Online education (also known as eLearning) have expanded rapidly and still expanding.

It has the
potential to extend further the educational opportunities, most especially to those students who are
least served by the conventional face-to-face system of learning. Online courses can be taken real
time or as recorded lessons to be listened to, or watched, at some later time. Even as critics of
online education have always discouraged this system of learning due to perceived inefficiencies
resulting from technology use, sense of isolation, inability to focus on the screen for a long time,
inadequate teachers’ training and so on, there is no gainsaying the fact that the system has made
qualitative education available to learners at their time and convenience. Besides, online education
has become affordable and efficient from technological advancements. In addition to time saving,
online education has reduced distraction since learners are actively engaged during classes. Also,
there are improvements in access to educational services using online technologies and changing
paradigms for teaching and learning that integrate well with these technologies. This essay aims
at evaluating the effectiveness of online education, while also making a case for it to replace the
face-to-face classroom teaching.

It has been established that students learn better and faster using the online medium. According to
IBM, participants learn five times more material in online learning courses using multimedia
content than in traditional face to face courses “Because online courses give students full control
over their own learning, students are able to work at their own speed. Generally students work
faster than they would do otherwise and take in more information. They are able to move faster
through areas of the course they feel comfortable with, but slower through those that they need
a little more time on” (Sloan-C, 2020). Technology enhances learning, learners have the entire
technology at their disposal to use for personal development. Using these technologies would mean
continuous self development learning new things about them and the subject, this ultimately
improves learning in folds. The ability to succeed in today’s dynamic environment is largely tied
to technological smartness and this is well coordinated through online education. As, according to
Kanter, 2001 ” “The current job market requires educated workers who are capable of changing
and adapting as business and cultural realities shift and evolve in today’s fast-paced, global
economy”.

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Online education is becoming increasingly affordable. Online education is far more affordable as
compared to physical learning. This is because online learning eliminates the cost of student
transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate. Additionally, all the course or
study materials are available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment which is more
affordable, while also being beneficial to the environment. On the side of the learners, with online
education, costs associated with payments for accommodation, library use, laboratory and other
associated costs with on-campus studies are eliminated. Ultimately, schools are able to offer
courses at reduced rates compared to brick-and-mortar colleges and universities. Students would
not have cost associated with commuting to the campus. Because online education is not inferior
or substandard in anyway due to the quality of learning materials and teaching, this form of
education is more appealing to learners, even as the cost is reduced. A recent report by eLearning
Industry suggests that “In America, out-of-state students can expect to pay between $10,000 to
$20,000 per year for room and board; this does not include application fees, off-campus
entertainment, and other living expenses. Online education alleviates housing costs by letting
students take advantage of their current living situation, thereby saving thousands of dollars
each semester”.

Of importance is time and convenience with learning. A bunch of learners have had to dump
graduate studies when they could not combine both work and on-campus learning. Learners are
more flexible with time in online studies. Many students are put off enrolling in a face to face
course due to the time investment it will require. This generally involves the time to get back and
forth to classes, plus the time spent waiting for tutors and other students. Online learning typically
requires 40-60% less employee time than learning in a traditional classroom setting (UT System
Telecampus, 2007). It is also key to note that eLearning options generally allow students to split
the time they are investing in the course in whichever way works for them. They do not need to be
able to dedicate large chunks of time to the course: it will work just as well if they can set aside
half an hour from their lunch break each day. Besides, there is no scope for tangential discussions
that sometimes derail classroom sessions. Instead of reading manuals or waiting for the instructor’s
help, learners can quickly access the required information online.

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Retention rates are higher with eLearning. Many on-campus courses struggle to retain students
throughout the length of the course. It has been found that this is not the case with eLearning.
Rather, online courses have increased student retention rates from anything from 25% to 60%
(Arizona State University, 2019). It’s been suggested that more engaging multimedia content,
more control over how they take in the material and less likelihood of classes clashing with other
commitments all contribute to this rise. Allen and Seaman (2011) report that more than 6 million
students were taking at least one online course in the year 2010 and that there is a steady 10%
growth in online course enrollments. Information from eCore online education portal of the
University of Georgia showed an 11 percent growth in half a decade to reach an 83 percent
retention rate. At the University of West Georgia, online learning has had the retention rate boosted
from 68 percent in 2007 to an impressive 92 percent in 2012. At Boise State University in Idaho,
student retention rate increased by more than 30 percent, U.S. Department of Education. (2009).
Given the anytime, anywhere nature of online learning, this system has been able to retain more
learners than the traditional face-to-face system of learning.

Online education brings about cultural integration. Students in online programs come from diverse
backgrounds all over the world. Because of the ability to log on from any location, class
discussions feature a broader range of perspectives, helping learners enhance their own cross-
cultural understanding. Students then not only have the opportunity to network with people from
around the globe, but can also broaden their perspective and become more culturally aware.
Businesses are looking for employees who can innovate, and innovation often comes from outside
your immediate world. If one is interested in entrepreneurship, for example, hearing how other
countries adopt certain technologies or approach specific industries can inspire new ideas or
improve an existing concept one has been developing. Being exposed to new ideas from
professionals in other countries may spark one’s creativity - creativity that can turn out to be
valuable for one’s organization. Diversity is a major requirement in the fast-paced world we are
in. A major tool for diversification is that which online education offers. With this system of
learning, learners have a more robust understanding of different culture through interactions, group
work, and forum. It is possible to have a more diverse group in online education than the traditional
system of on-campus due to limitlessness of boundary.

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Embracing technology is easier through online learning. When working on a group project, sharing
files or status updates can become difficult via email, so learners might need to utilize project
management and communication tools. With more companies using virtual teams, it’s important
to learn how to collaborate remotely. Classmates will likely live in different time zones, which
learners need to learn how to adapt to and schedule around. Online learning therefore translates to
strong technical skills, a definite plus for any job seeker. As part of coursework, students will
likely need to utilize digital learning materials, get familiar with new tools and software, and
troubleshoot common issues. After a program’s worth of technical hurdles, big and small, an
employer could trust that learners are versed in common collaboration tools, content management
systems, and basic troubleshooting. Because technology is advancing at a very fast pace, online
education offers adequate up-to-date learning and deployment of these technologies as they unfold.

Online education has evolved over the years and this has exposed the gaps in the traditional
systems of face-to-face learning. But for the online education system, learning would have been
impossible during the Covid pandemic. Virtual classes have stood test of time and are ready to
replace the old system of face-to-face learning. The outbreak of Corona Virus Disease 2019
(COVID-19) in various countries at the end of 2019 completely transferred traditional face-to-face
teaching to online education platforms. The global spread of COVID-19 resulted in the suspension
of classes for more than 850 million students worldwide (Tinggui Chen, 2020 ), disrupting the
original teaching plans of schools in these countries and regions. Several countries around the
world had to enhance the online platforms for learning. With the growing students’ satisfaction
and the declining cost, online education has remained appealing to learners. Remote learning is a
new way of learning, and this has come to stay.