start your classes at home. This way you can prevent being distracted by your family members or whatever else might currently be going on inside the house.

Having so much time on your hands can also become a double-edged sword. Because you are totally in control of how much your lessons go forward, it can be easy to take for granted all the free time that you get from your instructor. This is why it is important to keep tabs on your current lessons and also have a constant reminder for yourself by having a planner. In the end, your discipline would surely be tested as you try to stay on top of your lessons.

There are a lot of pros and cons with e-Learning but in the end, it’s really up to you to try to make things work despite of all these. You should also plan things before trying to take an online course because it is also an added responsibility and an investment you should maximize.

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