E-learning is the new normal. It started when Covid-19 infection cases rapidly grew. Currently, when it comes to your education, you have the option of either going to school in a hybrid manner or learning virtually. Virtual learning has both pros and cons which I will explore and show how it feels to be a virtual student in 2020.

A few pros are that it provides people a safe option to stay away from Covid-19. Students can be protected in their own home and not have to worry about being in contact with other students. Also,  anyone that did not like the environment in school finally has a chance to work from home and focus on themselves.

Virtual learning gives students time to work at their own pace because they might not feel rushed by the teacher or their peers. Also students that had problems with transportation in the morning now don’t have to worry about getting to school on time because all they have to do is load up their iPad and have class with their teacher in the comfort of their own home. Some of my friends even said “E-learning is much easier than going to school.”

Some of the cons include the fact that people who learn hands on, are struggling because they can’t physically be there with their teacher. Another problem is that, since they are learning from home, it is easier to cheat without the watchful eye of a teacher present. The reality is that they might not really be learning anything if they go for this option. Also after attending  their google meets, the only communication they might have is through email.Unfortunately, it could take hours before they get a response to their questions from teachers. Also, and probably one of the biggest issues, is that students might not have the best internet at home, causing them to not be able to attend their class in Google Meets, or be able to receive some of the new media that teachers are using, liek videos and voice recordings

School might have been the environment where students connected with their friends, and now that they are home, they might not see each other as much as they did before., E-learning takes away that source of social contact students had with others at school. Now we are home alone until our parents get home. It can be lonely and depressing.

As you can see, from a students point of view, virtual learning could either be easier or harder for an individual. It all depends on the student and what their needs are. Some students love virtual learning and being at home, while some hate it because they feel like they are not learning as well or getting the same help as they would in a real classroom, in addition to the lack of social interaction

Is virtual learning making your life harder or easier? Before you answer, consider these pros and cons.