Online courses are becoming more and more popular. The ability to relax at home and use our own personal computers to obtain college credit is taking more and more students out of classrooms and putting them online.
Technological evolution has obviously made our lives easier and more efficient. With that said, it only seems fit that we should utilize online learning in our colleges and universities. Or should we? While it may seem fit that we adapt our learning style to keep up with the technology available to us, there are reasons to believe that online courses are not nearly as beneficial to us as traditional style classroom learning.
Lack of Interpersonal Skill Development
Online courses usually require no face to face interaction with classmates or teachers. Information on assignments is posted online and may be completed at leisure without having to attend class meetings. While the leisure of this concept is nice, it takes away from the interpersonal skills that students need to acquire along with their education.
When in a classroom, students may be required to speak their mind. They may be required to give presentations or speeches. They will have to work in groups with all kinds of people with many differing viewpoints. Online courses require none of that. Businesses often tell university faculty that they wish graduating students had more interpersonal skills. They say it is crucial to success in their careers. Traditional style learning teaches these things. Now obviously if businesses are telling universities they wish these skills were more evident, there is room for improvement. Still, online courses are not the answer. If anything, online courses will only hurt a student ability to speak and interact with others in a way that will help them in their life and career.
When students are required to interact with classmates and professors, they gain confidence in their ability to