A few years ago, the online space intersected with learning almost only when students searched for information or when the teachers played to them an educational video. All of that got through essential changes during the COVID-19 pandemic when the only way how to preserve contact between teacher and student was online learning through virtual classrooms and webs that enable online meetings.
My own experience with online learning comes primarily from pandemic era. For me as a student with specific needs was that quite difficult. It was much harder to stay focused, because in many cases nobody could see where you are and what are you doing or if you are still on your device and taking thoroughly notes from the class. I missed the contact with my friends and also with the teachers. The unstable internet connection was common inconvenience. Fortunately, the teachers gave us before each online class a study material and pre-prepared notes. So, it wasn’t difficult to complete my notes.
Online learning has penetrated through all spheres of education. Perhaps it is maybe the pandemic what led to reassessment of the importance of distant learning in higher education. Many people consider it positive that they can enroll electronically. Recently I have noticed that international summer schools are also being organised online.
In winter semester when I started my undergraduate studies, I have attended two online courses. The first one was based on self-studying, which consisted of studying and understanding the text. The second one was based on online lesson in virtual classroom, it was also necessary to do homework in the moodle application.
In my opinion online learning have pros and cons. Personally, I am supporter of perhaps unpopular point of view, because I think that face-to-face learning is better, even if it isn’t time-flexible. And the online learning should be only an additional factor.