Log In and Zone Out: Why Online Learning May Not Be An Effective Route

Samantha Massad, 27

Can you imagine staring at a laptop screen for hours a day with little to zero human interaction, trying to learn something you have never seen before? Without the chatter and laughter of students and a teacher with high hopes for their students, the learning experience becomes detached and uninspiring for students. This is what millions of online students' learning schedule looks like across the country. Many of today’s students have experienced online learning. Whether they are homeschooled, or were forced to use online learning during the outbreak of Covid-19, or just wanted to take an online class on a topic they were interested in.

The three most common types of online learning are Synchronous, Asynchronous, and Blended. Synchronous learning is where students use an online video platform such as Zoom or GoogleMeet to meet with the professor and classmates. Asynchronous learning is where the student has complete control over the class schedule, learns the material, and completes assignments completely independently. Blended learning involves a mix of asynchronous and synchronous learning, so it’s basically asynchronous learning with a few regularly scheduled Zoom or GoogleMeet meetings.  While online learning has some positives, such as flexibility and accessibility, it overall has more disadvantages, such as a lack of social interaction, increased distractions, and limited hands-on learning opportunities, which all negatively impact students’ likelihood of academic success.

During 2023, 53% of U.S students were enrolled in at least one online course (Coffey). One thing that many do not realize when enrolling in online courses is that to be successful, one must have discipline and focus. While this is obviously true for any class, with online learning, an online student must be motivated to complete and fully learn and comprehend the material all on their own, which definitely is not an ideal situation. A study surveying undergraduate college students from multiple universities noted that 76% of the undergraduates surveyed felt that the lack of motivation was the biggest obstacle during online learning (Daugherty). It may be difficult for a student to learn if they do not have motivation coming from their peers and teachers that inspire learning. If an online student is irresponsible and lacks accountability to turn their work in, it can begin to look impossible to catch up, especially without a teacher’s guidance. The amount of flexibility and time given to students can be beneficial if taken advantage of by a student truly focused on their schoolwork, but an unmotivated student will use this as a way to not engage or be involved in their academics.

Online learning can also be more challenging for neurodivergent students who need extra help to fully comprehend or easily get off task. Solvegi Shmulsky, a professor and the director of the Center for Neurodiversity at Landmark College, which serves students with learning disabilities mentions that, “ Another issue she's heard about is how difficult it can be to understand complex concepts on a video call. It's harder for faculty to tell when students are having trouble in a virtual setting, as well” (Shmulsky). Online learning, in this case, has taken a toll on students and teachers, making it tougher to comprehend and learn a new concept. Trying to effectively learn online is like trying to navigate through fog- only relying on one’s own sense of direction due to a teacher not being present. Online learning provides more opportunities for distraction and lack of focus, negatively impacting students’ academic performance.

As students grow older, class discussions become a form of learning and sharing opinions. Socialization and engaging in civil discourse becomes essential when developing opinions and learning social cues when interacting with others. Judith Brett also reminds us how a physical teacher plays such an important role in learning when she says, “They showed that thinking was hard-won and serious and they invited emotional identification with the process. This more than the informational content is the lasting effect of great teaching, testified to in countless memoirs in which people remember teachers who turned them serious and changed their lives” (Brett). Teachers play an essential role when it comes to learning the process of critical thinking and going beyond the surface level of learning. Online learning makes it very difficult for students to truly engage with each other like they would be able to in a classroom setting. While in-person allows for it to be easy to have a quick discussion on the class topic with the people sitting next to you, online learning makes it practically impossible to have a quick, simple discussion with someone next to you. When someone speaks in a Zoom or Google Meet, they are speaking to everyone on the conference call. They are unable to speak to only one or two people at a time. This causes students to have minimal one-on-one interaction with their peers. Online learning lacks social interaction, which can severely impact important skills later in life.

Many people enrolled in online classes tend to feel isolated and alone. During online learning conference calls, there's only time for learning. This makes it very difficult to gain friendships with classmates, since they are not given time to socialize. This can cause students to feel alone with nobody to talk and relate to about school. This is detrimental to students' mindset, which can lead to being unmotivated to succeed in their academic work, in addition to possibly influencing the rise in mental health concerns. An article written by Jill Anderson called, “The Negative Effects of Remote Learning on Children's Wellbeing”,  depicts the true harmful effects of online learning. It mentions how it can lead to dysfunctional and irregular behaviors that did not occur before being enrolled in online classes. While online learning can cause negative mental health effects due to isolation, it can also have a few benefits, such as some students may be able to focus better. Some students tend to lose concentration, staring out the window or chatting with a friend on an irrelevant topic. This would give an opportunity to students to obtain a deeper comprehension of a subject from discussion.

Millions of students across the United States are enrolled in online courses that have more negatives than benefits. The potential lack of social engagement can impact students developing essential communication skills. Even though it is a perk that online classes offer such a variety of classes and flexibility, it is not worth sacrificing the quality of education, social skills, and detrimentally affecting one’s well being all for flexibility. So what can you do about these challenges that the next generation is facing with online learning? If you or someone you know is considering taking an online course, be aware of the mental effects that may come with that. Just remember that online learning does provide flexibility and accessibility, although it’s at the expense of a lack of social interaction, increased distractions. The online learning path can be beneficial to some but is definitely not the right educational path for everyone.