| Teaching online is becoming increasingly common. | | | | where the role of the teacher becomes that of a |
| There are many benefits to learning online. However, it | | | | facilitator. It is often said that the teacher changes from |
| needs to be remembered that online education is not a | | | | being a 'sage on the stage' to a 'guide on the side'. |
| 'silver bullet' or panacea. It is just as easy to develop | | | | Students are able to access a huge range of |
| inflexible and inappropriate instruction online as it is with | | | | resources on the internet. These resources are not |
| other methods. Nevertheless, there are good reasons | | | | necessarily just text-based. The types of resources |
| that both students and teachers are making greater | | | | available include text, audio, video, graphics and |
| use of the Web for educational purposes. | | | | animations. However, as there are no gatekeepers on |
| Perhaps the greatest benefit is that of convenience. | | | | the web and anyone can publish just about anything, |
| The online classroom is always open. It can be | | | | students need to be taught how to evaluate and |
| reached from anywhere with an internet connection. | | | | discriminate among these resources. |
| Greater access is useful for students living in rural | | | | Being able to critically evaluate the wealth of material |
| areas, students with disabilities and those who cannot | | | | available on the web is just one skill that online learners |
| attend campus because of other commitments such | | | | develop. Students also get experience with |
| as work or child-rearing. It can also reduce costs if | | | | technologies and methods that are used in many |
| there is less need to travel. Of course, providing | | | | careers. For example, online courses often make use |
| material online can also result in reduced access | | | | of computer-conferencing which is widely used in |
| where students have limited access to the internet. | | | | many industries. Hopefully, the skills that students attain |
| Online learning is typically self-paced. This can suit | | | | can also help them become life-long learners. |
| students who are shy; those who are not native | | | | Technology has the ability to enhance learning and |
| speakers or slower learners who need to take extra | | | | teaching. However, if used inappropriately it can also |
| time to develop answers. The student can review | | | | interfere with learning. It is important to choose online |
| material as many times as they want and references | | | | methods in education for pedagogical reasons rather |
| such as dictionaries can be consulted. | | | | than let it be dictated by the availability of the latest |
| Online teaching tends to be more student-centered | | | | technologies. |