Distance Learning: Learning from a Distance

Learning inside the classroom is just an option. A university is now just a click away. There are now a variety of options for learning—formal or informal. Thanks to the advent of online technology via the ubiquitous Internet. While this opens up vistas of opportunities to learn and advance intellectually, it also has deep dark areas.
The biggest so far is dishonesty. Because of lack of student and teacher interaction, the student has more leeway to be dishonest. This is not a pessimistic view of online scholars. It is just that the medium for this type of learning allows for more chances of cheating.
Furthermore, regular class attendance is no longer a must. There is great value in regular class attendance and class discussion that is face to face. The emotions involved in an online class are greatly reduced; so is student-student interaction. Social education may be sacrificed for the sake of convenient online learning.
While the Internet offers great opportunities, the learning of our children must never be solely left to online institutions. Humans learn by interacting with fellow human beings. Learning happens in interaction—socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically. And that interaction is not just in pixels of hypertext; it happens in words, sounds, images, feelings—tangible objects and not just flashing computer screens.