Online classes create confusion

Snap+out+of+it.+Snapchat+causes+a+distraction+for+seniors+Robert+Schuh+and+Addison+Soat+during+their+online+class.+Schuh+was+going+on+a+rant+about+online+classes%2C+so+Soat+decided+to+put+his+rant+on+her+story.+%E2%80%9COnline+classes+offer+many+evils+that+can+cause+gaps+in+learning%2C%E2%80%9D+said+Schuh.

Snap out of it. Snapchat causes a distraction for seniors Robert Schuh and Addison Soat during their online class. Schuh was going on a rant about online classes, so Soat decided to put his rant on her story. “Online classes offer many evils that can cause gaps in learning,” said Schuh.

Now that it’s 2018 and most everything is on the internet, students are taking courses for school online. Although online learning has grown into something normal and even encouraged within schools, it may not be worth the hype.

Online learning is not nearly as effective as traditional face to face learning. When you take classes in a traditional setting you get to interact with the teacher and other classmates. You can ask questions and not have to wait hours or even days to get the answer. You can get help from your teacher before or after class and work through problems in person.

Working out problems you may have in person is a lot easier because the teacher can tell if you don’t understand and then try to teach you a different way. You get feedback on your work almost instantly, and you can work out any problems that you notice right then and there.

Another reason online learning isn’t the best is it’s really easy to cheat. You can sit behind your computer screen and have your phone at the ready to look up the answer to that test question. If there isn’t someone constantly watching you, then you’re probably going to cheat. Don’t lie to yourself. “When you are in a room alone and you have the choice to fail a quiz that the online class didn’t prepare you for or cheat without consequence, you would obviously choose the cheating pathway,” said Robert Schuh, ‘19.

When you cheat you aren’t learning anything. Nothing is staying in your head because you didn’t have to work for the answer. “I do my class, and I know the information for a very short period of time,” said Ainsley Holland, ‘19. Therefore when the class ends there won’t be anything left about that subject in the student’s head. “In order to truly gain any information from an online class, especially an AP one, you have to study hours upon end and search the ends of the earth to find content that is covered in the quizzes,” said Schuh.

Lastly, there isn’t much structure in most online classes. This means that a lot of people will start an online class and never finish it. “I hit a rock wall in my life and I am not doing anything in the class,” said Veronica Osorio, ‘19. You don’t have to show up to class everyday and listen to your teacher’s lecture about whatever class you’re taking. Instead you just procrastinate until it’s too late to turn in your assignments.

Many people argue that online learning is great because most people would rather be using the internet anyways. While many people enjoy spending their time on the internet, most of that time on the internet is for entertainment or communication purposes. Not many teenagers are going on the internet to randomly learn about the scientific method.

Another argument for online courses is convenience. Online classes are convenient in the fact that you can do them whenever and wherever, but that is also one of the downfalls of online classes. Because online classes are so unstructured in time and place of class many people do not take them as seriously as face to face classes.

Online schooling makes it harder to correct mistakes, it makes it easier to cheat, and there isn’t much structure in the class. Therefore online classes are not nearly as effective as traditional schooling is. If you’re going to try to take an online class make sure you’re willing to apply yourself if you want to actually get something out of the course. Don’t cheat and set a specific time that you do your class everyday.