Since lockdowns have been introduced due to COVID-19, students have reverted to online learning, whether that is via live teaching or prerecorded videos. Deciding which one is right for you will determine whether it is realistic to continue this into the long term, as it is uncertain when this will all end.
You must be thinking that this article is aimed at primary and high school students, and you wouldn’t be wrong; however, learning does not stop there. Even after adults have completed their university degrees, they can continue to learn other topics outside. It could be learning how to draw, or how to sew. We continue to learn well into our adulthood to accomplish a personal goal in our lives.
As a student myself, I have experienced both live teaching and prerecorded videos, and thus, have discovered the pros and cons of both.
Prerecorded Videos
Your teacher/tutor record themselves teaching the content, and upload them online. You may view them whenever it suits you.
Pros
Rewinding and Pausing Content – This is probably the biggest draw. If you didn’t understand something the first time around, rewind and see you what missed earlier. You can even pause the video so you can take notes down at your own pace.
Convenience – You can decide in your own time when you are available to complete the task. You may be a night learner, so naturally you would take your classes later than you normally would. There are no rules!
Cons
You must be self-disciplined - Since you can watch the video at any time of the week, there is no rush, right? You may just procrastinate, until you completely forget about it. Suddenly, the following week has rolled by and you have failed to watch the previous video! Now you are going to be behind. It is very easy to procrastinate when the video is easily accessible. Before you know it, you can be four videos behind, but you simply don’t have the time to catch up on all that content. Can you even absorb that much material in that time?
After rewinding, you still don’t understand – Well, then you’re in a bit of a pickle there. You will have to wait to speak to your tutor/teacher and hopefully have them explain it to you in a different way that it will make sense to you.
Free content – There are already plenty of videos on topics you are interested in online. Are you struggling with a mathematics topic? There is a probably a video on that on YouTube, probably with better production value.
Live Teaching
Live teaching is the same as going to class, except you watch the teaching online instead of face-to-face.
Pros
Interaction – We don’t go to class just to learn. We go there to communicate to real people. This is one way you can build your communication skills. In a live teaching setting, you are able to discuss issues with your peers and explain to each other why your answers don’t match. Since you are all gathered there at the same time, it is easier for you and your peers to assist one another. Since we are now in isolation, interacting online is so important to our mental health, we can’t take it for granted.
Resolving Issues – You didn’t understand something the first time around? That’s fine, because you can tell your teacher/tutor that and they will immediately explain it in a different way. You don’t have to wait a couple of days because you are already in class with them.
Sense of Responsibility – You can’t procrastinate an online class like you can with a video you can watch whenever you please. Your teacher/tutor is waiting for you to attend, and if you don’t, it’ll be noted down in your report. You may feel guilty for letting down your teacher/tutor. If it occurs too many times, the issue will be brought to your parents. If you miss the class, that’s it, you missed it! Therefore, you feel like you have no choice but to attend so as to not disappoint your teacher and yourself.
Comfort in Routine – Beyond Blue explains that since lockdowns have been introduced, everything appears to be out of control. It is so important that we create a routine to “establish structure” in our lives. Your online classroom will occur the same time and day, and for the same duration.
Cons:
Stable connection – You may experience disruptions if connection is not stable. Luckily, our internet speeds are vastly superior to ten years ago, unfortunately, disruptions still do occur. The best way to combat this is to use an Ethernet cable instead of wifi. You will experience less interference.
Availability – Since you have a set routine, you must ensure you are available during the time allocated or you will miss out.
It is clear which version I prefer. Remember, we are not all the same. Decide for yourself which one you prefer.
At Lore Tuition, all our classes are presented live by a teacher/tutor. We want to ensure online learning is just as similar as to coming to our classes in person. We believe this is the best solution for this scenario in the long run.
