Hi, I’m Guntur, a full-time PhD student at UNSW Sydney, Australia. My research is mostly about blockchain and IoT. I am also with Department of Electrical and Information Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia.Distance Learning or Classroom Learning?
Without question, classroom learning would help students to get more good relations to the Professor since they could simply ask their problems right within the class. Classroom learning is also a common and globally implemented way of learning in most of Universities. However, personally I agree with the assertion that distance learning and online computer classes should replace classroom learning. This opinion is based on ideas such as cost to go to a lecture; enjoying a class; and making your time more efficient.
First of all, it will reduce the cost to go to a lecture. While spending money to go to campus for a lecture can be fine for some people, I think for majority of students whose campus is far from their house, they are more likely to choose take an online class rather than spending money and time just to come for a lecture. Consider, for example, you are a college student who live with your family and your house is very far from campus. If you are about to go to campus for a 30 minutes of lecture, you will have to take bus for 60 minutes and spend money about 3 dollars. I don’t think that it is fair for a contition like that, since it takes longer time in the way to campus than the time you will be in a class.
In addition to the cost to go for a lecture, distance lerning could make student enjoy the learning process in their own circumstance more than conventional class. It is true that recent modern class would be air conditioned, clean, and clear. However, this doesn’t guarantee that students will enjoy more in this situation. This condition would be making the students bored because they are forced to attend the lecture in the same room over and over again. From my own experience, I didn’t enjoy learning in such condition. I was forced to join the class in a same room whole semester. But, I could enjoy my self while I was learning the same materials for a course back in my own room.
Finally, alongside the issue of cost and enjoyment, students would be making their time more efficient. Of course, for some cases, classroom learning could deliver an efficient way of learning. However, for those who do, distance learning is a more efficient way of learning. In distance learning, you have flexibility in arranging your time. From my own experience, I could utilize my spare time in distance learning. I will take around 90 minutes for a conventional classroom learning, but I will spend 30 minutes less in an online class. Eventually I could make benefits from that more 30 minutes to, for example, read more papers or books related to that class.
My consideration of the issue of distance learning has explored factors such as spending money, enjoying the class, and making time more efficient. These considerations lead me to agree with the statement that distance learning and such an online computer class sould replace the conventional classroom learning.