Accessibility, convenience, flexibility and independence are perhaps the main reasons why online learning has exploded worldwide in the last decade. But as there are many advantages to this alternative channel of learning, so are there critics who challenge its effectiveness and its success rate compared with traditional, face-to-face learning.

As classes are usually held over the Internet, online institutions then trade convenience for not providing opportunities for social interaction as is normally expected in a physical classroom setting. Without direct face-to-face encounters, activities are limited to what can be accomplished over the Internet or with just the students’ computer monitors and their headsets. Subtle non-verbal nuances are lost over the monitors and headsets. Online instructors also voice their concern about the academic honesty of online students, as it would be harder to catch incidences of plagiarism, valid reasons for late submissions of assignments and the like.

With most traditional institutions of higher education merely expanding their scope to online learning, instructors of traditional classes are then made to teach online classes where sometimes their skills are not a good fit. Considering equipment capabilities of the students, the manner by which classes are to be carried out, and most especially transporting traditional content to the Web without any loss on the meaning and relevance of the matter can be quite daunting for an instructor used to teaching in a brick-and-mortar classroom. Online instructors are also expected to be adept at the technical aspects of teaching online classes, not to mention having the right and sufficient technical resources to carry out an online class. More often than not, online instructors need more training on the technical aspect of their job. As well, instructors find it more time-consuming to provide feedback to online students as compared to traditional classroom settings as the former is mostly individualized and in most cases have to be done within the student’s preferred time schedule. The types, or measures of assessing an online student’s mastery of the course or program is also a matter of debate, as it is mostly written work and practical application virtually non-existent.

There are online programs as well that need some degree of technical proficiency from students, such as operating certain computer programs or software. This could be more of a deterrent for students who do not possess such technical background or orientation but would be interested to pursue a related online degree. Sometimes too, the absence of the physical classrooms and “laboratories” pose unnecessary burden and responsibilities on online students as they are expected to produce or acquire certain technical equipment to carry out tasks during the class.

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