PROS
1. One of the benefits of online education is that students can still actively participate in the class even if they are not physically present because of other commitments that their schedule no longer permits.
2. Geographic location can also be a hindrance but with online learning, it is no longer in being because by furnishing a computer with an internet connection, the ball can just start rolling.
3. This system is also an advantage to individuals who have some bodily defects such as not being able to walk because of an accident, for example. With distance education, they do not have to move to another place away from their residence.
4. Benefits of online learning include having a room that is accessible 24x7. You do not even have to wake up early in the morning to follow punctuality because there will be no professor checking the time of your arrival.
5. You might forget, lessons will be delivered in a virtual setting where there is even hardly a meeting with the entire group unless there will be a scheduled period. Distance education is asynchronous where different mediums will be employed for lecturing.
CONS
Since this article is about the pros and cons of online learning, it would now be proper to touch on the weakness.
1. One of the problems is the lack of access to an internet connection. This is an important consideration knowing already that the setting is a virtual one. Therefore, with a view to establishing mutual communication between a student and a professor, there should be a common link even if they are miles apart. In this case, the tie that will bind them together is the power of the information.
2. Unfortunately, there are still some individuals who cannot afford to pay fixed cheap monthly bills.
3. Another constraint of online learning is computer literacy. Once you have enrolled in any program offered by an open university, you have to acquire a certain level of knowledge of the computer with regards to operating it. You also have to be acquainted with navigation of the World Wide Web as well as electronic mails, file transfer protocol procedures, and newsgroups.
4. Students feel isolated while learning and may find that they are frustrated at the inability to grasp a concept.
5. The lack of instructor-led course material can make the learning curve steep for some.
There are still a lot of other pros and cons of online learning that will guide you to resolve a final decision, whether you enroll in a program offered by an open university or adhere to the conventional manner of going to school.