Human beings tend to fear what they don’t understand. To help fill the gap in our minds, we create stories so the matter at hand becomes less frightening or intimidating. Some of us manage to move past this default. But, others succumb to fear and miss an otherwise good opportunity for self-expansion. Take for example the area of online learning. Some people still have stories or myths they tell themselves or other people why it is not for them. But, is it really?
We take a closer look and identify some of the myths about online learning that we encountered along the way.
Spoon-feeding students
One of the things educators find themselves fighting against is rote learning, which might have worked during the industrial age. Questions like, “Are we only feeding information, making it too easy for the new and next generations?” are enough to keep them up at night. Online learning is not free from this prejudice. But, it can foster independent learning because it provides an opportunity for students at different learning phases. A lot of teachers have gotten creative with different online learning tracks, and with proper curriculum, it can teach students to think for themselves.
Diminishes interpersonal skills
We’re now connected more than ever through apps and social networks. They are exponentially growing every second. But most people fear its bane lies in its lack of depth and nuances present during face-to-face communication. People fear that talking at a screen and not with each other has become the norm. Because of this nature, people think that online learning hampers the development of interpersonal skills. What they tend to miss is that online learning enables students to work in teams in real world projects in real time. It is a place to engage with healthy discussions, supplementing the students’ offline learning activities.
Expensive fees
To get what’s new and effective, you have to break the bank. True, or false? With online learning, some people are inclined to answer “true”. They think that it is financially straining. With proper research, you can always find online courses that suit your needs and budget. Online learning also allows you to save on expenses that you would otherwise incur going out, like transportation expenses.
Change is not easy and we handle change differently. But, we make it easier for ourselves and others by understanding how things work. Things we ultimately have to adapt to. We hope that this article helped shed a light and empower you to continue your or your loved one education online. You’ve got this!
