Question
Universities and colleges are now offering qualifications through distance learning from the Internet rather than teachers in the classroom.
Do you think the advantages of this development overweight the disadavantages?
Sample answer
Information technology is playing an increasingly important role in our lives, especially in education. Although many people are able to acquire a higher academic qualification by attending a virtual college on the Internet, some people doubt the effectiveness of on-line learning and prefer the traditional way of education.
Compared to distance learning, physically attending a school has some intrinsic advantages for the students'overall development.
Also, teachers can adjust their teaching styles and their instructions to best suit the characteristics of their students. In addition to academic pursuits, students'emotional and social development can be significantly improved in school due to students'participation in extra-curricular activities and events. The emotional connection that often helps to generate inspiration, creativity and emotional wellbeing is vital for young students. In essence the experience in the non-virtual world cannot be substituted by simply receiving lectures electronically and submitting essays.
Admittedly distance learning programs offer a valuable option for people with special needs, such as the disabled, full time workers or those who have families to take care of and are not able to attend class at regular hours. Another advantage is the relatively less expensive tuition fees of distance programs due to the exclusion of financial cost of campus facilities. But this way of education is restricted to knowledge delivery and requires sufficient self-discipline and time-managing abilities; therefore it is not suitable for young students except as a complimentary source, as it can act as a virtual tutor or a tool for review or reinforcement of what is learned in regular schools.
Overall, I would like to conclude that remote learning programs are making a contribution to wider education receivers by supplying more chances for the acquisition of knowledge. But they cannot be expected to surpass the overall quality of education available at a college which provides both knowledge and an environment for students'overall development. This is the key factor in education.
