Pros and Cons of Virtual Classrooms

Naturally, when a new type of technology is released it has some potential benefits but also usually has quite a few bugs that need to be sorted out. Even after years of a technology being on the market it can still have its flaws. In the case of virtual classrooms there are many good and bad aspects that can be found in the system if it is sought after thoroughly enough.

Firstly, lets talk about all the good that comes from virtual classrooms. One of the more obvious advantages to the virtual classroom is what I had discussed in the previous post and that is that anyone with a computer and some wi-fi can access a virtual classroom at any time. That means students with busy lives can easily work at their own pace on their own schedule and still be able to interact with their fellow students and professors.

This ready classroom access also assists the teachers in the class, which in turn assists the students. Professors can use the virtual classroom to interact with students any time they wish, given that they have access to a computer (Hiltz 433). By being able to readily interact with students, professors can provide feedback to students more easily and thus more often so then a student will be given feedback on their week multiple times a week whereas a traditional classroom setting would only yield feedback once a week or even less (Hiltz 433).

Another positive aspect of the online classroom is that it forces students to more independently develop the skills the courses are striving to teach (Hiltz 433). I think this is a positive aspect of the virtual classroom because it allows students to develop the skill of on their own learning that can be applied outside the classroom setting to develop almost any skills whether it is for a job or for personal betterment.

One of the main issues that virtual classrooms can yield is that it is still a developing concept. This means, while many students will adapt to the concept pretty easily others might have issues going through the transition between the regular classroom environment and the virtual environment, which could end up being a hindrance rather than a n enhancement (Grenier-Winther 253-256).

All in all, virtual environments can be either beneficial or dyer or both depending the personality that’s using it. Since it’s still a developing software there are still kinks to figure out but overall it seems to be primarily beneficial to the modern student. 

Sources:

Grenier-Winther, Joan. "Real Issues in the Virtual Classroom." The French Review 73.2 (1999):                   252-64. Web.

Hiltz, Starr Roxanne, and Meinke Robert. "Teaching Sociology in a Virtual Classroom." Teaching

         Sociology 17.4 (1989): 431-46. Web.