Disadvantages

While there are many advantages to studying through an online course, there are also a fair number of disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages of studying online would be the fact that people enrolled in these courses will most likely need very constant access to a computer and the internet. This poses problems for people who do not own their personal computer. And even if they have a computer, it does not mean they have the required skills to use a computer. This disadvantage is more associated with the older generations who are not completely literate and are seeking to study online.
Another negative aspect to studying online for students could be the reality that their alone. All the study and course related work that they do will be while they are by themselves. There is no vital input from the student’s teacher or peers. Since students are not interacting with peers, this leaves them feeling social isolation because reduced social and cultural interaction can be a drawback. The impersonality, suppression of communication mechanisms such as body language and elimination of peer-to-peer learning that are part of this potential disadvantage is lessening with advances in communications technologies.
Online learning also comes with the added disadvantage of students putting off work. They do this because they feel they have no time limits or deadlines in which they have to submit their assignments or course related work. This makes the students procrastinate and ultimately not graduate because they were either too late or did not submit their course work. In order to succeed at online learning, people have to have some specific skills. They have to be self-motivated, responsible for their own learning and have good time management skills. If they do not have those skills, traditional classes may be a better choice.
The final disadvantage of online learning would be that the qualification gained through an online course is not as widely recognized compared with a qualification gained through traditional means. For some freshly graduated students it may be fairly difficult for the person who has completed such a course to find a job. Unfortunately not all employers acknowledge qualifications gained through an online course because the concept of obtaining a degree through an online course is relatively new.