The document discusses the pros and cons of virtual classes, highlighting their rapid rise in popularity, especially during the COVID pandemic, and the historical development of online education. Advantages include comfort, accessibility, affordability, and individual attention, while disadvantages encompass lack of availability for certain fields, distractions at home, and health hazards from excessive screen time. Ultimately, the choice between online and traditional education depends on individual student preferences and circumstances.

1. Virtual Class – Pros
and Cons

2. SYNOPSIS
Introduction
History
Advantages
Disadvantages
Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTIO
N
• Online learning is quickly becoming the
norm. Even before the COVID, already there
were 7 million students in online education.
• Today, the numbers are increasing, as the
safety becomes more prioritized. However,
this is not easy to everyone, hence, it
becomes a debate.
• There are both pros and cons of virtual
classes. They are discussed in the following
presentation.

4. HISTORY
 Online learning emerged in 1982 when the Western Behavioral Sciences
Institute in California, opened its School of Management and Strategic Studies.
The School employed computer conferencing to deliver a distance education
program to business executives.
 Starting in 1985, Connected Education offered the first totally online masters
degree in media studies, through The New School in New York City, also via
computer conferencing.
 Later, in 1989, the University of Phoenix began offering education programs
through the internet. It became the first educational institution in the world to
launch a wholly online collegiate institution, offering both bachelor’s and master’s
degrees. This was the beginning of the revolution.
 The Open University in Britain was one of the first universities in the world to
begin online distance learning, in the early 1990s.
 Currently, the Indira Gandhi National Open University in India is the largest
university in the world with around 4 million students enrolled, most of whom
currently receive education via online methods.

5. Advantages
 Comfort and convenience
 Accessibility
 Affordability
 Self disciplinary skills
 Individual attention

6. ADVANTAGES - Comfort
and convenience
• Online class can be attended at your own comfort, from
your home/desired place.
• It can be attended anytime and anywhere, with the help
of internet connectivity and a device.
• The students can utilise the time to study/relax, which is
being wasted in travel, traffic, transport waiting time, etc,
in the case of traditional class.
• Many students find online class to be more comfortable
than campus education, due to the pandemic and their
learning style.

7. ADVANTAGES -
Accessibility
• More accessible than campus education, in terms
of time and expenses.
• They are designed to be into everyone’s schedule
so that one can fulfil their obligations like career.
• Learners who are with their family, are not even
able to think of getting their desired degree, if there
is no online education.
• Materials are available for 24/7, so that, one need
not worry about losing their materials by various
factors.

9. ADVANTAGES -
Affordability
• As mentioned earlier, online class is
financially affordable as well.
• Online class has the ability to cut the cost of
education up to 50% of the
original cost.
• This is possible because, schools cut a major
portion of their expenses
when the classes are run virtually and hence,
can reduce the fee
charged by them from students, without
compromising their existing margin.

10. ADVANTAGES - Self
disciplinary skills
• Online classes are taken at the student’s pace on a
schedule that works for them, there is no professor telling
them when they need to arrive and when to go.
• They are at control of their own studies and more freedom
is available.
• They learn how to organise their assignments, class
schedule, and other obligations and create a realistic work
life balance.
• They walk away with enhanced skills in time management,
self motivation, self discipline, adaptability and
responsibility.

11. ADVANTAGES -
Individual attention
• Students hesitate to ask their doubts in physical class, but the
online mode eliminates this and provides individual attention
to the students.
• They can email their doubts, directly to their professors and
can set one to one sessions, to clear their doubts. It can even
be made a live session.
• Many schools are working to enhance the online
collaborations and prioritizing the needs and success of the
students.
• Due to the COVID pandemic, the distance education is
required in many areas nationwide.

12. DISADVANTAGES
Lack of availability
Less interpersonal skills
Distractions
Challenging
Health Hazard

13. DISADVANTAGES -
Lack of availability
• Some degrees cannot be earned totally online.
Some fields require in-person and hands-on
experience, that one can’t get in online class.
• For example,
 Aspiring nurses must complete a number of hours in
a clinical setting.
 Medicines and chemists often need a practical
component.
 Manufacturing and machining industry also needs
some level of in-person training on equipment.

14. DISADVANTAGES -
Distractions
• Students will find more distractions at home, than they
find in a classroom environment.
• Distractions like TV sounds, members chatting sounds,
food distractions, etc., will occur at home, while not in the
classroom.
• To succeed in online classes, you must self-motivate
yourself, get rid of the distractions, and find a quiet and
dedicated space and time to complete your course work.

15. DISADVANTAGES -
Less interpersonal skills
• Online schools don’t offer the campus experience,
which may become a barrier to the students, to
interact among themselves.
• The lack of social interaction is the biggest
disadvantage of online class, as some students may
feel very isolated, without these.
• Many students feel shy to engage in a class full of
other students, these students typically thrive in an
online education system.

16. DISADVANTAGES
- Challenging
• Many people feel that online school is easier than
traditional college. While they may be easy to access,
online classes are not any “lighter” than on-campus
courses.
• Many online courses are intensive and just like any
physical classes, the online classes also follow strictly
and maintain certain standards.
• When pursuing an online degree, you will be pushed to
review course materials, listen to lectures, and complete
assignments at your own pace. While this can be a
swimming moment for some, it can be sinking moment
for those who may require more discipline.

17. • Finally, the use of technology can pose a learning
curve for some students. For students who do not
have access to internet or a computer or a mobile
phone at home, online education will be challenging.
• Students who are not aware of modern technology
may also feel held back in an online environment.
• Many schools provide support for these students,
but these students may feel more comfortable and
at-ease in a traditional class format.

18. DISADVANTAGES – Health Hazard
Online study requires electronic screen
gadgets to conduct the classes. Students
to stare into the screens for long hours,
sometimes 2 to 3 hours continuously.
Such a long exposure to screen has its own
impacts on health depending on individual
immunity levels.
Normally, this causes headaches and vision
issues in some people.
Moreover, Devices emit blue light which is
even more harmful to the students. These
emissions cause insomnia, eye dryness,
cataract, blurry vision and similar issues.

19. CONCLUSION
• Finding a right path for you.
• Online education has its own pros and cons as we
can see above.
• This is the time of technology. Thus, online classes are
good for many of the reasons. But, traditional classes
system have many advantages that should not be
ignored fully.
• Despite the disadvantages, the online study method
proved to be beneficial in certain specific conditions.
When it is not advisable to leave your home, or it isn’t
convenient for you, then in that case online study
becomes a blessing in disguise.

20. • Its not possible to decide which of the
two is the best.
• The ultimate decision of which of the
two to pursue, i.e., online or traditional,
lies in the hands of the
individual student.
• Each student has his own abilities and
inabilities. Considering these, the
student must go for his own choice.

21. QUESTIONNAIRE
✓ Do you require flexibility in
your schedule?
✓ Do you desire an in-person
on-campus learning
✓ Is peer collaboration
important to you?
✓ Do you feel accessibility and
autonomy are more up your
alley?