Should I Learn English Online or Offline?

Online Education

With the advent of technology, the way to deliver education has changed forever. In fact, online education has become a flexible teaching method in which students can easily access learning materials in the comfort of their own homes. In addition, online education provides an excellent opportunity for students who can enroll in traditional classes and support students in setting learning speed.

Online education helps to instill the habit of self-discipline and time management among students and gives them access to an unlimited number of educational resources. Students can easily set their learning speed as long as they have the right equipment and access to the right internet connection.

Offline Education

Offline education is a standard online education program and a basic learning method that allows students to have regular contact with peers and teachers. Just as online education is predicted to be the future of learning, it will not replace part of offline education. Offline education is less susceptible to technical problems and offers students the best opportunity to develop a solid schedule and stick to it.

In addition, offline education also allows teachers to monitor their students’ responses and behaviors and to deal with them where necessary. Therefore, no matter how advanced online education is, offline education will continue to play an important role in student development.

Online Education vs Offline Education

While online education is not new, its importance came to the fore after the epidemic. Although it has been instrumental in furthering education despite the closure of many educational institutions, there is a great deal of debate between online education and offline education.

Given below is a table highlighting the major differences between online education and offline education

Mode of Education in Offline and Online Classes

When it comes to online classes, teachers can easily teach their students about visual classes. Students can easily access reading materials as long as they have proper access to the Internet connection. Online classes provide teachers with a number of online learning tools including videos, audio, animation, white visual boards, visual conference rooms and live chat with students.

On the other hand, offline classes provide students with an effective learning environment within the walls of a real classroom. It allows students to interact closely with their teachers and actively participate in lively discussions and discussions. Students can also participate in recreational activities such as art and exercise education that contribute to the student’s mental and physical development throughout.

Accessibility

One of the great benefits of online classes is their accessibility from anywhere in the world. Students can easily access from anywhere and gain access to the study materials in the comfort of their own home. Apps such as Zoom and Microsoft Team have allowed students to access their courses easily without leaving the safety of their own homes. In addition, students do not incur any type of travel expenses. Therefore, online classes offer a unique benefit of spatial flexibility.

However, offline classes require students to go to their educational institution. Teaching takes place in a consistent setting that usually includes a classroom or a physical classroom. Some students may have to travel long distances to reach their educational institutions, and this may cause great frustration. Not to mention that students will incur travel costs.

Time Management

Students who attend online classes are faced with the big challenge of time management. Online learners are typically distracted by a multitude of tasks and they lack a proper schedule. Since online classes provide the advantage of self-paced learning, students may not have a proper schedule and may succumb to the habit of procrastination. Moreover, students are required to stay logged in to their online classes for an extended period of time which may lead to students surfing the web for distractions or checking their social media pages.

In the case of offline classes, students have to adhere to a strict schedule that has been set up by the teachers. Furthermore, since there is synchronous learning, students will be required to complete their work and projects in a timely manner. Not to mention, there is less distraction for students within the walls of a physical classroom and students learn to finish their designated work as per the pre-determined schedule.

Flexibility of Classes

The flexibility of classes is the main highlight of online classes. It allows students to set their own learning pace without any additional pressure. Since students have access to recorded videos and online reading material, they can easily attend lectures as and when it is convenient. It also gives students more time to digest the study material and complete their work or research at their pace.

There is a certain amount of rigidity when it comes to offline education. Students are required to attend their lectures or sessions on time since there are no pre-recorded videos or notes that are easily available to the students. Hence, students are required to follow a predetermined and strict schedule as set by their educational institute.

Student-Teacher Interaction

Contrary to popular belief that there is no interaction between students and teachers in online education, there is a fair amount of interaction between students and teachers through the internet. Online classes allow students to connect with their teachers regardless of the time or place. Online classes also allow for two interactions that have a great impact on learning. Student-teacher interactions in online classes may be intertwined and interdependent.

There is face-to-face contact in the case of offline classes, especially because teaching is intertwined. There is effective communication between students and teachers that allows for dialogue and debate between them. In addition, it allows students to quickly deal with their doubts and get a quick response. Teachers are accustomed to different teaching methods to engage with students

.

Technical Issues in Offline and Online Classes

Online classes are constantly debating the technical issues. Access to appropriate electronic devices such as webcams, microphones, headphones and computers and appropriate internet connection is a mandatory requirement for online classes. Additionally, technical problems such as slower internet connectivity or lack of access to appropriate technology infrastructure can hamper uninterrupted learning. Students may have difficulty attending live talks or downloading videos or notes online.

Offline classes are rarely threatened by technology problems. Students and teachers do not need to be technical experts in a different way and as most learning takes place within a real classroom, technical problems are not a major problem other than any subjects that require presentation or computers.

Which Way Is Right For Me?

You need to ask yourself some questions to find out which English learning method is best for you.

How much time can I spare? If you have time to devote to full English study that is fine. Some people may find that their free time is limited by work or family obligations. Learning English online is a great option for those who can spend hours every day learning English, but who can spend a few hours a week to learn English for a while.

How quickly do I want to learn? Some people need or want to learn English quickly. This may be because they are looking for work, or they have a vacation in an English-speaking country they are coming to and want to study before their trip. If you want to learn English quickly, you may want to consider deep, offline and offline classes, which bring a lot of individual lessons to help you learn faster.

How much help do I need? Some students are by nature very good at motivating themselves and working without help. Learning English online is good for them. Online English classes offer group lessons, online forums and discussions, and individual learning options with teachers, but some students feel they need the support of a physical class, group of students, or a teacher to help them.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Online and Offline English Learning

The easiest way to get to one of those places is to take courses with professional teachers from other countries. But is it really necessary to use paid professional classes? After all, there are plenty of free Skype chat clubs online where people from all over the world are interacting with each other.

The use of such resources is good in perspective. However, the results of a study conducted by EnglishMania revealed a few problems associated with this approach.

1. With the exception of some who like the unusual, most users of those Skype clubs go there NOT to TEACH but to LEARN English. There is a big difference between the two. Due to the lack of functionality, conversation times can quickly turn into the same kind of conversations that often address the same topics: “What’s your name?”, “Where are you from?”, “Where do you work / study?”, “Your hobbies”. This, of course, can significantly slow down progress and reduce student motivation.

2. Another negative aspect is the pronunciation of people from different countries where English is not a native language. It is very common to have a conversation with someone whose way of speaking is far from the traditional standard that everyone should aim for while learning English. This feature can be overlooked although the main purpose of attending such chat services is to prepare for a certain international voice (for example, to conduct business meetings with partners from a country where English is not a native language).

3. It is not uncommon for Skype chat clubs to have free access without proper organization of the learning process, lack of programs / educational methods and often lack customer support. As a result, the learning process sometimes becomes more chaotic than formal.

4. And of course, we should not mention too many users who join free chat clubs not for learning but for other purposes. They often flood into chat rooms or conference calls with irrational or untested phrases that have nothing to do with reading at all. This is another major factor that can hinder the progress of great learning.

REMOTE ONLINE CLASSES

PROS
+ Price. Optimizing the cost of an online service usually allows access to classes with foreign teachers for much more attractive prices.
+ Comfort and Convenience. This is another noticeable advantage in favor of online classes. This approach allows you to study from anywhere in the world. You don’t need to spend time and money traveling to a school or meeting your teacher. No need to carry heavy books, also. All you need is a computer with internet access.
+ Interest. Utilization of innovations and advanced technologies during a class helps in keeping the person interested and increases his/her motivation. Learning English online improves your English skills, but at the same time it also helps to learn new tools and technologies which can be useful in other aspects of daily life.

CONS
– This might sound a little bit strange, but utilization of technologies is not only an advantage but also a disadvantage at the same time. Sometimes, remote classes can be jeopardized or even interrupted due to a computer/application failure or due to bad Internet connection, for example. These scenarios are highly unlikely for offline lessons (though a husky voice of a teacher due to flu, no ink in a pen or a terrible traffic jam in the city can happen as well).

TRADITIONAL OFFLINE LESSONS.

PROS
+ Reliability. As we have just pointed out, it is less likely to experience a technical failure during the offline lesson. You will always hear your teacher clearly, not thinking about the quality of a microphone or headsets’ volume.
+ Personal contact. In spite of the rapid technology growth, computers and applications still cannot fully replace some elements of human communication which occur during the personal contact on a psycho-emotional layer.

CONS
– Price. As mentioned above, to find a suitable foreign teacher for personal lessons in your city can be a lot more difficult and more expensive.
– Comfort (or discomfort). In this discipline, online lessons of course are far ahead.