online education and work from home advantages and disadvantages

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The Realities of Remote Work

• Laura Amico

Work-life boundaries are blurring and managers worry about productivity. What can be done?

The Covid-19 pandemic sparked what economist Nicholas Bloom calls the “ working-from-home economy .” While some workers may have had flexibility to work remotely before the pandemic, this unprecedented shift to remote work looks like it could be here to stay in some form.

• Laura Amico is a former senior editor at Harvard Business Review.

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The pros and cons of online learning

What to look for in an online course.

By: MIT xPRO

If you’re at a point in your life where you’re considering continuing your education, you may wonder if online learning is the right path for you.

Taking an online course requires a notable investment of time, effort, and money, so it’s important to feel confident about your decision before moving forward. While online learning works incredibly well for some people, it’s not for everyone.

We recently sat down with MIT xPRO Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager Luke Hobson to explore the pros and cons of online learning and what to look for in an online course. If you’re waiting for a sign about whether or not to enroll in that course you’ve been eying, you just might find it here.

Pros of Online Learning

First, let’s take a look at the true value of online learning by examining some of the benefits:

1. Flexibility

Online learning’s most significant advantage is its flexibility. It’s the reason millions of adults have chosen to continue their education and pursue certificates and degrees.

Asynchronous courses allow learners to complete work at their own pace, empowering them to find the optimal time to consume the content and submit assignments.

Some people are more attentive, focused, and creative in the mornings compared to the evenings and vice versa. Whatever works best for the learners should be the priority of the learning experience.

2. Community

When Luke asks people about their main reason for enrolling in a course, a common answer is networking and community.

Learners crave finding like-minded individuals who are going through the same experiences and have the same questions. They want to find a place where they belong. Being in the company of others who understand what they’re going through can help online learners who are looking for support and motivation during challenging times and times that are worth celebrating.

Some learners have created study groups and book clubs that have carried on far beyond the end of the course-it’s amazing what can grow from a single post on a discussion board!

3. Latest information

“Speed is a massive benefit of online learning,” and according to Luke, it often doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

“When we say speed, we don’t mean being quick with learning. We mean actual speed to market. There are so many new ideas evolving within technical spaces that it’s impossible to keep courses the way they were originally designed for a long period of time.”

Luke notes that a program on Additive Manufacturing , Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality , or Nanotechnology must be checked and updated frequently. More formal learning modalities have difficulty changing content at this rapid pace. But within the online space, it’s expected that the course content will change as quickly as the world itself does.

Cons of Online Learning

Now that we’ve looked at some of the biggest pros of online learning, let’s examine a few of the drawbacks:

1. Learning environment

While many learners thrive in an asynchronous learning environment, others struggle. Some learners prefer live lessons and an instructor they can connect with multiple times a week. They need these interactions to feel supported and to persist.

Most learners within the online space identify themselves as self-directed learners, meaning they can learn on their own with the right environment, guidance, materials, and assignments. Learners should know themselves first and understand their preferences when it comes to what kind of environment will help them thrive.

2. Repetition

One drawback of online courses is that the structure can be repetitive: do a reading, respond to two discussion posts, submit an essay, repeat. After a while, some learners may feel disengaged from the learning experience.

There are online courses that break the mold and offer multiple kinds of learning activities, assessments, and content to make the learning experience come alive, but it may take some research to find them-more on what to look for in an online course later in this article! Luke and his colleagues at MIT xPRO are mindful of designing courses that genuinely engage learners from beginning to end.

3. Underestimation

Luke has noticed that some learners underestimate how much work is required in an online course. They may mistakenly believe that online learning is somehow “easier” compared to in-person learning.

For those learners who miscalculate how long they will need to spend online or how challenging the assignments can be, changing that mindset is a difficult process. It’s essential to set aside the right amount of time per week to contribute to the content, activities, and assignments. Creating personal deadlines and building a study routine are two best practices that successful online learners follow to hold themselves accountable.

Experience the Value of Online Learning: What to Look For in an Online Course

You’ve probably gathered by now that not all online courses are created equal. On one end of the spectrum, there are methods of online learning that leave learners stunned by what a great experience they had. On the other end of the spectrum, some online learning courses are so disappointing that learners regret their decision to enroll.

If you want to experience the value of online learning, it’s essential to pick the right course. Here’s a quick list of what to look for:

• Feedback and connection to peers within the course platform. Interacting regularly with other learners makes a big difference. Luke and the MIT xPRO team use peer-reviewed feedback to give learners the opportunity to engage with each other’s work.
• Proof of hard work. In the online learning space, proof of hard work often comes in the form of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) or specific certifications. MIT xPRO course participants who successfully complete one or more courses are eligible to receive CEUs , which many employers, licensing agencies, and professional associations accept as evidence of a participant’s serious commitment to their professional development.

Online learning isn’t for everyone, but with the right approach, it can be a valuable experience for many people. Now that you know what to look for in an online course, see what Luke and the MIT xPRO instructional design team have to offer by checking out the latest MIT xPRO courses and programs .

Originally published at http://curve.mit.edu on August 8th, 2022.

The pros and cons of online learning was originally published in MIT Open Learning on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Open Learning newsletter

The Pros and Cons of Online Education

Brendan Gawlowski

Contributing Writer

Learn about our editorial process .

Updated December 12, 2023

thebestschools.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Are you ready to discover your college program?

Until last March, most college students had never taken an online class. The COVID-19 outbreak changed that.

In 2021, more than 9 million students took at least one online class. But while distance education has steadily become more popular, and more common among students in their late teens or early 20s, nearly 70% of college students had never taken a distance course until this past spring.

The sudden switch to the online format sparked a wave of problems from seemingly every corner. Students weren't getting the education they expected. Faculty felt under-resourced and unsupported by their institutions. Proponents of remote education could only watch in frustration as students who never wanted to study online were rushed into a watered-down version of what distance courses should be.

A Difficult Transition

Many students taking online classes for the first time in March struggled with the transition. They found the impersonal format frustrating, and soon recognized that some of their professors lacked the technical chops to effectively teach online. Universities with limited digital infrastructure and a very short ramp-up time could do little more than set up a Zoom account and hope their students had internet access.

The slapdash transition had critics wondering whether distance courses provide a comparable intellectual challenge and educational experience. In some cases, students and their parents even protested their school's decision to charge full tuition for online courses.

That frustration is understandable. But anyone underwhelmed by their initial foray into online education should know that they didn't get the normal distance education experience.

That's unfortunate. With the right teachers and tools, a well-produced online curriculum is just as educationally rich, rigorous, and rewarding as classes taught on campus.

"There's sort of a continuum" of online education models, explains Michael Paulus, the assistant provost for education technology at Seattle Pacific University. "There's really basic — go online and talk over Zoom — and at the other end of the spectrum, you have professionally designed courses."

This past March, most students found themselves in the basic, bare-bones format; many found the experience unsatisfying, and came away with an unfavorable impression of online education writ large.

That's unfortunate. With the right teachers and tools, a well-produced online curriculum is just as educationally rich, rigorous, and rewarding as classes taught on campus. That's especially important to keep in mind given where we are in the pandemic. We don't know when it will be safe for everyone to return to campus, and for the foreseeable future, students should expect to take at least some of their classes online.

Colleges that already provided online instruction prior to last March offer several academic advantages over the schools that didn't. Anyone on the fence about whether or where to go to college over the next year should do their homework on what their prospective online program has to offer — and what it lacks.

Online Education Done Properly

Any criticism of online education inevitably returns to one theme: an inability to replicate the classroom experience. To a point, that's a fair critique. Remote education has its limitations, and the format doesn't suit everyone.

But students should also know that well-built online courses are just as intellectually challenging as the classes they're accustomed to. Dedicated online programs have long provided tools and resources that bring the feel of a classroom online, and the industry is full of educators pushing the boundaries of what students can expect to find in a remote setting.

One such person is Temple University's Bora Ozkan, an associate professor of finance and academic director of the school's online MBA and BBA programs. When I contacted him for this story, Ozkan wasn't just willing to talk: He thanked me for reaching out, scheduled a meeting himself, and brought a colleague to the discussion. I didn't really have to press much about online education, as he came prepared with a 15-minute preamble on all that Temple's Fox School of Business does to provide a robust online experience.

"Fox has everything online," Ozkan said excitedly. "We have instructional designers, instructional technologists. We have our own studios, our own video vault. Everything we do in house, we host in house."

Technology sets this kind of online program apart from schools that simply have professors lecture over Zoom. Instructional designers meet with faculty to determine class objectives and map each assignment to those goals, tailoring them for the online format. The extra attention to video and production quality helps make the content look professional, and all material is accessible for students with disabilities.

Those points just scratch the surface. For Ozkan, a well-constructed online program isn't just built to avoid the pitfalls of the distance format, but also to capitalize on its benefits.

"Online education does not necessarily mean three hours of lecture on Zoom. It doesn't work that way," he explains. "We flip the classroom model. We try to keep videos below 10 minutes. Instead of lectures, there are topics of videos."

In a twist on the usual lecture model, Ozkan has his students watch a few related videos before each class meeting. Instead of lecturing, he uses class time to answer questions about the material and build collaborative learning into their time together.

Online education does not necessarily mean three hours of lecture on Zoom. It doesn't work that way. Bora Ozkan

"We put them in groups of three or four, and they do an activity. They submit and then come to the main room to present. It's an interactive process."

Educational technology has come a long way in recent years. It's now possible to break students up into groups over video and have professors pop in and out of discussions. Online content delivery systems, like Blackboard and Canvas, make it easy for students to participate in class discussions, access course resources, and submit homework.

As you'd expect, professors at the Fox School are trained to teach remotely. The school has its own online teaching certificate program, and it requires new faculty to complete the program before they teach an online class.

Talking to Ozkan, it also becomes clear that the enthusiasm and charisma that all of the best and brightest educators share translates well into the online format. The toughest part of interviewing him is getting him to linger on my questions long enough to get an answer before bounding off about Temple's latest investments in online education or how the school has learned from sharing online resources with other institutions.

Ozkan's colleague, Steve Orbanek, only spoke up once in our conversation. In a rare quiet moment, Orbanek deadpanned: "As you can probably tell, Bora is very passionate about all this."

Distance Education of the Future?

Just before the pandemic hit, Ozkan was already pushing his online curriculum into another frontier: virtual reality.

For 18 months, he'd been preparing to offer his MBA-level fintech digital disruption course in virtual reality. The anticipated launch time? Mid-March of 2020.

"The timing was coincidental," he said with a smile.

Virtual reality has some obvious benefits: It's completely immersive, and students have to pay attention because they can't look at their phones or laptops with a headset on. It also feels more like a regular conversation.

"If I have a dual screen, if I'm looking at your picture but not the camera, it does not look like I'm looking at you," Ozkan said.

While it sounds complicated, the setup was actually quite easy: The school simply shipped everyone a headset and told students what time to show up for class.

"We got great feedback" on the course, Ozkan said. "This enhanced our discussions. Our students were actually more immersed, maybe even moreso than face-to-face class, because they had zero distractions."

Will it catch on? Check back again in a year or three.

Most Students Didn't Get That Experience Back in March

As COVID-19 roiled the country, colleges hastily pivoted to online instruction. Technology, or lack thereof, was a major stumbling block. Some students, particularly those who never expected nor wanted to take courses online, lacked access to a computer or a stable internet connection. Many professors tried to adapt their curricula to an online setting, but had no experience or training in how to teach remotely.

"One of my teachers was an older math professor, and he just struggled to record lectures," said Thomas Thongmee, a double major at Pitzer College. "He's not trained in how to do this, he never expected to do it, and here he is at home, trying to upload stuff on his iPad."

Visual arts programs were hit particularly hard by the switch to online. Luisa Rodriguez, a rising junior and a theater major at Wesleyan University, saw the curriculum change dramatically overnight.

"We had started hoping that our theater production would have been put in the live theater. Then halfway through the semester, we ended up switching to Zoom."

She says her professors mostly handled the change well. They adapted to Zoom effectively and sought student opinions on how to best conduct classes online. Still, the challenges of preparing for and putting on a production over the internet were considerable.

"We were working from Eastern time zones, Singapore, Macedonia, and my Pacific Standard Time," Rodriguez said. "It was a coordination nightmare."

Students had to make this adjustment while also processing everything else that came with the pandemic — new living situations, shelter-in-place orders, and a heightened degree of stress and anxiety. All of that made engaging with course material much tougher than usual.

"I started to feel like everything just took a lot more energy to complete," Rodriguez said. "I wasn't following the readings or assignments as closely as I would have if I had a chance to discuss them in person."

By and large, professors did their best to accommodate students. The students who spoke to TBS for this story praised their instructors for their compassion and understanding. Many schools acknowledged the unprecedented situation by shifting to a pass/fail system or by giving students A's.

But even that came with its own backlash. Sketchy internet connections, ad hoc delivery systems, and inflated grades fed the perception that online education was less rigorous than traditional college courses. Parents and students, already burdened by steep tuition prices and the prospect of staggering loan debt, openly questioned why they were paying so much money for what appeared to be a flimsy product.

For supporters of online education, it was not the ideal way for the format to reach a widespread audience. Most schools didn't have enough dedicated faculty or built-out programs to transition well, and proponents worry that people are getting a bad impression of what online education is.

Kevin Gannon, Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Grand View University, was one of many educators who encouraged people to keep an open mind. Responding to an article that argued the pandemic was the perfect time to test and evaluate online education, he likened such an exercise to "giving people a swimming test during a flood."

Schools with Online Experience Were Better Prepared

There are only a handful of colleges throughout the United States that offer all — or even most — of their programs entirely online. But even institutions that only had some programs available online had a leg up on schools without any online infrastructure.

Seattle Pacific University is one such institution. The private Christian university has offered some graduate courses and programs online for years, but until 2020, had held most undergraduate classes on campus.

Seattle's King County was home to one of the nation's first outbreaks, and the surge in local cases coincided with the end of winter quarter at SPU. According to Michael Paulus, the school's assistant provost for education technology, that gave SPU precious time to prepare undergraduate instructors for a quarter like no other.

"Online education requires a whole different orientation. We were actually getting ready to do a faculty-in-service training on how to design online courses. Within a week of the first deaths associated with COVID, we started thinking about taking that program to our faculty."

The big challenge was to get faculty comfortable with the technology they'd be using. SPU is a small school that offers intimate class sizes, and most professors and students come to SPU in part for the face-to-face element. Few professors had any training or experience in online education.

Professors found that some students are more willing to interact online through chat than they were when they were trying to engage a classroom. I think there's [now more] comfort with giving students more digital materials to work with. Michael Paulus

Fortunately, SPU's online grad programs provided a foundation to build course content around for undergrads. The transition was still difficult, but more manageable than starting from scratch. "We had the skills; we had the tech," Palus said. What they needed was "massive scale adjustment."

Paulus's department leapt into action. They trained professors to use the school's online tools, developed templates for certain classes, and offered technical support for students and faculty. It grew into an iterative process, where professors shared lessons and advice on what worked and what didn't with each other. Through it all, Paulus noticed that professors learned how to integrate the tools into their classes. Some even made interesting discoveries that will carry over into their teaching when classes return to campus.

"Professors found that some students are more willing to interact online through chat than they were when they were trying to engage a classroom. I think there's [now more] comfort with giving students more digital materials to work with."

All of that would have been much harder to accomplish if SPU wasn't adequately prepared with a host of online resources.

"A lot of schools had to start from scratch," Paulus said. "They had to get a Zoom license [and] video capturing software. You then have to learn how it works and to support it, and train faculty how to use it. Fortunately, we didn't have to do all that."

Daniel Allred, a program coordinator at Utah State University, echoed a similar sentiment. As a land-grant school, USU has long provided distance education in some format, and the school's experience with digital education left it better prepared to offer student services and to transition classes from in-person to Canvas's digital management system.

"If every class didn't already have a Canvas section associated with it, just that work alone would have been back-breaking for our developers," Allred said.

What To Look for As You Evaluate Programs

Schools that have invested in customized, professionally produced courses with dedicated online administrators and professors are simply better educational investments for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unfortunately, not every school with an established online program falls into that category. There's a very big difference between the schools that offer a quality online program and colleges that let students earn credits without coming to campus.

Here are a few things prospective students can do to make sure they're getting a quality education.

Check out the school's online programming

Sample an online class, evaluate the program's reputation, the future of higher education.

The question isn't whether the online format is a part of college curriculums in the future. It's how much material will be taught and accessed online. Already, most students are familiar with doing much of their research and plenty of their homework online. The transition to a more holistic online format isn't as large as it may sound.

Or, at least it isn't at the institutions that already offer dedicated and well-constructed online programs. Any student who feels uneasy about attending class on campus in the midst of a pandemic would be wise to evaluate their school's — or their prospective school's — online offerings; it's always best to be prepared.

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Are Online Classes Worth It? 12 Pros & Cons of Online Learning

• 12 Sep 2019

A third of all students now take online courses . Although the reasons why vary, there are several key benefits to learning virtually—from increased flexibility to lower costs.

But online courses aren’t for everyone. Some individuals want to engage with faculty face-to-face or need the in-person touchpoints to stay on track and motivated.

If you’re mulling over the decision to take an online class, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons against your career goals and preferred learning style. To help you decide, here are some advantages and disadvantages to learning online.

Pros of Online Learning

1. you can learn on your time.

Online courses offer unparalleled flexibility, particularly for undergraduate students trying to learn a new skill outside of their major or working professionals already juggling a full-time job . You can complete coursework when it’s convenient for you, whether that’s after work or during your lunch break.

You can also schedule your learning around when you’re most likely to retain new information. Whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, you can log in whenever is the optimal time for you.

2. You Can Learn at Your Speed

Some students don’t feel comfortable raising their hand in class and asking the professor to reexplain a topic their peers already seem to grasp. In an online learning environment, you can pause videos or return to concepts covered in previous modules. You can dive deeper into a particular topic instead of skimming over it.

3. You Can Save Money

While there are many free online courses, even those that aren’t still typically cost less than their on-campus counterparts. By learning virtually, you eliminate room and board fees, as well as any commuting costs. And because there’s greater flexibility, you can simultaneously earn a paycheck and an education.

Related: Should You Take an Online Course? 9 Things to Consider

4. You Can Break Down Geographic Barriers

When choosing an online program, you’re not limited by location. You can register for a program abroad without needing to board a plane.

The lack of geographical constraints extends to your peers, too. Online courses offer the opportunity for you to engage with fellow learners from around the world. Through that interaction, you can gain a global perspective and learn how to work collaboratively with people from different backgrounds and countries— skills employers say they look for in candidates .

5. You Can Gain Practical Tech Skills

Completing an online course proves you’re comfortable with technology, which could positively impact your resume as more companies embrace remote work. Showing you’re familiar with digital tools, know how to communicate effectively, and can stay organized are all traits employers look for. And those are the same traits you’ll pick up in an online class.

6. You Can Achieve Similar Career Outcomes

There are several misconceptions about online learning—particularly that you won’t achieve the same outcomes or respect from employers that you would by attending an on-campus program. But that’s not always the case.

In a recent survey by City Square Associates , 50 percent of learners reported receiving more attention from recruiters after completing a Harvard Business School Online course, while one in four said they received a promotion or title change. An online certificate from a reputable institution can have the same, or even better, impact on your resume than a more traditional degree.

Related: 6 Networking Tips for Online Learners

Cons of Online Learning

1. you might have limited, if any, interaction with faculty.

Depending on the type of online program you choose, you could have limited, if any, interaction with the professors. Your peers may be able to fill that void and answer your questions, but you should consider the level of faculty engagement you need to feel like you’re making progress.

2. You Can't Be Disorganized

Completing an online course requires time management and self-discipline. Because you’re not required to be in class on certain days each week, it’s your responsibility to set aside time to study and work through assignments. If you’re highly organized and can commit to a schedule, then you should succeed in an online environment.

Related: 3 Time Management Tips for Online Learners

3. You Might Have Potentially Fewer Networking Opportunities

Depending on the course you choose, there could be fewer opportunities to network with peers. If the social element is crucial to you, choose an online learning platform built around peer interaction and active participation , or perhaps even offers events .

For example, at Harvard Business School Online, more than 60 percent of surveyed past participants say they feel part of a community with similar aspirations.

4. You Really Need to Do Your Research

With more than 11,400 free massive open online courses available alone, the options can be overwhelming.

As you’re compiling research, jot down the qualities you want in an online education to help whittle down the list. Is earning a credential vital to you? Do you want a more immersive, interactive experience instead of engaging solely with videos? By knowing your preferences, it will be easier to spot and eliminate programs that aren’t the right fit.

5. You Can't Always Find Industry-Specific Online Training

Despite the abundance of online courses, there are still limited opportunities for more specialized industries. But if you’re committed to advancing your career, there are business skills that can help you no matter your profession and online courses that can fill gaps in your skillset .

6. You Might Need to Fight Against Misconceptions

Although online learning is growing in popularity, there’s still some lingering skepticism. That’s changing, though; in a survey of executives, 83 percent said that an online degree is just as credible as one earned through a traditional campus-based program. According to employers, if the online program was from a reputable institution with high-quality learners, it was deemed more credible.

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Online Learning

Only you can decide if online classes are for you, based on your unique personal and professional goals and preferred learning style. For many working professionals interested in advancing their careers, online courses offer the flexibility and convenience they need to balance developing new skills with their current life stage and job responsibilities.

Do you want to take your career to the next level? Download our free Guide to Advancing Your Career with Essential Business Skills to learn how enhancing your business knowledge can help you make an impact on your organization and be competitive in the job market.

About the Author

The advantages and disadvantages of online education

 dans 

If you’re seeking an edge on your competitors, additional education is ideal to hone your skills and make connections. Here’s an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of online education.

Shifting perspectives in a fast-changing world

The recent changes in our society have forced us to reimagine some of our most basic, day-to-day tasks. Jobs that were once always done in person are now being performed online; we forego the crowding of supermarkets and restaurants for the safety of delivery and homemade cooking, and face-to-face conversations have been relegated to our phones and computers. We are forced to reflect upon our own communities, even as we are unable to see them.

Online education , once considered a niche area, is now becoming a much more appealing option for university and post-graduate students around the world. 

Online education programmes are particularly suited for those who:

• need flexibility in their coursework
• are looking to continue their current jobs
• have families to look after
• want an internationally recognised course without having to relocate
• wish to travel while continuing to train in their field or acquire new skills

E-learning: the new normal?

Advantages of online learning

An aspect often overlooked by many online courses is that of developing relationships between the students and professors, experts, other students, etc. Collaboration and community are an essential part of the learning process. A solid, defined community within an online course gives students access to:

• Structured opportunities to work with other students , and experiment with various projects
• Significant improvements in collaboration skills, especially in the context of an international cohort and using online tools
• The ability to have one-on-one discussions with teachers , in order to better understand and explore subjects
• Relief from stress caused by technical issues or administrative procedures by having someone available to help
• Engagement and idea exchanges with other students on topics such as how to juggle timetables with work and family, searching for career opportunities, and progress support throughout the course.

Other pros of online education are the following:

• Online education provides high-quality programmes while remaining cheaper.  A high-quality online programme is able to maintain the most impactful elements of in-person programmes and offer them in its online instruction. This does not mean a simple transference of coursework; quality programmes utilize state-of-the-art tools and techniques to create unique material specific to online learners. A face-to-face programme is much more expensive than its online equivalent, due to associated costs and money spent on commuting.
• Online learning is more flexible and convenient . Indeed, you have the opportunity to learn at (almost) any time, at your own pace and anywhere you want.
• Distance education can improve your career prospects. Even while working full-time, you can enroll and complete an online programme that can further your career prospects.
• Distance learning can improve your technical skills   – To complete an online course, you need to know something about computers because you have to navigate various learning management systems (LMS) and different other programs. The computer skills you learn to finish your online course helps you in all your future endeavor.

4 hidden advantages of online learning

Main disadvantages of online education

While the concept of online learning is a great choice for many, some online programmes can be prone to common downfalls :

• Some online courses are solitary. For instance, MOOCs don’t provide the same level of connection and collaboration as in-person courses would. Interaction is usually not a real-time process. Unless direct messaging is enabled, questions for the teacher must be submitted online, with answers typically received later. In a classroom setting, students can interact with teachers more spontaneously.
• Online education often involves a bigger workload  – Since institutions that offer online courses know they cannot monitor their students effectively, they assign more tasks and assignments. This can be a serious problem for students pursuing a degree while working full-time.
• Access to comprehensive materials and support can be difficult. When online courses are particularly static, all of the material is uploaded onto a single server for the student’s open access, without interactions with real humans. This can be problematic for those of us who need live clarification, technical support, or real-time adjustments. 
• Online education requires self-discipline  – When you are in a classroom, you are expected to follow rules and regulations – which instills a sense of discipline. Without the structure of a physical classroom and class schedule, it can be easy to lose focus and not devote the necessary time to course work.

Although there are online schools which are able to address these issues, it’s important to thoroughly review an online programme’s content to determine whether or not it’s at risk of these downfalls. 

How EDHEC Online creates support and community

EDHEC’s online programmes are unique in that they are industry leaders in computer-based learning. Coursework is designed with maximum flexibility in mind.  Expert professors who teach in-person at our world-renowned international school also teach online and are actively involved in designing courses that are specifically tailored to online learning.

Direct coaching is integrated into all of our courses, with professional coachs for career guidance, academic mentors available for direct contact on Slack, and admin and IT help desks specifically assigned to address the technical and logistical needs of online students. 

EDHEC programmes also implement small, consistent workgroups to allow students to foster close working relationships with each other. All students, from the moment they register, are instantly integrated into the alumni network . 

There are certainly online learning disadvantages to be aware of when pursuing an executive education online. An excellent programme, however, can avoid common problems with online learning and soar above and beyond expectations.

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The advantages and disadvantages of learning in online classes in 2023, share this article.

Whether you’re taking a school class remotely or trying to learn a new skill just for fun – online classes can be a great option. They work well for people that can’t always commute, those who work better independently, or simply if you can’t or don’t want to be around a group of people all day. But, it’s not to say that online classes are designed for everyone either. In this blog, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of online classes, as well as help you decide if online learning is the best choice for you. 

• Advantages of online classes
• Disadvantages of online classes

Are online classes for you?

Read more: Top Challenges with Online Learning For Students (and Solutions)

8 advantages of online classes

The explosion of online learning has been a fantastic shift for many people. Students who may have had to waste hours commuting to class can now attend right from their homes. And anyone struggling to take in content at the same speed as a class can now go at their own pace – in a way that works best for their learning requirements. The pros of online classes make learning a positive experience for countless students. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages here !

1. Accessible to anyone with an Internet connection 

More than 20 million new users signed up to a Coursera course in 2021, for a total of 92 million users on the platform! Since online courses are accessible to nearly anyone with an Internet connection, it’s helped to close the global education gap significantly. 

Online classes make learning accessible to those with disabilities and cognitive delays. For example, deaf students can simply turn on closed captioning (CC) to read the conversation and participate in class online. Many video conferencing platforms and learning management systems (LMS) support accessible hardware technology to further increase engagement in online classes. 

Students with cognitive or motor skill disabilities have the option to work at their own pace or take lessons when it is convenient for them. For example, if a student with dyslexia is having a difficult time reading assigned textbook chapters, they can choose to listen to it instead with an option like audio textbook versions. 

2. Flexible scheduling

A major benefit of online learning is the ability for students to attend classes from anywhere. This means students in rural areas no longer waste time driving long distances or riding the bus to get to school. Or , students who need to work to support themselves through school also have an easier time fitting both class and work schedules into their lives. 

This also applies to adult learners that may be juggling responsibilities such as children, work, home management, and more. With busy schedules, it might not be possible to make time for an in-person class. Beyond the time to commute, busy adults might need to be on standby for their children – something that is much harder to do when they’re in a physical classroom. 

The flexibility of online classes has a huge benefit for mental health. It’s been proven that job autonomy leads to mental well-being in employees . For full-time students, schooling is much like a job that takes at least 40 hours of the week. Having the autonomy to choose when and where they attend class can help mitigate common mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Better mental health leads to happier students – which is definitely something teachers, parents, and students alike should all strive for!

3. More affordable than in-person classes

Online learning makes higher education like university much more accessible to the wider population. University degrees offered online are an average of $10  to 11,000 cheaper than in-person equivalents . This number does not take costs like on-campus food or housing into account – it only reflects tuition differences. So you can imagine how significant that difference would become with all expenses accounted for! 

Learning management systems like Thinkific and Udemy are great places to look for affordable (and sometimes free) classes. Industry experts, entrepreneurs, and coaches all offer their knowledge through self-created courses, meaning these courses are often more accessible in terms of pricing while also providing super relevant and realistic course lessons. Students can go directly to the source of knowledge, rather than having to pay expensive tuition fees to big institutions .

There is also a huge amount of free knowledge on websites like YouTube. Channels such as Crash Course and Khan Academy provide high quality content at no cost!

4. Ability to connect globally

It’s possible to connect with teachers and learners all around the world with online courses. Before online learning was widely accessible , you would have had to travel to Hawaii to learn about Hawaiian traditions and cultures, for example . Now, you can join Ka hale Hoaka online school and learn right from your home. 

Even if you’re learning something that isn’t necessarily culture or country-specific, learning with people from different backgrounds can lend fascinating perspectives and discussion to the topic. With so many courses implementing learning communities, it’s easier than ever to connect with fellow students and hear different points of view. 

Read more: 10 Different Types of Online Learning Communities

5. Facilitated peer and teacher interaction

At first , it might seem like students don’t get a lot of interaction in an online course as compared to in-person classes. This can definitely happen – but there are many online courses that prioritize student interaction with each other, and with the instructor. 

For some students, it is easier to communicate through virtual mediums such as forums, discussion boards, or direct messaging than it is to speak up in an in-person class. Through these channels, they still get the benefits of group discussion without having to sacrifice the flexibility of online learning. Dr. Michelle Gottlieb, a psychologist and owner of EMDR Professional Training , also engages with her students by frequently commenting in her course’s online communities and providing advice to students as needed. Many instructors even offer 1-1 coaching sessions for students that are looking for additional learning support ! 

6. Encourages independence and self-pacing

Many online courses offer students the option to take the course at their own pace. This can take away worries that the student might not have time in their hectic life to fit multiple hours of coursework in each week consistently . Self-paced courses are extremely adaptable to busy schedules. However, it does take a fair amount of self-discipline to actually complete self-paced courses.

If students find they are lacking discipline and are unable to complete courses that are self-paced, there are online courses that put students into cohorts with set deadlines. This is a great option for students and teachers that benefit from a more traditional class structure. Instructors that follow this model will often use the drip method, a microlearning approach , to release content at a slower pace. 

Read more : 2023 e-Learning Trends Report

7. Improved tracking and facilitation

If you’re easily disorganized or have trouble remembering what you learned last week, online classes can help you in this area. Most online classroom systems will keep track of which topics and resources you’ve already read, and will point you to which ones you need to do next. It will also automatically file your assignments, keep track of your grades, and calculate your total GPA to date. In comparison, learning through a physical classroom would require you to manage a lot of papers, heavy textbooks, and physical equipment.

Online classrooms also have the ability to launch virtual labs, which makes it easier to facilitate interactive learning sessions. Quizzes and feedback surveys can also be launched through the learning management system  by the teacher, and you can see your results almost instantly. Overall, it’s much faster to see information and results in virtual classrooms.

8. Adaptive to multiple learning styles

Everyone has a slightly different preference when it comes to how they interpret information. There are generally three types of learning styles:

• Auditory learners – who prefer to learn by hearing. This includes listening to podcasts, lectures, and audiobooks. Any verbal explanation goes a long way for this learner!
• Visual learners – who prefer to learn by seeing. Animations, movies, hand movements, drawing, and writing are useful tools for this type of learner.
• Kinesthetic learners – who prefer to learn by doing, or using their hands. Any opportunity to touch, feel, build, and see something in 3D will help this learner interpret information well.

Most people have some combination of learning style, making them hybrid learners. With online classes, there are a lot of ways that students can choose to take in information. For example, a course may offer a video (appealing to visual learners) with a voiceover (for auditory learners) and instructions on how to do the science experiment with home materials (for kinesthetic learners). 

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6 disadvantages of online classes

While there are many advantages to online learning, it’s important to also consider the disadvantages. Some people may find that online learning isn’t for them, so let’s explore some of the reasons why. 

Often requires a lot of screen time

Staring at digital screens all day long has a myriad of negative effects for both adults and children. These effects include eye strain, disrupted circadian rhythm, headaches, and neck and back pain.  Learners taking online classes need to take measures to avoid symptoms of too much screen time, especially if they are already working remotely , in addition to taking classes. Some ways to prevent the negative effects of screen time include:

• Using blue-light glasses
• Taking a break every 20 minutes to look at something different
• Change up your working environment every few hours
• Avoid turning up your screen too bright
• Lower the contrast on your screen

2. Less opportunity to connect with peers

While online classes can actually be quite social in nature, the fact is that you’re still usually completing them on your own most of the time . This can be a major disadvantage – especially for students that already spend a lot of time by themselves at home. Students can combat this feeling of isolation by working on their online classes in coffee shops or libraries where there is a more lively environment . Additionally, they can sign up for classes that have thriving online communities to connect virtually with other students. 

It’s important to keep in mind that many people enroll in university, college, or even community classes as a way to meet friends. Proximity to the same people is a leading indicator that you will befriend those people – just because you see them a lot! If you’re taking classes online, you’ll miss that natural proximity and connection with your peers. It will take more effort to form real-life friendships with online peers (but it is still possible). One way to get a similar level of social interaction in online courses is by opting for a class that has a lot of group project work.

3. Harder to access technical equipment

At a minimum, students need a device with an internet connection to take online classes. Realistically, students will need a device they can also type assignments on such as a laptop or tablet with a keyboard. It’s costly to purchase these devices upfront , especially if you have multiple children in online classes who each need their own devices to complete school work. 

More often than not , in-person classes have a responsibility to provide equipment so students can participate. This keeps class accessible for lower-income students. To circumvent this issue with online learning environments, some school districts provide laptops or tablets so that students can participate even if they can’t afford to purchase devices themselves. Unfortunately, this is in no way a global solution as many school districts don’t have the funds to provide devices. This problem is even more true for students with learning disabilities who require specialized accessibility hardware.

4. Creates extra work for teachers

Teachers become teachers because they love to teach – not necessarily because they have an affinity for technology. This became extremely clear when teachers were first tasked with moving entire courses and curriculums into online formats . For many teachers, this meant lots of extra work recording lectures, moving tests and assignments online, and organizing video call live lessons and homework submission portals. However, once the courses are built, there is only a small time requirement to maintain the content with up-to-date material. 

Teachers might also run into issues with students not participating as much online and not having as much opportunity to collaborate. While there are online solutions to both of these issues, it is a learning curve for teachers to adapt to online teaching. It may take extra time to collect feedback from students in these early learning stages, but this time commitment should decrease over time.

5. Requires more self-control and harder to focus

Online learning can certainly make focusing for long periods of time a challenge. Students are no longer in an environment dedicated to learning and are surrounded by distractions like phones, delivery people , or chores like doing some laundry or walking the dog. The lack of structure means students need to be good at their own time management. This is an added challenge on top of learning that students don’t need to think about during in-person classes. 

Students may also find they run into challenges or don’t understand the material when learning online. Hopefully, the instructor has set up a way to contact them to answer questions, but if not, this will become frustrating for students and will likely cause them to lose motivation for learning. 

6. Lack of hands-on learning

Certain information lends itself better to online learning than others. For example, learning math or biology online will be relatively easier online since it involves a lot of visual or auditory explanations. However, learning things like medical examination, dental work, or even pottery or another trade might be tough because of the hands-on components. For kinesthetic learners, it might be more practical to learn in-person or purchase the training equipment you would need to practice your new skill hands-on at home.

After reading through the advantages and disadvantages of online classes you probably have a good idea if online learning is for you. If you’re disciplined, self-motivated, want to learn something that doesn’t need hands-on practice, or if you need flexibility, online learning is right for you! However, if you need lots of structure, want to learn a hands-on concept, and want to meet people face-to-face , you would probably benefit more from in-person classes.

This article was originally published in 2022, it has since been updated in March 2023 to include the newest info. 

Maddie is a content marketer at Thinkific. When she isn't zealously writing about all things online learning, you can find her glued to a good book or exploring the great outdoors.

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20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes

Online learning has become more accessible in the past decade as potential students discover that they can find ways to obtain a preferred degree while handling their daily obligations. It is a way that encourages post-graduate learning while staying within life and career schedules. Most accredited colleges and universities are now offering programs that make it possible to take some, if not all, of the required courses on the Internet.

Public and private institutions offer online classes more today than ever before in history. This education format is a way to reach students who may have social or economic situations that don’t allow them to enjoy the traditional on-campus learning lifestyle.

As more people have access to high-speed Internet connections, online education opportunities have continued expanding. It has become acceptable in most circles to earn a degree at any level with these opportunities, allowing students to have legitimacy and more accessibility with what they earned.

The advantages and disadvantages of online classes continue to evolve, but these are the current key points to consider if you’re thinking about becoming a student.

List of the Advantages of Online Classes

1. Online classes provide more flexibility to incorporate multiple learning styles. Although you can earn a healthy salary without going to college in some trades, many employment opportunities require an undergraduate degree or higher to obtain a position. That means it can be challenging to get through classes when your learning style might be different than what a local institution offers. Taking an online class allows you to have more control over how you retain the available information.

You can listen to music while you are writing a paper. Online classes let you interact in forums while watching television. Instead of being stuck in a stuffy classroom listening to a lecture, you have the flexibility to learn using the style that works best for your needs.

2. Your classes can fit better into your schedule. Online classes are the perfect solution for anyone who works a full-time job, has a family to raise, is housebound for some reason, or lives in a rural area. These obstacles can make it challenging to enroll in a traditional institution. As long as you have an Internet or data connection, then you can access your study materials whenever you need them. Many professors are even uploading lectures or providing texts that supplement the learning process.

If you have a busy lifestyle and want to get ahead in your career, then learning at your own pace with an online class is an intelligent way to obtain your next college or university degree.

3. It takes advantage of technology innovations. Online classes at many institutions take advantage of the technological innovations that occur every year. These changes get applied in convenient and practical ways, such as the implementation of a rolling semester. Some colleges and universities make their courses dominant from an independent standpoint, making it possible for students to complete their curriculum based on a schedule they said instead of what the professor requires.

As more degree programs become 100% online opportunities, many colleges and universities are finding that the independent and innovative approach makes it easier for modern students to achieve their goals.

4. Online classes are typically cheaper than traditional enrollment. Students that take online classes find that the cost of their college degree is usually less expensive than it would be if they took courses on campus. There are usually fewer textbook purchases to consider, travel cost reductions, and room and board considerations that can cut the cost of a college or university degree by 50% or more. That means each person who uses this opportunity can start their career with lower debt levels.

5. It teaches students how to be disciplined and responsible. If you can access the Internet, then your online course work is immediately available. That means each student must have the discipline to maintain the continuity of their schedule while keeping themselves on track for a successful outcome. The freedom that comes with classes that you take online comes with the need to have higher levels of responsibility. Students must stay organized and adhere to a workable schedule.

Putting all of your time to the completion of an online degree can backfire if you neglect the other critical areas of your life. Take advantage of the flexibility that this option provides so that you can spend some time with your family members and friends.

6. You can receive a degree from an accredited institution. A degree that you earn online from an accredited institution has the same weight in today’s career marketplace as one earned from the traditional approach. That means your credentials and applications will get taken seriously when you are ready to pursue new career opportunities. This advantage also means that you can take the credits earned to other programs, pursue graduate-level courses, or go after that doctorate degree that you’ve always wanted.

7. Online classes offer location independence. Some students may not have access to the program that best fits their needs. It might be across town from them, in another state, or even on the other side of the world. The availability of online classes makes it possible for students to participate in and graduate from their preferred program with less difficulty. These programs do not generally have the same geographic restrictions that you’d find with a traditional institution.

Since moving isn’t an option for many of today’s students, especially adult learners who have career and family responsibilities, online classes allow each person to enroll in the program that’s right for them regardless of where they live.

8. It provides students with real-life career preparation opportunities. When students go to college, then it can feel like you’re living in a bubble. You receive the necessary and valuable information that will let you establish a career one day, but it is not always easy to start developing the practical skills necessary to become good at your future job. Online classes require the same skill sets that many people use every day when working, which means you can enter a job market better prepared for what to expect.

An online class is quite similar to a desk job at almost any company. You must stay in touch through email, manage software solutions, and keep track of your time to ensure that you’re fulfilling all of your obligations. You get tasked with remote work while still engaging with a team to complete projects before a deadline.

9. You form social connections with your classmates. Although it is more difficult to make social connections with an online class, it isn’t an impossible circumstance. Today’s technology makes it possible to form relationships that go beyond sitting behind a computer. Your digital classmates could organize a group video hangout, facilitate conversations, and even do icebreakers that help everyone get to know each other better.

It may not be exactly the same as a face-to-face connection, but technology makes it very close. Video calls and other tools can help you to see each other even if you live on the other side of the planet.

10. It eliminates the need for verbal expression in a classroom environment. Many online students find that it is easier for them to express their opinions in this structure because there isn’t a public speaking component to the education process. You don’t need to worry about a professor calling you up to the front of the classroom to explain a concept or create a diagram. You can express yourself through writing instead, which means if something can get fixed if it doesn’t sound right in the first draft.

This advantage often leads to high-quality dialogs where each learner can carefully reflect the quality of their thinking on each comment, chapter, or project. Then you can move on to the next one whenever you feel like you’re ready.

11. Online classes create more opportunities for a varied learning experience. An online course makes it easier to include guest experts or past students in the classroom environment. Even people from other institutions can get involved in the conversations that take place to facilitate the learning process. Students can receive exposure to a worldwide perspective in their preferred subject instead of being limited to the local point of view. That means the experience has more value to potential employers in the future.

List of the Disadvantages of Online Classes

1. It can take longer to earn a degree when using online classes. If a student is not thoroughly committed to earning their degree, then it can take several years for that person to complete their online classes. Everything that the course requires is up to you. That means you must complete your assignments, read the required materials, interact with your professor, talk with your peers, and take exams according to the rules presented upon enrollment. It can be tempting to ignore your obligations when there isn’t a direct line of accountability as there is when you attend a physical classroom.

2. Some of your required course work might require in-person activities. If you are taking online classes, then there may be some stipulations where you must attend classes or take tests in a proctored environment. If a third-party observer is necessary, then it is up to each student to find an organization that will monitor this process. That means the cost of your classes each semester will go up based on the number of exams you must take.

Some institutions will even require a specific amount of on-campus time before they will award a degree. This requirement can last anywhere from two weeks to two months for U.S.-based colleges and universities.

3. You still need to take the time to fulfill your classroom requirements. Online classes can help students save a lot of time on their learning obligations, but the structure will not eliminate the need to put in some work. If you do not have a lot of free time during the day, then it may be impossible to fulfill the obligations of your enrollment. That’s why the flexibility of this arrangement can be an advantage since you only need to take one class at a time – but that can still be problematic for some people.

It is possible to avoid some of this disadvantage by taking independent learning courses online. When you can complete the work at your own pace, then the pressure of deadlines can disappear. You must still have trust in the program and remain dedicated to a result to turn this education opportunity into a real investment for you.

4. Online classes don’t provide the same face-to-face connections. Colleges and universities provide numerous opportunities for in-person social networking. When you can have face-to-face conversations with your professors and peers, then it can enhance the educational foundations that you receive. Networking functions can serve as essential connections for future career opportunities. The structure of online classes negates many of those potential advantages.

Even though you might have an institution that focuses on small class sizes and curriculum requirements that mandate interaction, a forum conversation or online chat isn’t the same as sharing coffee or lunch with someone.

5. Some online institutions don’t have full accreditation. You must verify that the college or university providing the online classes you want has full accreditation. Many facilities are not accredited even with the expansion of Internet access. That means your degree and qualifications might not receive the recognition you expect from potential employers. It may not receive serious consideration from other professionals in your preferred industry. This disadvantage also means that any credits earned might not be transferable to another institution.

The outcome of this disadvantage can be a costly mistake in terms of time and money. You’ll want to make sure to verify the specific accreditation of any school you’re considering before you even turn in an application.

6. You must have access to the Internet to complete your work. Online classes require you to have access to the Internet so that you can complete your assignments on time. If you don’t have the equipment at home to do the work or a connection that is fast enough to handle your course work, then it may be challenging to have a successful experience with this learning option. You’ll need a computer or tablet PC, a home-based ISP, and any peripherals necessary for your degree program.

Some public libraries and other institutions may offer computer access, but it may come with limited time or additional costs. You would also need to access that equipment during their regular working hours, which may not be possible with your specific schedule.

7. Many online classes require students to complete more work. The average online course in the United States requires a greater amount of reading and student interaction than a traditional class. Students must prove remotely that they have mastery over the material in question, which means your curriculum will involve a lot of independent study and Internet-based group work. Although the average amount of time one needs to dedicate to their course work is about 10 hours per week for each class, it is not unusual for individual courses at accredited colleges and universities to require 15-20 hours per week of work.

8. Technology scheduling issues can limit learning opportunities. Students must ensure that their computer is updated frequently with the latest operating system and software components to facilitate their learning. Some people may need to learn new or enhanced troubleshooting skills to manage their boot-up time, Internet connection, or software platforms that a professor requires. If you are a person who considers themselves to be technically challenged, then the tasks of this disadvantage could be a significant barrier to your current and future learning opportunities.

9. Time variations could be problematic for some students. Students who take online classes must plan and adjust their schedules to meet the deadlines set by their professors. American institutions often base deadlines on the time zone of the institution, so a West Coast student would need to account for the three-hour difference for an East Coast deadline. If international students are taking online courses, then this disadvantage could be significant.

This issue becomes problematic for students with opposite schedules. If you study at night and your partner works during the day, then there will be significant lag time between each response.

If you have a hectic schedule or zero access to a college or university, then online classes are a way to pursue your academic goals. It only requires Internet access or a data connection, and then you can begin fulfilling the requirements of your course work. The modern structure of this learning opportunity does an excellent job of simulating the traditional classroom experience.

This option may not be a first-choice selection for someone who struggles with their organization or focus. If you’re already putting in 40 hours each week with your job, then it may be unreasonable to put in another 20-40 hours after you get home to fulfill your learning obligations.

These advantages and disadvantages of online classes must receive individualized consideration. If you live at home full-time and want a self-directed education, then this innovation can be a positive experience. When you prefer social interactions and a traditional classroom, then it may not be the best choice to pursue.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Degree Programs

Recognizing the experience and passion that adult learners bring to the classroom is fundamental to supporting students. – Joshua Steele, Arizona Online (University of Arizona)

One is never done learning—especially today. With the advancement of educational technology, it is easier than ever to further one’s education online. Scores of universities now offer fully-online programs for students who wish to pursue an undergraduate or master’s degree via distance learning.

Students and academic institutions alike have found numerous benefits with this style of learning. However, online education is relatively new in the world of academia and as it continues to evolve, so does our understanding of its advantages and challenges.

Featured Interviewee

Joshua Steele

Senior Director of Online Student Success, Arizona Online University of Arizona

Joshua Steele is the senior director of online student success at Arizona Online, the University of Arizona’s Office of Distance Learning, which strives to increase educational opportunities for fully-online students at the university through student-focused processes, operational excellence, and a comprehensive support strategy.

Steele has ten years of experience in online education, covering a wide range of roles, such as director of online student success, where he developed student support culture and structure for the launch of the University of Arizona’s fully online undergraduate degree programs. He has a bachelor of science in psychology and a master’s degree in history from the University of Arizona. He also has a master of arts in adult education and training.

The Advantages of Online Degree Programs

Technology is created to solve problems and make practical tasks easier. Thanks to educational technology, more people than ever have access to learning valuable information and earning degrees from the convenience of their laptops.

This technology makes education more accessible and is a growing medium for students around the world. According to a report by LearningHouse and Aslanian Market Research , 60 percent of students who had the choice of taking a course in a classroom or online chose the online course for its convenience.

For someone wishing to further their education, enrolling in an online program can be the perfect solution. Here are a few ways online courses add value to both students and universities.

Access to a High Quality Education

Among the advantages of educational technology, the most significant is increased access to valuable learning. Traditionally, students pursuing a degree would have to take into account the physical location of their classes as well as the cost of commuting or relocating to attend classes. More often than not, these two factors become major deterrents to completing a degree.

“The majority of our students choose online specifically because they are working, or have other obligations that prevent them from completing their education in an in-person format,” explains Joshua Steele, senior director of Arizona Online.

Educational technology relieves many students of the burdens that come with completing an on-campus degree. Online classes allow students to access course material, communicate with peers and instructors, and complete exams from any location with reliable internet. This means that students with other responsibilities such as a family or full-time job—as well as those living in rural areas or near schools without their desired program—are able to complete courses without having to relocate.

Online education can also be more affordable. The report by LearningHouse and Aslanian Market Research stated that 86 percent of students felt the value of their online degree exceeded the cost they paid for it.

Better access to education benefits students and the institutions themselves. By increasing enrollment, universities can increase revenue and invest in programs to improve the overall quality of the education they provide. Universities can choose to allocate that extra money to hire more qualified teachers, implement more advanced educational technology, or add more in-demand programs and courses.

Increased Flexibility and Academic Autonomy

“The flexibility and ability to dictate the times in which you access coursework are some of the largest advantages to earning a degree online,” says Steele. “For in-person formats, often students are at the mercy of the institution and the timing in which courses are offered.”

Being a student at any level is a big responsibility. Not only is a typical student’s schedule full of classes and study time, but many students work part-time jobs or get involved in extracurricular activities. Since coursework is often the top priority, students adapt their daily lives around their course load.

Online classes allow additional flexibility and autonomy for both students and instructors. With course materials readily available on the internet, students can learn at their own pace and study anywhere, anytime, any day of the week. The only schedules students may need to adhere to relate to exam dates, project and homework deadlines, and an end-of-year practicum or capstone.

Location independence is another key benefit of online education flexibility. By accessing course material from anywhere with a reliable internet connection, students can choose to spend their time learning from the comfort of their own homes, offices, cafés, or even when on vacation.

“I’ll also say that graduates of online programs typically have built a competency in self-regulation and discipline,” Steele adds. “You know that someone who has finished an online program has demonstrated commitment over a long stretch of time while typically physically isolated from the institution. That is a marketable skill set that I’m not sure we speak enough about.”

Easier to Maintain Career and Family Responsibilities

It has long been believed that pursuing a degree is best done before career and family obligations take priority. Once individuals have started to work full-time or tend to the demands of raising children, it can be incredibly difficult to focus on earning a traditional degree.

“We recently surveyed our fully-online undergraduate population and found that about 70 percent of these students are working more than 30 hours per week, and about 48 percent have children,” says Steele, “so the 11:00 to 11:50 a.m. three-days-a-week course is not a possibility for them.”

Most online masters degree programs are specifically designed for professionals who are balancing a 9-to-5 job and already have a demanding schedule. Even for those whose busy work schedules are not always predictable, the flexibility of online degree programs makes it easier to manage both.

Before the rise of online education, pursuing a traditional degree was not possible for many with careers and families. Thanks to distance-based educational technology, however, hardworking students, parents, and professionals really can have it all.

The Disadvantages of Online Degree Programs

Although online degree programs are designed to eliminate some of the challenges of the traditional educational environment, there are several hurdles that students and instructors must overcome. According to a 2016 report from Purdue University , between 40 and 80 percent of students enrolled in online classes drop out before completion.

Despite increased accessibility and flexibility, the online learning environment is not for everyone. Before applying for an online program, there are a few challenges to consider.

Lack of Interaction with Peers and Instructors

Accomplishing any goal can feel lonely. When it comes to pursuing an education, on-campus students have better access to moral support through face-to-face interaction with peers and professors. As traditional educational environments involve class discussion and group projects, the lack of interpersonal communication for instructors and classmates poses particular challenges for some students.

According to the Learning House and Aslanian Market research report, 57 percent of online students said that interacting with classmates is very important to academic success. Although students have the ability to email professors and classmates and participate in forums and discussion boards, many students have trouble learning without personal interaction.

Isolation from peers and instructors can be a significant factor for students to drop out of online courses. Although the lack of interaction might not affect an instructor’s well-being, low retention rates can hurt an institution’s finances and reputation.

For this reason, personalization is critical to effective online education, explains Steele: “It’s important for us to ensure that students understand that their instructors are real faculty at the university, who are just as interested in getting to know them as they are to know their instructor,” he says.

“We want our students to interact with each other to build their personal network and support system. Engagement with the instructor, engagement with the content, and engagement with each other are cornerstones of the Arizona Online experience. A variety of tools are used to create this learning environment, including video discussion boards, conferencing technology, and adaptive learning elements, to name a few.”

Students Must Hold Themselves Accountable

The feeling of isolation can lead many students to feel unmotivated about keeping up with their studies. Without having to be prepared to discuss course material in-person or meet professors face-to-face, holding oneself accountable is another significant challenge for online students.

Although on-campus students are responsible for studying outside the classroom, many feel that the in-person obligation to attend class and contribute to class discussions is a motivator for learning the material. As participation is often not a requirement, the material is always available, and the only deadlines are usually exams, it can be easy for students to procrastinate and not force themselves to learn the curricula.

Also, being surrounded by friends, family, and colleagues who are not furthering their education can also be a challenge in keeping motivation. Even if the people a student interacts with daily is supportive of their educational pursuit, it can be tempting to abandon hours of study to spend time with loved ones.

Instructors Must Adjust to an Online Environment

Because isolation and proactive time management can be a challenge for students, educators designing the coursework must adapt their teaching approach to these obstacles so students will remain engaged. This can be particularly troublesome for instructors who are not trained in using educational technology and teaching online courses.

As students have different learning styles, transitioning from the classroom to the laptop is more difficult for some than others. According to a report by Brookings , students who already have trouble learning in a traditional environment are more likely to fail an online course. Without being able to ask questions during a lecture or collaborate with peers, a student struggling with course material may have a harder time catching up.

Most university professors are not experts in educational technology, but in the subject they teach. For this reason, the best online programs hire teams of professionals to assist faculty in the development of online courses and create a more seamless online learning environment. Arizona Online takes a consultative approach, where the online learning team provides the necessary tools and resources for faculty to tailor their programs to an online format while still promoting each professor’s expertise.

“The team includes instructional designers, graphic designers, developers, videographers, instructional technology support—all to ensure that we can provide pedagogical choice and allow for the ability to think about the best way to meet course learning objectives while not being constrained,” explains Steele. “It allows us to innovate and rethink the ways we deliver content for online students.”

Technology for online courses is relatively new to the world of education and there is still much for universities and academic institutions to learn about its effectiveness and potential. As the number of students enrolled in fully online programs is expected to grow, institutions must be prepared to adapt to providing quality education through new technology and methods. Meanwhile, students who graduate from fully online programs can be set up for success.

“The challenges for online students are well documented. We do not talk enough about the strengths that online students bring to the classroom. Recognizing the experience and passion that adult learners bring to the classroom is fundamental to supporting students,” Steele says.

“We’ve found that our students choose the University of Arizona because they want to learn, and they appreciate the rigor of a program that supports their long-term professional and personal goals. Scaffolding support so that students feel supported is integral to promoting the success of an online population, and it takes a widespread institutional effort.”

Online Education During Pandemic Times: Advantages and Disadvantages

• Daniel Moise Marketing Departament, Marketing Faculty, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania.
• Amelia Diaconu Marketing Departament, Marketing Faculty, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania.
• Mihaela Diana Oancea Negescu Marketing Departament, Marketing Faculty, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania.
• Carol Cristina Gombos Marketing Departament, Marketing Faculty, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania.

The latest Pandemic has changed not only our lifestyle behavior, but at the same the manner how we work, study, and evolve. We witnessed work from home, or remote working, as well as learning from home changes. The shift from the physical classroom to the online classroom came with advantages, but also with some, disadvantages. In this article, we conducted a research to discover undergraduate and graduate students’ perceptions towards online education. Students and professors are detached for the time being from their universities into online education platforms and video conference rooms, but not without other difficulties and challenges for the academic community. Some universities already had some practice and knew how to manage and use online platforms for different cycle types like: part-time or distance learning programs. Other universities appealed to platforms offered by international organizations like Microsoft or Google. The novelty was that not only the courses and seminars are held online and exams as well, proving to be a provocative issue, both for students and professors. We discovered different factors that influence online education and learning satisfaction. One of the main discoveries was that the future seems to be towards a blended learning system combining physical and online teaching.

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ISSN:  2239-5938 EISSN:  2239-6101 Abbreviated Title:  EJSD DOI:  10.14207/ejsd First Published: 1 Feb 2012 Language: English, Italian

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The tiny house blog, studying from home: advantages and disadvantages.

With the rise of technology and streaming resources like video lectures, online courses, books on demand, remote tutors, and digital classrooms—students have a variety of options available to stay on top of their coursework without leaving the comforts of home.

But while studying from home may come with its advantages, it also presents some potential drawbacks that should not be ignored. Most points were taken from skilled essay writers who constantly work with students. In this article, we will explore both sides to gain a better understanding of what it means to study at home.

Advantages of Studying from Home

Online learning offers some advantages that you just can’t get from a traditional classroom. Here’s why many students are falling in love with distance education:

You Can Study Whenever You Want, Whenever You Want

Forget about spending hours searching through your local college’s catalog, trying to find out if you’ll be able to find a major you like or take classes at a time that works for you. When you become an online student, you can choose just about any major and work on your degree whenever you please – even if that means you like to start your studies at 2:00 A.M.

It’s The Best Choice For Digital Nomads

If you’ve ever daydreamed of traveling around the world from the seat of your Biochem course, online learning might be right for you. A growing number of digital nomads – people who live and work as they travel – are enrolling in online education programs. You don’t have to choose between adventure and a degree. With online learning, you can earn work on your degree in internet cafés while learning the Tango in Buenos Aires or practicing yoga in Chiang Mai.

Online Classes Can Be Taken Around Your Job

You may love your career. Or you may desperately need the paycheck your job provides. Either way, online classes can help you work towards a degree without the need to quit – and without the struggle of showing up for late-night courses after a long day of work.

You Get To Meet Professors And Peers From Around The World

Expand your network by working alongside people from different places and cultures. The connections you make as an online student can help when it comes to job-seeking as well. Graduates in your field may be able to help you get interviews with top-notch companies far outside your home state.

Many Online Courses Are Industry-Minded

While it’s not true for all colleges, many schools choose to focus on helping students succeed in their professional fields. You may be able to learn from professors who are actively working (and have connections) in your profession, gain certifications that will look sharp on a resume, and complete assignments that feel relevant.

You Can Choose A School That Works For Your Learning Style

Not every student learns in the same way. You may be able to absorb information best by reading, watching video lectures, completing assignments, or talking to peers about what you understand. With online learning, you can choose a college that specifically caters to your learning style.

Your Options Are Expanded Well Beyond Your Ability To Commute

Before online learning, your options were limited to programs you could reach in about an hour by car. Now, your options include online colleges, professional development programs, and certificate options from anywhere that has an internet connection.

Studies Show That Online Learning Is Just As Effective (If Not More Effective) Than Traditional Classroom Learning

Professors are sometimes concerned that online students aren’t learning enough. But, research shows that online students do just as well as traditional students. Sometimes, online learning is even more effective.

As an online student, class material and discussions are always available for you to go back and review.

Online Students Pick Up On Technological Skills That Are Often Useful In The Workplace

Even if you aren’t majoring in computer science, you’ll likely need to be technologically proficient to succeed in your profession. Online classes can help. As a student, you’ll learn how to manage files, use common software programs, access multimedia, and more. File that under the “skills” section of your resume.

Online Students Develop Lifelong Learning Habits

Employers want to hire applicants that know how to learn independently. Luckily, online learning prepares you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, find the resources you need, and complete your work through self-discipline. Your future boss will thank you.

Disadvantages of Studying at Home 

While studying from home offers numerous benefits, it also presents certain challenges that may impact a student's learning experience.

Lack of Social Interaction

One significant disadvantage of studying from home is the limited social interaction with peers and educators. This isolation can result in reduced opportunities for collaborative learning, networking, and developing essential interpersonal skills. Furthermore, the absence of face-to-face communication may lead to feelings of loneliness and disconnection, potentially affecting a student's mental well-being.

Distractions and Time Management

Home environments are often filled with distractions, such as family members, household chores, or entertainment options. These disruptions can make it challenging for students to maintain focus and stay on track with their studies. Additionally, some students may struggle with time management . It can lead to procrastination and decreased productivity.

Limited Access to Resources and Support

Studying from home may restrict students' access to valuable resources and support systems found in traditional educational institutions, such as libraries, labs, or tutoring services. Moreover, the absence of immediate assistance from instructors or peers may result in delayed feedback or difficulty understanding complex concepts.

Technological Issues

Reliance on technology for home-based learning can present its own set of challenges. Students may face issues with internet connectivity, lack of appropriate devices, or difficulties navigating online platforms. These technological barriers can hinder learning progress and cause frustration for students. So they may not possess the necessary technical skills or resources.

Motivation and Self-Discipline

Maintaining motivation and self-discipline while studying from home can be challenging for some students. Without the external accountability provided by teachers and classmates, staying committed to academic goals may become increasingly difficult. Consequently, students must develop strong self-discipline and intrinsic motivation to succeed in a home-based learning environment.

How to Study from Home?

To make the most of your home-based learning experience, consider implementing the following strategies to stay focused, organized, and motivated.

Create a Dedicated Study Space

Designate a specific area in your home for studying, free from distractions and noise. Ensure that your study space is comfortable, well-lit, and equipped with all necessary resources such as textbooks, stationery, and a reliable internet connection.

Establish a Routine

Develop a consistent daily routine that includes designated times for studying, breaks, and other activities. Following a structured schedule can help improve time management, maintain focus, and instill a sense of discipline.

Set Clear Goals and Priorities

Outline your academic goals and prioritize tasks according to their importance and deadlines. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable steps to stay organized and track your progress.

Utilize Online Resources

Take advantage of the plethora of online resources available for home-based learners, such as video lectures, e-books, and educational websites. These tools can supplement your learning and provide additional support when needed.

Stay Connected with Peers and Educators

Regularly communicate with classmates and instructors through email, video calls, or online forums. Staying connected can help alleviate feelings of isolation, foster collaborative learning, and provide valuable feedback on your progress.

Practice Time Management Techniques

Use time management techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique or time-blocking to stay focused and productive during study sessions. Regularly review your schedule and adjust it as needed to optimize your efficiency.

Take Regular Breaks

Incorporate regular breaks into your study routine to prevent burnout and maintain mental well-being. Engage in activities that help you relax and recharge, such as exercise, meditation, or hobbies.

Develop Self-Motivation and Discipline

Cultivate intrinsic motivation by setting personal goals, celebrating achievements, and reminding yourself of the long-term benefits of your education. Practice self-discipline by holding yourself accountable for your progress and maintaining a strong work ethic.

Seek Help When Needed

Don't hesitate to ask for help from instructors, tutors, or peers if you're struggling with a particular concept or assignment. Seeking assistance can clarify your understanding and prevent unnecessary frustration.

Evaluate and Adjust Your Strategies

Periodically assess your home-based learning strategies to determine their effectiveness. Identify areas for improvement and adjust your approach as needed to ensure you're making the most of your study sessions.

Advantages of studying from home:

• Students can study whenever they want.
• Online learning is ideal for digital nomads.
• Online classes can be scheduled around a job.
• Students can connect with others from around the world.
• Many online courses are industry-focused.
• Students can choose a school that caters to their learning style.
• Options for education are expanded beyond the ability to commute.
• Studies show that online learning is just as effective as traditional learning.
• Online students learn technological skills useful in the workplace.
• Online students develop lifelong learning habits.

Disadvantages of studying from home:

• Limited social interaction with peers and educators.
• Home environments may be distracting and challenging for time management.
• Restricted access to resources and support.
• Technological issues may hinder learning progress.
• Motivation and self-discipline may be challenging.

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Six Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Working from Home in Europe during COVID-19

Christine ipsen.

1 DTU Management Department, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark; kd.utd@pihc (C.I.); kd.utd@ahpj (J.P.H.)

Marc van Veldhoven

2 Department of Human Resource Studies, Tilburg University, 5037 AB Tilburg, The Netherlands; [email protected]

Kathrin Kirchner

John paulin hansen, associated data.

The data presented in this study is not publicly available due to ongoing analysis but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

The number of people working from home (WFH) increased radically during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate people’s experiences of WFH during the pandemic and to identify the main factors of advantages and disadvantages of WFH. Data from 29 European countries on the experiences of knowledge workers ( N = 5748) WFH during the early stages of lockdown (11 March to 8 May 2020) were collected. A factor analysis showed the overall distribution of people’s experiences and how the advantages and disadvantages of WFH during the early weeks of the pandemic can be grouped into six key factors. The results indicated that most people had a more positive rather than negative experience of WFH during lockdown. Three factors represent the main advantages of WFH: (i) work–life balance, (ii) improved work efficiency and (iii) greater work control. The main disadvantages were (iv) home office constraints, (v) work uncertainties and (vi) inadequate tools. Comparing gender, number of children at home, age and managers versus employees in relation to these factors provided insights into the differential impact of WFH on people’s lives. The factors help organisations understand where action is most needed to safeguard both performance and well-being. As the data were collected amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we recommend further studies to validate the six factors and investigate their importance for well-being and performance in knowledge work.

1. Introduction

The radical increase in the number of people working from home (WFH) during 2020 has been one of the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic [ 1 , 2 ]. To lower the risk of spreading the virus, national governments across the world required people to WFH unless they were key workers [ 3 , 4 ]. Given this new situation, societies, organisations and workplaces across the world are now seeking “the new normal” (including the “future of work” and the “role of the office”) in which WFH is the norm and people can continue teleworking in pure or hybrid forms post-COVID-19 [ 5 , 6 ]. Given the potential for cost efficiencies in comparison to the traditional office and the aim of providing people with more flexibility in choosing where to work, organisations have announced their aim to reduce their office space and introduce blended home–office working conditions post-COVID-19. Insight into how people experience WFH is now even more important than before. Determining the main factors that constitute the experiences people have when WFH can provide insights into how to organise and manage distance work in the future. Given this unique situation, the aim of this study was to capture the immediate impact and provide insights into people’s experiences of WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the main (groups of) advantages and disadvantages people experienced when WFH during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on knowledge workers working across distances and cultures within the domain of intra-organisational distance work [ 7 , 8 ].

1.1. Distance Work, Telework and WFH

For decades, digital technologies have demanded–and forced–changes within organisations [ 9 , 10 ], which has also generated distance work [ 10 , 11 ], including telework, remote work and WFH. Distance work and management can occur at different locations, such as from home (telework), in satellite offices (intra-organisational work) or at customer or client locations (inter-organisational work) [ 7 , 8 ]. According to Fisher and Fisher, time, space and/or culture constitute the distance between managers and employees [ 1 ].

Previous studies have recognised the central issues in distance work, telework and WFH, including a whole range of possible advantages and disadvantages [ 12 , 13 , 14 ]. The advantages of distance work that have been mentioned are increased productivity, less stress, a better work–life balance [ 15 ], reduced commuting time [ 11 , 16 ], increased control of work patterns and being in less contact with others [ 17 , 18 ]. Conversely, scholars have also reported numerous potential disadvantages associated with distance work, including home-based telework, at an individual level [ 12 , 19 ]. These include isolation, misunderstandings, decreased interpersonal contact and role ambiguity [ 20 , 21 ]. Other studies have found that the work–life balance may also be challenged since boundaries become blurry, people work more hours, there can be a lack of support and visible leadership, and there may be less social interaction when isolated and detached from the workplace [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. As telework involves the use of information and communication technologies, distance managers should provide access to appropriate technologies [ 24 ]. It is important to note that, according to several scholars [ 11 , 17 ], employees WFH have more positive and less negative job-related well-being experiences compared to days working in the office. Further, they emphasised the importance of recognising individual differences when adapting to teleworking environments [ 11 ].

Based on the literature, it is evident that several factors–both positive and negative–may be associated with the experiences of WFH and telework, and such factors need to be considered equal and independent. There is no consensus on which factors are the most important for whom, or how they combine to reflect people’s experiences of telework. Thus, the importance and relevance of these factors in the new circumstances of enforced WFH have not been determined. While we can assume that WFH brings a whole range of possible advantages and disadvantages to knowledge workers, it is unclear which factors are important in bringing about these advantages and disadvantages and how these could be grouped.

1.2. Knowledge Workers and WFH

Before the pandemic, it was mainly knowledge workers [ 25 ] who worked from home, typically for a small part of their working day [ 26 ]. In this study, the term “knowledge work” applies to work with non-material inputs and outputs, with the individuals as the primary bearers of knowledge (“pure” knowledge companies) [ 27 ]. Examples are workers who are typically employed in consulting companies, law firms and universities. This is in contrast to companies where knowledge is also embedded in a technology (i.e., high-tech companies), such as biotech [ 25 ]. A study of knowledge workers showed that they experience the same working conditions in different ways [ 28 ]. Consequently, it can be difficult to safeguard employee well-being and performance when working across distances or when managers are separated from employees by either time or geography [ 1 ]. However, managers can motivate and support the performance of their distance workers if they focus on the basic needs of their employees, such as working conditions and belongingness [ 29 , 30 ].

Given the unique situation that prompted governments to take the unprecedented step of forcing WFH on people (with the exception of key workers) and being amidst a pandemic, it could be anticipated that these circumstances would be extraordinarily stressful for people. Consequently, numerous national and international studies were initiated during 2020 that focused on the effects of the pandemic on people’s lives from various perspectives, including those who are WFH [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. In practice, the emphasis has been on how to take care of people’s well-being and mental health when WFH [ 32 , 36 ]. There have been concurrent discussions regarding the experienced increase in productivity and work patterns and other potential gains attributable to WFH [ 37 , 38 ]. Accordingly, it is relevant to gain a deeper understanding of how people experience WFH and how they perceive the advantages and disadvantages of their new situation.

In this study, we investigated and analysed people’s experiences of WFH in the first months of lockdown and identified the key factors that could be distinguished based on these experiences. The remainder of this paper is divided into three sections. First, we present our study and the results relating to people’s experiences of WFH. We then present the key advantages and disadvantages of WFH, followed by examples of how the factors can be used to compare different demographic subgroups, which are displayed in a spider diagram. Finally, we discuss the implications for further research and the management of WFH in organisations.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. procedure.

To capture the immediate impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on people’s lives, an online survey in Danish and English was published on social media platforms and disseminated via email from 21 March 2020. The survey included information on the study, the anonymity of the collected data, the future use of the data and the respondents’ right to delete their answers. The first question entailed the respondents confirming that they were over 18 years of age, had read all the information about the survey and were volunteering to participate. The sample was recruited by non-probabilistic snowball sampling because this exploratory study required rapid access to data during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Two weeks after Denmark entered lockdown, other countries (e.g., Sweden, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Italy) joined the study, and national data were collected in their respective languages using translations of the survey. The data reported in this study were collected until 11 May 2020.

2.2. Instruments

The survey was designed to address people’s experiences of WFH using several design criteria. First, we wanted to obtain information about people’s experiences of WFH via predefined categories and the possibility of open answers to allow the respondents to formulate their own understanding of the current situation. Second, the questions needed to be based on existing knowledge of distance work, management and the topics discussed in the media on the pandemic’s effect on people’s lives. Third, the survey needed to include household characteristics as the national lockdowns entailed the closure of day-care centres, kindergartens and primary and secondary schools. Fourth, the questionnaire needed to be able to be answered within approximately 10 min to minimise dropouts. Finally, the survey needed to be launched as quickly as possible to obtain the early experiences of people WFH. The lockdowns implied that the data would be collected online using a non-probability sampling methodology and that we would need to use our industry and academic networks and social media, with the consequence of sample bias by virtue of the responses mainly coming from people involved in knowledge work.

The survey was designed in Denmark during mid-March 2020 [ 39 ] and included 23 questions in six sections that covered topics related to the respondents’ experiences of the following:

• Their current work situation
• The advantages of WFH
• The disadvantages of WFH
• The use of digital work tools
• Demographic information
• Their overall life situation

This paper focuses particularly on the results of Section 2 and Section 3 . For each of the 29 items relating to the advantages and disadvantages, the respondents indicated the extent to which they agreed that the advantage/disadvantage was applicable to their current setting using a five-point Likert scale: strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree and strongly agree.

Several items enquired about the known advantages of WFH, like control over work patterns (i.e., less time in meetings, fewer interruptions, more breaks (Q11b, d, e, i, k), catching up on work and being more productive (Q11c), better work–life balance (Q11f) and reduced commute time (Q11j). The items Q11g and Q11h focused on the working conditions when WFH (i.e., atmosphere and own food) and Q11m on the ease of contacting people and connecting. All three items were based on media discussions and the research team’s own first experiences of WFH during the first days of the lockdown. The questions related to the disadvantages of WFH (Q13) were devised in regards to the unique situation in combination with existing knowledge about telework (Q13a, b, c, n, o) and WFH. The items in the survey, hard to focus (Q13d), unsure of what to do (Q13e), missing food and the benefits of going to work (Q11f), and Q11g, Q11l, Q11m and Q11p were influenced by media discussions and the research team’s own first experiences of WFH during the first days of the lockdown. As schools and kindergartens were also locked down, we were interested in gaining insights into the effects of the new household conditions (i.e., disturbances and restrictions on getting out and being able to exercise). We were further interested to hear about its effects on tasks and jobs–was there enough to do, was it interesting, and could it be done with the provided data, documents, equipment and workplace (ergonomics at home) (Q11h, i, j, k, l, m, p)?

2.3. Respondents

This dataset included 5748 professional and managerial workers from Europe. The respondents came from 29 different countries, with the majority from Denmark (23.3%), Germany (23.1%), Italy (15.3%) and Sweden (14.5%). Most of the respondents were women (59.2%), and 75.2% possessed a university degree. Managers accounted for 23.0%, 34.6% had one or more children at home and the large majority (84.1%) only worked from home during the COVID-19 lockdown. Table 1 presents the respondents’ characteristics.

Characteristics of the respondents.

2.4. Data Analysis

All the analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics versions 24 and 27 (Armonk, NY, USA) and the descriptive statistics of the quantitative variables were reported as frequencies and percentages. The exploratory factor analyses [ 40 ] were performed with principal component analysis as the method to extract factors with eigenvalues >1, and both varimax and oblimin rotation types were employed for rotation to investigate how the items in the survey could be grouped into sets of advantages and disadvantages of WFH. Furthermore, we applied t-tests and analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test for significant differences between the different respondent groups regarding the advantages and disadvantages of WFH.

3.1. Overview of Advantages and Disadvantages of WFH

The respondents rated 13 advantage and 16 disadvantage items on the Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Table 2 shows the items with their mean values and standard deviations ( SD s). In addition to lowering the risk of contracting and spreading the disease, saving commuting time and greater flexibility (regarding food and breaks) were rated as the most important advantages. The biggest disadvantages were missing colleagues, missing getting out of the home and poor physical work conditions in the home office. What is also important to note in Table 2 is that for several items, there is considerable variance across individual knowledge workers. With a mid-point of 3 on the scale, one might consider any mean value above 3.5 as indicative of an experience that is commonly experienced as either an advantage or disadvantage. Notwithstanding, only a few of the items were in this range. Most of the items were on average in the middle with considerable variance around the mean: the WFH experience was found to be more individual than common across all the workers. This was an important finding in itself.

Overview of advantages and disadvantages of WFH.

Our aim was to examine people’s experiences of WFH due to COVID-19, both positively and negatively. The items “I contribute to lowering the risk of spreading COVID-19” and “I do not expose myself to the risk of getting a disease” were excluded from further analyses. These items were related to the main reason for WFH (i.e., to prevent the further spread of COVID-19) rather than to how people were experiencing their current work setting.

Using Cronbach’s alpha to analyse the internal consistency of the total sample, we found that the 11 remaining items relating to the advantages (Cronbach’s α = 0.739) and 16 items relating to the disadvantages (Cronbach’s α = 0.830) could be used to assign reliable scale scores to individual knowledge workers. Figure 1 shows a scatterplot of the advantages and disadvantages, where the middle point of the scales (neutral) lies at a score of three. The largest part of the point cloud is towards the top left, meaning the survey respondents reported relatively more positive and fewer negative experiences.

Positive (advantages) versus negative (disadvantages) working from home experience scores.

3.2. Finding the Key Factors in the WFH Experience

As mentioned, the 11 advantages and 16 disadvantages could be used as internally consistent scales to measure the levels of the advantages and disadvantages, respectively. The fact that the advantage and disadvantage items were sufficiently interrelated does not mean that the surveyed advantages and disadvantages all covered the same dimensions in the respondents’ experiences. The factor analyses pointed more in the direction of differentiation in the underlying factors; thus, it was considered more accurate to conduct analyses based on these items in terms of “item groups” of disadvantages and advantages rather than in terms of advantages and disadvantages in general. To identify specific factors in the advantage and disadvantage items, we split the original data set in two halves of 2874 cases each. For the first half of the data set, we performed explorative factor analysis (principal component analysis with varimax rotation (The oblimin rotation delivered almost exactly the same results. For reasons of parsimony, we have only reported the varimax-based solution here.)) and allocated items to the factor on which it loaded the highest. For the 11 items (with a five-point answering scale) relating to the advantages, three factors with eigenvalues >1 were found. Together, these three factors explained 49% of the variance. For the 16 items (with a five-point Likert scale) relating to the disadvantages, three factors with eigenvalues >1 were found. These three factors together explained 47% of the variance. For the test group with 2874 cases, we ran a factor analysis on each of the six proposed scales, forcing a one-factor solution. This allowed us to assess just how adequate it was to use factor analysis on these data, and how likely it is that information reduction can be achieved for the items in a scale. The results showed that the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value was always above 0.50, that Bartlett’s test of sphericity was highly significant ( p < 0.001) and that the amount of variance explained by the single factor was always substantial, ranging from 36% to 62%. In addition, the exploratory factor analysis on the test group found exactly the same factor solution as for the development group.

Based on the results of the factor analysis, we derived three advantageous factors (AFs) and three disadvantageous factors (DFs), as shown in Table 3 . The items were sorted according to the extent to which they determined the factor mentioned for the development group (using factor loading). We were able to construct scales that in 9 instances out of 16 were good by common standards (>0.70), while 4 of the 16 were already acceptable (0.60–0.70). The remaining four scales are not yet fully developed but provide useful starting material (alpha between 0.50 and 0.60). As mentioned, the seven scales with alphas below 0.70 required another run, with some modifications and some additions, building on the general factor structure that we have reported here. Good scales could be built from these materials for all six subscales. More attention is needed to improve the “scales” on AF1 and AF3.

Results of the exploratory factor analysis (varimax rotation).

3.3. How the Respondents’ Characteristics Related to the Advantages and Disadvantages

The six factors of the WFH experience can be used to analyse and compare different groups of workers using one-factor ANOVA (if more than two groups) or a t -test. When using ANOVA–and depending on the test of homogeneity of variances (Levene’s test), Bonferroni tests (as an example of a post hoc test) were also applied to find significant differences between the specific groups. In this section, we returned to using the full sample.

Table 4 presents the differences between the male and female knowledge workers in their perceptions of WFH. Although the women and men perceived the improved work–life balance in the same way, the female respondents perceived the home office constraints more than the male respondents. We found significant differences in AF 2 “Work efficiency”, DF 1 “Home office constraints” and DF 3 “Inadequate tools”. According to Table 4 , the male respondents could work more effectively and efficiently from home; they felt less constrained by their home office and missed important work tools less than the women. Cohen’s d shows the medium to large effect sizes for the six factors.

Mean values, standard deviations and t -test results for gender.

** p < 0.01; SD standard deviation.

Another interesting result was the difference between the people with children below 15 years of age at home ( N = 1989) and the people without children at home ( N = 3720). Missing values were excluded from the analysis (see Table 5 ).

Results of the t -test for the number of children <15 years at home.

The t -test revealed significant differences in all six factors with medium to large effect sizes. The biggest difference was visible in the AF 2 “Work efficiency” dimension, where the people without children scored higher than the people with children at home. This can be explained by the fact that most countries were in lockdown when the data were collected, meaning schools and kindergartens were closed and children were at home with their parents. Nevertheless, the people with children at home perceived the comfort of being at home as higher than the people without children, although they had less control over their working day. With regard to the disadvantages, the people with children at home felt the home office constraints more than the people without children. Moreover, the people without children scored higher in feeling the disadvantages because of an unclear work situation and the loss of important work tools.

With respect to age, Table 6 shows the differences between three age groups: 18–30 years ( N = 749), 31–50 years ( N = 3269) and >50 years ( N = 1706). The people who preferred not to state their age were excluded from this analysis. The ANOVA indicated significant F -values ( p = 0.000) for all six factors ( Table 6 ) for the age classes, although the effect size was small.

ANOVA results for the different age classes.

Regarding the differences between the age groups, we used a Bonferroni post hoc test to investigate homogeneous subsets. The young people aged between 18 and 30 years scored the highest in AF 1 “Work–life balance” (mean = 3.6, SD = 0.77) compared to the people aged between 31 and 50 years (mean = 3.37, SD = 0.8) and the people over 50 years (mean = 3.35, SD = 0.76). On the other hand, the young people had more problems with “Work uncertainties” compared to the older generations. The people over 50 perceived “Inadequate tools” as a bigger problem (mean = 2.6, SD = 1.0) compared to the younger generations.

With regard to occupation, we compared managers ( N = 1324) and employees ( N = 4424). The t -test reported in Table 7 revealed significant differences between the two groups across all six factors. Cohen’s d shows the medium to high effect sizes.

Results of the t -tests for employees and managers.

Both groups scored higher for the advantages compared to the disadvantages. The employees evaluated their work efficiency and work–life balance more positively than the managers, whereas the managers reported fewer work uncertainties and less of a lack of important work tools compared to the employees.

The six factors of the WFH experiences were then used to analyse and compare the different groups exemplified and presented in Table 4 , Table 5 , Table 6 and Table 7 . When the results were plotted in a spider diagram, the visualisation became a tool that made it possible to distinguish between the factors and compare the groups. Figure 2 is an example of a visualisation of Table 7 . This tool can help clarify differences and help organisations understand where action is most needed in working conditions to ensure both performance and well-being.

Visualising the differences in the factors between the employees and managers (* p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01).

4. Discussion

During the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic created an extraordinary situation for knowledge workers because of forced WFH as part of national lockdowns. The purpose of this study was to gain insights into the experiences of WFH among knowledge workers during the early weeks of the lockdowns and to determine the advantages and disadvantages of these experiences. Replies from 5748 professional and managerial workers from 29 European countries formed the data set for this study.

4.1. Overall Experiences of WFH during COVID-19

The first major topic we sought to address was the overall experience of WFH. The results revealed that WFH was experienced predominantly as positive for the majority of the respondents, with fewer respondents considering WFH mostly as a negative experience. Being in the middle of an international crisis and considering the pandemic’s potential for causing mental strain, we expected that the respondents would have experienced the situation of WFH during the national lockdowns as more negative [ 41 ]. However, in line with other recent studies, our findings showed that the majority (55%) of employees were mostly positive about WFH. These results may be due to the specific circumstances of the early lockdown, which granted an unanticipated opportunity to focus on work tasks and become more efficient (AF 2) and spend more time with people in the household (AF 1). Similarly, Pierce et al. (2020) found in a UK study that “for some people with high levels of socioeconomic security, the suspension of commuting, changes to education and work activities, and increased time with family potentially could have reduced stress and increased mental health and wellbeing” (p. 884) [ 31 ]. In a COVID-19 study in Italy, the participants also claimed that they were less stressed and equally satisfied compared to working in the office; however, they were less productive [ 42 ].

Accordingly, when organisations enter into discussions about how to proceed post-COVID-19 and meet with requests for increased usage of WFH compared to pre-COVID-19, they should understand the opportunities of WFH when deciding on a strategy as our results show that there are many positive experiences on which to build. However, one must also remember to accommodate those who are predominantly challenged by WFH (approximately 45% in our study) and try to gain insights into the various reasons for this. Recent COVID-19 studies have highlighted the risk of deteriorating mental health in different countries during the pandemic [ 31 , 43 , 44 ], which is disrupting mental health services [ 45 ]. This dualism in people’s experiences implies that organisations need to consider how people perceive WFH. The three advantages and three disadvantages outlined in this paper can act as pointers to identify which conditions affect which people.

4.2. The Six Factors

The second aim of this paper was to gain insights into the perceived advantages and disadvantages of WFH. The availability of a diverse sample allowed us to explore which factors constituted the experiences of WFH during the pandemic across different countries. In addition to lowering the risk of contracting and spreading the disease, the saving of commuting time and greater flexibility (regarding food and breaks) were rated as the most important advantages. The biggest disadvantages were missing colleagues, missing getting out of the home and poor physical work conditions in the home office. What is important to note from Table 2 is that, for many of the items, there was considerable variance across individual knowledge workers. With a mid-point of 3 on the scale, one might consider any mean value above 3.5 indicative of an experience that is commonly experienced as either an advantage or disadvantage. However, only a few of the items were in this range. Most of the items were on average in the middle with considerable variance around the mean. Accordingly, the WFH experience was found to be more individual than common across all the workers. This is an important finding in itself.

However, where previous studies on telework listed the advantages and disadvantages in a random order and/or focused on the single items in our list without relating their dependency, mutual importance or prioritisation, we conducted a factor analysis which showed that the different experiences were interrelated and could be grouped into six main factors. The six key advantages and disadvantages of WFH can be interpreted as the “common denominator” of how people experience WFH. This common denominator was derived from the existing literature as well as media accounts during the early stages of lockdown and grouped into main factors using the survey responses of more than 5000 knowledge workers. Such a “common denominator” is important as it provides a way to implement knowledge about how people experience WFH in practice and policy.

We perceive this finding as having two major implications. First, when organisations are planning to initiate or allow WFH to continue, they can focus on these six factors instead of all the potential advantages and disadvantages of WFH separately as the six factors provide the main areas in which to direct organisational efforts when considering new WFH practices. Additionally, the six factors may be used to monitor advantages and disadvantages when developing and implementing new strategies to improve working conditions and employee well-being.

4.3. Practical Implications of the Six Factors

In our view, the six factors are interesting in how they vary as a function of employee characteristics and roles. Using tests for mean differences to present mean scores in spider diagrams and evaluating and visualising the six factors using general characteristics, as for example with gender, having children at home, age group and role in the organisation, can lay the foundation for discussions about the current working conditions and help managers understand where action is needed. As European countries chose different strategies in their fight against COVID-19, it would also be relevant to know how these different approaches across countries might have contributed to workers’ experiences. It is beyond the scope of this paper to compare countries, but in our opinion, evaluating and visualising the six factors across countries could provide input into discussions regarding national strategies and the experiences of WFH.

With respect to WFH with children at home, our findings are consistent with the intense discussions about the effect of schools and kindergartens being in lockdown that has taken place in some countries [ 46 , 47 ]. Unsurprisingly, our analysis showed that people with children at home felt they were working less efficiently (AF 2) than the people with no children at home. Unexpectedly, the perceptions among managers versus employees showed that managers were more challenged than employees when WFH on some points but were better on others. In light of this result and the strong focus on maintaining mental health among employees during the pandemic, future work should also investigate managers’ specific situations during a pandemic and how they experience the transition towards becoming distance managers [ 48 ].

Our analysis indicated that “Inadequate tools” (DF 3) was one of the factors hindering the current way of working. As telework and WFH are likely to become much more commonplace post-COVID-19, organisations should consider how to ensure access to work tools and how to maintain the value of work to alleviate obstacles to efficiency when WFH, as also suggested by Eurofound [ 49 ].

In summarising the current status of an organisation and/or organisational subgroup with respect to the six factors, the visualisation in the spider diagram provides an easy tool to display the advantages and disadvantages inherent to the six factors for different groups of people (e.g., in different departments and teams). Furthermore, gender, age, occupation and/or further factor subgroups can be plotted and evaluated visually. Given the comparative analyses between the different groups, which provide a first insight into people’s perceptions of WFH, it would be interesting to analyse the concerns that have been addressed in public discussions across different demographic groups regarding parenting, home schooling, type of household, etc. This is beyond the scope of this study, but we see that the factors have the potential to provide deeper insights into people’s perceptions of WFH and the current state of a workplace if more demographic factors are included.

Such results can become part of a discussion in a company on how different employee groups perceive their WFH situation while transitioning from pre-COVID-19 via the coronavirus waves towards a post-COVID-19 stage. This provides a basis for developing concrete individual and organisational support for WFH as well as how to time such support per subgroup.

As the people in this study agreed with the statements that WFH increases their work efficiency, it would appear that there is something organisations can gain in terms of how they organise work post-COVID-19 once they start creating new ways of working. If people continue to work from home, by choice or because of future COVID-19 waves, the experiences presented in this study offer an opportunity to rethink WFH as well as distance management. The six factors can map out the directions for a balanced dialogue in which organisations can build on cultivating the advantages and minimising the disadvantages of WFH by focusing on these six factors in their decisions as they all constitute a relevant part of people’s experiences of WFH. We therefore see this study as the first step towards enhancing our understanding of the effect that WFH has on people by suggesting that organisations focus on the six factors. However, it is beyond the scope of this paper to analyse their implications, so further studies need to be performed to establish the relevance and meaning of the factors in an organisational setting.

4.4. WFH Post-COVID-19

Building on the positive experiences of WFH, more workplaces are likely to offer people the opportunity to continue WFH post-COVID-19 to meet the increased demand for flexibility [ 6 , 50 , 51 ]. Internationally, public and private companies have already taken the first steps in this direction [ 5 , 52 ], and the expectation is that it is possible to maintain high performance, support well-being and potentially reduce office space.

While there is a search for a new normal that includes the “future of work” and the “role of the office”, there is also an emerging concern about mental health and well-being outcomes [ 53 , 54 , 55 ]. While WFH has both advantages and disadvantages, as this study shows, it is important to note that these may affect people’s well-being and performance. This paper does not address this, but it is important for future research to examine how the six factors impact well-being and performance over time, not just for employees but also managers [ 48 ], and how to develop new ways to deliver organisational support to address this.

5. Limitations

While the strength of this study is that the data were collected in the first months of the pandemic, collecting data amidst a pandemic implies obvious limitations. First, applying snowball sampling to contact as many respondents as possible as we did includes the risk of bias in the data. Although the data were collected across 29 countries, the generalisation of our results only considers respondents with similar personal characteristics (i.e., knowledge workers). Currently the scales reported in this paper were only evaluated using an exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency. For further development of the scales, it is necessary to use confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the psychometric quality of the scales more rigorously, in terms of factor structure as well as reliability.

While the three factors relating to disadvantages already meet common standards (alphas >0.70) for psychometric scales, the factors relating to advantages need some modifications and additions to achieve good psychometric scales by building on the items we developed in this study. We therefore propose that more national and international studies conducted with the same focus as this would provide an opportunity to validate the results of this study (including the six factors). Specifically, it would be important to replicate and improve the measures presented here in a post-COVID-19 setting before using them to monitor the adaptation of telework and WFH for individuals and organisations on a more structural basis after the pandemic. Finally, we focused solely on the insights that the factors gave between groups. Including more demographic factors could provide more insights into the experiences of WFH in distinct groups or situations like gender and parenthood as well as the utility of the factors. Future studies could thus contribute to a better understanding of the effects of WFH on people’s experiences and the distribution and importance of each factor.

6. Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the world of work and organisations. This quantitative study investigated knowledge worker’s experiences of WFH in 29 European countries during the early stages of the pandemic (i.e., mid-March to mid-May 2020) and, in particular, the advantages and disadvantages of WFH. In our study, the majority of the respondents in the European countries found their new work conditions to be mostly positive as they appreciated the advantages of WFH. Moreover, through factor analysis, we found that the advantages and disadvantages of telework and WFH clustered around six factors during the pandemic. We labelled the advantages (i) work–life balance , (ii) work efficiency and (iii) work control and the three disadvantages (iv) home office constraints , (v) work uncertainties and (vi) inadequate tools . Accordingly, while previous studies described many items relating to people’s experiences of WFH separately, our study showed that these experiences are interrelated and have a mutual order. Using spider diagrams, the six groups of advantages and disadvantages of WFH were visualised for different groups. Such spider diagrams can provide a basis for organisations to discuss, support and/or mitigate employees’ positive experiences and perceived challenges when WFH. As the research for this study was conducted in the early weeks of the pandemic, further studies are needed to examine the six factors across a longer time span and a wider range of types of workers. Such studies should also seek to determine whether the relatively positive experiences reported here will continue or whether these will change in a more negative direction over time as the lockdown continues and after the pandemic.

Author Contributions

C.I. and J.P.H. jointly conceived and designed the study and the questionnaire. K.K. and M.v.V. extracted the data from the surveys and analysed the data from the different countries. C.I. and K.K. produced the first draft of the paper, which included the first draft of the analysis conducted by M.v.V., J.P.H. audited the interpretation of the data, and both M.v.V. and J.P.H. read and amended drafts of the paper. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

This study did not require ethical approval.

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

Conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

5 Advantages and 5 Disadvantages to Consider about Online Education

Increasingly, people are taking greater control of their careers and their learning, and with advancements in online technology, more and more people are choosing to study online. They are seeking skills to accelerate their careers and to learn in a way and at a schedule that suits them.

While far from a new concept, the pandemic era has accelerated and focused our thoughts that education needs to be more flexible . Advances in technology are playing an increasingly important role as educators seek ways for their students’ learning experience not to just mimic traditional classrooms but rather better prepare professionals for today’s modern workplace. 

Traditional bricks and mortar university degrees have been a staple of careers like law, financial management, marketing, health care, and others for decades. What’s changed during that time is how universities and private schools are offering their classes.

While online programs allow for more flexibility in students’ schedules, face to face programs offer students more personalised coursework and the opportunity to take full advantage of internships, networking, and other career resources. 

Weighing the opportunity cost of quitting a job and forgoing a salary to enrol in a traditional, in-person program against the option of maintaining employment while completing an online program is a difficult decision for some prospective students. 

Here we examine the pros and cons of online education and list 5 advantages and disadvantages to consider when it comes to deciding between an online or traditional educational experience.

Advantages of Online Learning

Timelines & Timetables

The biggest and most obvious difference between online and face to face programmes is the rigidness of the timetable. Traditional programme delivery adheres to a strict timetable with students required to attend classes, submit assessments and sit examinations at set times –  often with penalties for missed classes and late submissions.

Online students are able to finish coursework at their own pace each quarter or semester, which means they could complete their programme at the ‘full-time’ pace or extend their timeline to suit their schedule. Online students can focus on their studies at a time that works best for them – this is particularly relevant for shift workers and those that work unsocial hours. Some students study best during the early mornings, while night owls thrive when burning the midnight oil!

Financial & Geographic Barriers

Online programs remove common financial and geographic barriers to enrollment that traditional education programmes maintain.

A massive decision intending students of traditional education have to face is the necessity to relocate to the university or college locality. There is mounting evidence to suggest that for many students the costs of paying for separate accommodation and living away from home proves an invincible financial barrier to further education. Cost, while always a consideration, is increasingly important during a period of rising inflation.

The flexible nature of an online programme timetable means that it is possible for students to combine work and study. This in turn provides the option of avoiding the necessity to leave a paying job removing an often insurmountable financial barrier for many students. Online learning is a great solution for people that already have a job, and still want or need further education.

Class Diversity

This has led to another advantage for online education students, online programmes have seen a trend to more diverse classes—including higher numbers of women, underrepresented minorities and geographical spread. This in turn makes it more attractive for companies actively recruiting as they are looking for diversity and are now more likely to find it in the online graduate pool rather than the traditional one.

Learning Styles

Every student has a different learning journey and a different learning style. Some students are visual learners, while some students prefer to learn through audio. Similarly, some students thrive in the classroom, and other students are solo learners who get distracted by large groups.

The online learning system, with its range of options and resources, can be personalised in many ways. It is the best way to create a perfect learning environment suited to the needs of each student.

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Online learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students. Online learning has a number of tools such as videos, PDFs, podcasts, and teachers can use all these tools as part of their lesson plans. By extending the lesson plan beyond traditional textbooks to include online resources, teachers are able to become more efficient educators.

Disadvantages of Online Education

Career re-skillers.

The people who benefit most from a face to face education are those who want to shift careers. Take somebody that has worked in marketing. They’ve decided they want to work in finance. How do they make that pivot? Well If they are in a brand management job, that’s really tough to do. If they go to business school they get the training. They spend the summer internship at a finance job, then it makes that jump easier.

Student isolation

Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. However, in an online class, there can be reduced physical interactions between students and teachers. This often results in a sense of isolation for the students. In this situation, it is imperative that the school allow for other forms of communication between the students, peers, and teachers. This can include online messages, emails and video conferencing that will allow for face-to-face interaction and reduce the sense of isolation.

Technology Issues

Advances in technology have allowed for faster broadband, interactive & adaptive learning platforms as well as gamification which allow greater flexibility when it comes down to both what we learn and the pace we choose to learn it at. 

However internet connectivity can be a challenge. While internet penetration has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, in smaller cities and towns, a consistent connection with decent speed is a problem. Without a consistent internet connection for students or teachers, there can be a lack of continuity in learning.

Internships

Many full-time programmes encourage and sometimes require students to participate in internships. While online students may seek out internships, most of these programmes don’t emphasise the experience as much. 

Additionally, online students don’t have the same experience as traditional students when it comes to networking among classmates. Many online providers implement occasional, mandatory events in person. These, for example, may include quarterly immersions where students are expected to meet in person for networking coaching, as well as academic content and career development opportunities.

So if you are in search of the best education, but do not want to relocate, give up your current lifestyle or disrupt family life, online learning is an excellent option.

Online programs have the massive advantage of removing the two biggest obstacles to further education – financial wherewithal and geographical constraints. This has led to another advantage for online education students, online programmes have seen a trend to more diverse classes which makes their graduates more attractive to employers seeking diverse teams.

The disadvantages of online programme include the reduced networking and internship opportunities. This in turn can lead to student isolation and excessive time spent on screens. While online education has been transformed by technology, this is only useful where internet connectivity is not a challenge.

Further Reading:

• How to identify the right skills for your CV in 2022
• 5 Important Factors in Choosing a Career 
• Changing Career in Your 40s? – Is it a Good Idea?

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Online Education During Pandemic Times: Advantages and Disadvantages

European Journal of Sustainable Development

The latest Pandemic has changed not only our lifestyle behavior, but at the same the manner how we work, study, and evolve. We witnessed work from home, or remote working, as well as learning from home changes. The shift from the physical classroom to the online classroom came with advantages, but also with some, disadvantages. In this article, we conducted a research to discover undergraduate and graduate students’ perceptions towards online education. Students and professors are detached for the time being from their universities into online education platforms and video conference rooms, but not without other difficulties and challenges for the academic community. Some universities already had some practice and knew how to manage and use online platforms for different cycle types like: part-time or distance learning programs. Other universities appealed to platforms offered by international organizations like Microsoft or Google. The novelty was that not only the courses and semi...

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Sustainability

Claudiu Coman

The research focuses on identifying the way in which Romanian universities managed to provide knowledge during the Coronavirus pandemic, when, in a very short time, universities had to adapt the educational process for exclusively online teaching and learning. In this regard, we analyzed students’ perception regarding online learning, their capacity to assimilate information, and the use of E-learning platforms. An online survey based on a semi-structured questionnaire was conducted. Data was collected from 762 students from two of the largest Romanian universities. The results of the research revealed that higher education institutions in Romania were not prepared for exclusively online learning. Thus, the advantages of online learning identified in other studies seem to diminish in value, while disadvantages become more prominent. The hierarchy of problems that arise in online learning changes in the context of the crisis caused by the pandemic. Technical issues are the most impor...

Frontiers in Education

Zakaryia Almahasees

COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted teaching in a vriety of institutions. It has tested the readiness of academic institutions to deal with such abrupt crisis. Online learning has become the main method of instruction during the pandemic in Jordan. After 4 months of online education, two online surveys were distributed to investigate faculty’s and Students’ perception of the learning process that took place over that period of time with no face to face education. In this regard, the study aimed to identify both faculty’s and students’ perceptions of online learning, utilizing two surveys one distributed to 50 faculty members and another 280 students were selected randomly to explore the effectiveness, challenges, and advantages of online education in Jordan. The analysis showed that the common online platforms in Jordan were Zoom, Microsoft Teams offering online interactive classes, and WhatsApp in communication with students outside the class. The study found that both faculty and stud...

Proceedings of 2nd Annual Management, Business and Economic Conference (AMBEC 2020)

Sheila Febriani Putri

Proceedings of INTED2021 Conference

Roberta Matkovic

Recently online teaching has become a fast-growing and developing reality in higher education worldwide. Despite similarities between them, didactical features of online lectures differ from those in face-to-face teaching. Online teaching requires adaptation of methods and techniques that "eteachers" and "e-students" need to acquire and deliver, striving for the same learning outcomes. The quality of teaching, its methods and techniques determine advantages and disadvantages of the teaching process and of the online education. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Spring 2020, Croatian higher educational system abruptly switched from face-to-face teaching to the online variant. The main issue was that all the courses that had initially been conceptualised and implemented only as face-toface, had to adjust to an online form that had previously not been envisioned. Relying on their previously acquired information and communication competences, as well as on their abilities to learn, teachers and students had to adapt to the new situation. This research, focused on students' point of view, had two objectives: 1) to explore the didactical methods used in the online higher education, and 2) to compare students' experiences of online and face-to-face education, specifically depending on their level of adjustment to online education. The sample comprised 272 university students, and the online questionnaire was administered in June 2020. The first objective was tackled with students' assessments of how vastly various teaching methods and techniques had been employed in the online courses in the March-June semester and how useful they had found them. Answers showed that teachers had (almost) always lectured and showed presentations. Then, in descending order, they had used e-mails, chat, other material from Internet and video streaming. Highly similar order was kept when students assessed the usefulness of those methods. Students reported that they had mostly taken part in lectures, in descending order, by listening, watching, chatting, replying to e-mails and to polls. They found their active participation more useful than it had been practiced. For the second objective students compared online and face-to-face education experience on an 18 items scale, and listed advantages and disadvantages of online education. Students' answers were compared regarding their self-assessed level of adjustment to online education: not adjusted, adjusted from the start, or adjusted gradually. Results reveal that students identified many similarities between online and face-to-face lectures, and they were not completely for or against online education. They placed as highest advantages of online education-personal benefits, time-related benefits, and features of the online lecture delivery. When ranking disadvantages, they put delivery of lectures and too many obligations on the top. Then lack of social interactions, technical problems and personal detriments followed. Students with better adjustment assessed online education more positively. It can be concluded that online lectures delivery in this research managed to resemble the face-to-face variation a lot. Students were almost polarised in their preferences towards online education, but they identified a great need for improvement of the online lectures delivery.

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• October 22, 2021

Online Education, Work from Home: Have We Arrived in Virtual World?

Online education, work from home- Are they a new concept?

No, Ask the IT sector out there.

But, it’s definitely new to public sectors and other practices.

With the onset of novel corona virus in the world, Lockdown has become the only way to break the chain of the corona virus which in turn has led to the closure of educational institutes, workplaces and other establishments and suddenly online education and work from home has become the new normal.

The Pandemic has of course given us the glimpses of how the virtual world operates.

As every coin has two sides, online education and work from home also come with their pros and cons. Let’s discuss them and see if we jump to a conclusion.

Advantages of the Virtual World

All thanks to the technological advancements that online education and work from home has increased the efficiency of teachers, students, employer and employees through the usage of various tools like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft teams etc. Working and interaction with the fellow colleagues/classmates using videos, ppts and other such methods have made lives easy during this pandemic. Also, the online Learning apps like Byjus, Udemy etc. have picked up the pace and are proving helpful for students in this virtual world.

Accessibility of Time and Place

Time and place are no more a constraint in this virtual world. Now anyone can work anytime from anywhere. This Pandemic has given us the liberty to work and learn from the comfort of our homes resulting in better time management for both personal and professional lives. Also, students can record their online lectures/classes and watch them according to their preference. People are now able to take out more time for themselves and their family hence they are motivated which increases their productivity at work.

Affordability

Oh yes, the virtual world set up, the new normal has tremendously helped in cost cutting hence, affordable. Be it travelling transportation costs, office’s, school’s huge electricity bills or rent bills…all have become nearly negligible. Pre-Covid, the people who lived away from their homes to earn their livelihood or students to make their career are saving lot of rent bills staying at their homes and yet fulfilling their dreams.

Environment Friendly

Online education and work from home have proved to be boon for our environment. When whole of the world stays at home, we see clear skies- free of smoke, birds chirping, stars at the night, fresh air to breathe…. I hope you all must have experienced that and felt good about it. On the bigger part the hole in the ozone layer got finally closed due to the pandemic lockdown. So, actually Virtual World is playing an important part in keeping our environment healthy.

Disadvantages of the Virtual World

Absence of environment.

Human beings can build Robots but cannot become one. People have feelings thus, our surroundings and work environment matters. Not all students or employees get the desired work environment at their homes. Stepping out of the home, meeting several people, friends or colleagues at work, schools or colleges helps them to grow as an individual. People tend to learn more and better when surrounded by people in competition. Online education and work from home has made our lives monotonous and repetitive.

Health Issues

In order to work in a virtual world, a mobile device or a PC is required. Though we might have opened flood gates of technological wonders but all comes with a price. Screen time of children have tremendously increased since last one and a half year which resulted in various eye diseases at a very young age. Also, Physical work of the people have reduced to an extent which is also causing various health issues in human beings. Sometimes people also develop bad posture and other physical problems due to staying hunched in front of a screen.

Lack of infrastructure

Not all people are privileged enough to afford adequate infrastructure for online education and work from home. Lack of IT infrastructure like laptops, Wi-Fi, etc. has made survival of poor people difficult. Those who can afford the infrastructure for the virtual world face issues with the internet connectivity. Also, there are many for whom absence of dedicated workspace pose a big problem. People living in small houses surrounded by family cannot afford a dedicated place to work or study and hence that results in less productivity at work. Technological glitches, irregular power supply and inequalities in income pose a serious hurdle in accessing the virtual world.

Performance Monitoring

Indeed, the virtual mode has made performance management and monitoring difficult. Especially children have short attention span and often get distracted at their homes so, it becomes difficult for teachers to keep the track of their progress. Also, it sometimes becomes exacting for teachers to keep mischievous pupils at bay during live streaming of classes. For Virtual employees, one on one or group online meetings are set up to clarify expectations, so that there is no room for mistakes but they are not as effective as physical meetings.

We have arrived in a virtual world- Partially

There are many Industries (Essential Services) which cannot work in the Virtual world, they had to follow the traditional methods due to privacy practices or due to the nature of their business. For E.g. – Banking Industry, Transportation Industry, etc.

Now, to overcome the disadvantages of the virtual world, students and employees are allowed to work/study alternately from offices/schools/colleges and homes. Since, students are in their early stage of learning it becomes important for them to stay active in their studies. This process helps students to interact more with their teachers & friends to get proper practical knowledge. This alternate working method is called the Hybrid Model.

Yes! HYBRID MODEL

Hybrid model is the way forward in this case due to the perils of data piracy, unfavourable work environment in many houses, deficiency of adequate infrastructure and expertise and mental stress due to lack of socializing. In this blended model, people work alternately, so that all the cons are taken care of.

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Online Education: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Classes in 2024

Online courses have seen a surge in popularity in recent years.

With more people looking to further their education or learn new skills, online courses have become an attractive option for many.

Compared to traditional education, online course platforms offer several advantages – both for learners and those wanting to create an online course .

In this article, I’ll go into the advantages and disadvantages of online courses so that you can make an informed decision about whether they’re right for you .

If you’re thinking about taking an online course (or even creating one), this article will give you the information you need to decide.

Let’s get started.

The Pros of Taking Online Classes

Let’s start with the benefits of online education.

You Can Learn At Your Own Pace.

Online coaching platforms allow learners to go at their own pace.

That’s one of the main advantages of online education – learners can take as long or as little time as they want on each module and revisit sections as often as they need to.

The learning material is also usually available indefinitely, so learners can take their time working through it.

Students can retake an online course a year later if need be.

You Can Access Materials At Any Time.

Digital learning allows learners to access course materials anytime, anywhere in the world.

This is a significant advantage for busy people who can’t commit to attending traditional classes.

In addition, some people are early risers while others prefer to stay up late – online courses give learners the flexibility to study at any time that suits them.

You Can Communicate With Your Instructor And Classmates Easily.

While distance education has been around for quite some time, fast internet has made communication between instructors and students much more accessible.

One advantage of online education is the ability to speak to fellow students and instructors easily and readily.

Having other students to communicate with (sometimes at various hours of the day) can make learning more enjoyable and help keep you motivated.

You Can Get More Out Of A Course Than In A Traditional Classroom.

Higher education is not just about attending lectures and taking exams.

It’s also about developing soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

The pandemic has shown us a new normal and that we can still thrive when not physically together.

In the classroom vs. online learning debate, this is an advantage of online learning – it allows learners to develop these essential skills without having to be in the same room as their classmates.

You Can Take Courses That You Wouldn’t Have Otherwise Been Able To Handle.

The logistics of setting up some courses can incur a cost that not everyone can afford , including fees for field trips or buying/hiring expensive equipment.

But with online education, the sky’s the limit.

Anything that one can teach digitally can be made available to anyone, regardless of location or financial situation.

You Can Save Money On Tuition, Travel, And Other Associated Costs.

Another point relating to cost is that renting or buying a property near a university you’re studying at can be expensive .

With online learning, there’s no need to worry about this – you can study from anywhere in the world.

Being in an online environment (versus a physical classroom) means there are no associated costs, such as commuting, travel or accommodation.

You Can Learn In Various Ways (Text, Audio, Video, Etc.).

Catering for the learning styles of all students can be difficult in a traditional classroom setting.

But with online courses, this is much easier to do.

Course creators can use a variety of formats (text, audio, video, etc .) to deliver their content, and learners can consume it in the way that suits them best.

Upon choosing the right learning management system , instructors can also track the progress of individual students and see which formats they engage with most.

The learning tools that many LMS s provide, such as quizzes and forums, can also make the learning process more interactive and engaging.

You Can Take Advantage Of Free Online Courses.

Finally, learning new skills is no longer something that only people who can afford to pay for courses can do.

Nowadays, thousands of free online courses are available on the internet, covering many topics.

Whether you’re looking to improve your job prospects or want to learn something new, there’s a free online course out there for you.

The Cons of Taking Online Classes

Here are the disadvantages of online learning

You May Feel Isolated And Alone.

Face-to-face interaction used to be an integral part of the learning process.

Building relationships with classmates and instructors can be challenging for some when you’re not physically present in the same room.

You may also find it hard to stay motivated without the support of your peers.

You Need Better Time Management And Independent Working Skills

The self-discipline to take an online class is not just about the course material.

It’s also about learning how to manage your time and work independently .

This can be difficult for some students, who may prefer the structure of a traditional classroom setting.

It’s also worth noting that some jobs require team-based work, so taking online classes may not prepare you for this environment.

It Can Be Challenging To Stay Motivated Without The Structure Of A Traditional Classroom.

Attending classes that meet in person makes staying on track and motivated easier.

But when you’re taking classes online, getting sidetracked and forgetting to do your coursework can become a problem.

Practice-based learning can also be challenging on your own – it’s often helpful to have someone there to give you feedback and help you improve.

Technical Problems Can Be A Significant Headache.

It’s not just you – everyone struggles with technology from time to time.

Technical problems can be a significant headache when taking an online class.

If your internet connection is slow or unreliable, or if the learning platform is down, it can be challenging to participate in your class or get the information you need.

You May Not Have Access To The Same Resources As On-Campus Students.

While most colleges and universities now offer some form of online learning, not all of them provide the same level of support or resources.

For example, you may not have access to the same library resources or be unable to participate in campus events.

Doing your research before enrolling in an online program to ensure you’ll have the resources you need.

Some Employers Prefer Candidates With Traditional Degrees.

Educational institutes providing online lectures are not accredited in some industries/communities/countries.

While this is changing, some employers still prefer candidates with degrees from traditional colleges and universities.

Knowing this, you may want to consider whether an online program is the right choice for you.

While distance learning has advantages, it’s essential to be aware of the potential disadvantages before enrolling in an online program.

Therefore, weighing the pros and cons can help you decide if distance learning is the right choice.

Technology In Online Learning

E-learning, or learning through electronic devices, has become increasingly popular in recent years .

From primary and secondary schools to universities and professional training programs, more and more people are using technology to learn.

But what does this mean for us?

How has technology changed how we learn, and what do those changes mean for the future of education?

There are a few key ways that technology has changed the way we learn:

• We can now access information more quickly and efficiently than ever.
• We can share information with others more readily.
• We can receive feedback more quickly and easily.
• We can customize our learning experiences to suit our individual needs better.

Are Online Classes Right For You?

Comparing the factors that a virtual classroom offers (in relation to a more traditional learning experience) can help you decide if an online class is the right choice.

An online degree might appeal to you for a variety of reasons.

For example, having real-time interaction with other online students and professors might be vital to you.

Or the ability to attend class from anywhere with an internet connection might be a deciding factor.

On the flip side, if you think that more screen time is not something you want or need more of in your life, an online degree might not be the right fit.

The same applies to a sense of isolation – if you feel like you learn and retain information better in a more traditional classroom setting, an online degree might not be the best choice for you.

Ultimately, only you can decide if this is the right move.

Who Benefits The Most From Online Learning Platforms?

Students with excellent time management skills can benefit from online programs that offer more flexibility in terms of when class sessions are held.

Taking advantage of online education and using apps , forums, quizzes, and other online programs to help you learn can be a great way to finish your degree quickly and efficiently.

Similarly, students who cannot attend a traditional college or university due to work or family commitments can still gain the education they desire through online programs.

In addition, online learning environments can provide great flexibility for learners who have difficulty sitting in a classroom for an extended period.

If you have a disability that makes traditional classrooms inaccessible, online programs can be a great way to get the education you need.

Technology has changed the way we learn.

It has made information more readily available, increased our ability to share information with others and receive feedback, and allowed us to customize our learning experiences.

When deciding if online classes suit you, consider your learning style, time management skills, and commitments .

If you can take advantage of the benefits of an online learning environment, you might find that it is the right choice and that your future opportunities increase due to such learning.

Further reading on AdamEnfroy.com : Many of the more modern online course platforms offer features that make courses more engaging.

Whether you’re a potential student looking for an online course or a subject expert thinking about teaching one, there are a few platforms that I recommend you should check out.

Check out the following reviews of some of these platforms to see which features might be the most suitable for you:

• Podia Review
• Thinkific Review
• Kartra vs. Kajabi Review

Editorial Process:

Our reviews are made by a team of experts before being written and come from real-world experience. Read our editorial process here .

Some of the links in this article may be affiliate links, which can provide compensation to us at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. These are products we’ve personally used and stand behind. This site is not intended to provide financial advice. You can read our affiliate disclosure in our privacy policy .

Adam Enfroy

We test and review software products based on an independent, multi-point methodology. If you use our links to purchase something, we earn a commission. Read our editorial process and disclosures .

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