Five Myths About Distance Learning

The growing developments in using internet connectivity services and easy access to mobile tech devices have contributed to changing many different lifestyles. However, educational patterns and methods had not witnessed a change of the scale we observe during this exceptional period. Due to the repercussions of coronavirus, the current crisis forced the majority of teachers across the world to use distance learning methods and technologies. With this widespread adoption of distance learning, misconceptions about distance learning have also spread, some of which we debunk in this article, as follows:

1. Teachers can be dispensed with in distance learning.

Some believe that as long as study materials and resources are available online, there is no need for a teacher in distance learning. However, the teacher plays an essential role in distance learning for all stages and is indispensable in this particular stage. They must be present with their students all the time to guide them, monitor their progress, and assist them when needed, in an essential guidance and instructional role for which there is no substitute. Even in university and higher education stages, where the student has broad educational independence and students set their own appropriate pace and learning schedules, we find the teacher is always present to oversee the students' work and ensure their adherence to deadlines regarding exams, research, and so on. We might see some exceptions, such as optional online educational courses that do not require administrators' supervision and evaluation, but this does not apply to distance learning classrooms.

2. Difficulty of communication in distance learning.

Face-to-face discussion in classrooms may always be better compared to remote communication methods. However, this obstacle is easily overcome by organizing live and direct communication between teachers and students over the internet. Most distance learning platforms provide instant messaging tools between teachers and students and facilitate organizing live meetings between them at the click of a button. Therefore, we do not see distance communication as a real reason to hinder learning and interaction between students and teachers.

3. Low student motivation for distance learning.

It is known that this period requires double the effort in organizing students' efforts and focusing their attention, and the disruption in attending classes is expected to affect their commitment to doing assignments. However, distance learning offers a suitable opportunity for those who find it difficult to fit into a scheduled class timetable and prefer immersing themselves in studying in a different way. Many university students choose distance learning instead of traditional learning to acquire different learning skills that qualify them for the work environment, and because it allows them to determine the pace and speed of learning according to their needs and family circumstances. Therefore, we see that they are characterized by more discipline and independence than traditional education students.

4. Difficulty in capturing students' attention

This may be true, but traditional tests usually used in education, such as (fill-in-the-blanks and multiple choice), do not arouse students' curiosity and enthusiasm, and engaging with the lesson and activities becomes difficult. Therefore, we see teachers in traditional classrooms excel at capturing their students' attention with varied in-class activities. Fortunately, however, there are technological tools that make it easy for us to design educational activities using modern methods during distance learning. Educational platforms provide countless services (such as live chats, electronic brainstorming boards, screen sharing, surveys, and others) that facilitate real-time interaction between the teacher and students just as if they were in a traditional classroom.

5. Distance lessons are repetitive and not renewed

One of the misconceptions about online education is that distance lessons are repetitive and not renewed. On the contrary, online educational content is not valid for all times and places; rather, it is constantly renewed due to the rapid spread of news, easy access to it, and continuous changes in the methods of designing educational resources such as courses. It is unconventional for educational content writing to rely on outdated sources, and the importance of regular updates to online teaching materials cannot be underestimated.

Distance learning enables us to meet students' educational needs with easy, modern methods at all times. Therefore, it is necessary to correct some misconceptions about distance learning and support the efforts of the institutions undertaking it.

Source:

Zielinski Jakub, 2018. 5 Myths about online teaching, click meeting.

.https://blog.clickmeeting.com/online-teaching-myths

Originally published in Arabic. This English version was produced with AI-assisted translation; the Arabic original remains the reference.