Generally, I hate virtual classes. For me, there are too many cons that make most virtual classes almost painful to take. For one, most virtual classes are asynchronous; it is up to you to figure out when to learn everything. I find that it is incredibly easy to fall behind. You don’t see one post and suddenly you’re missing a major part of the material needed to succeed. I also find that some teachers post too much material. A lot of the material is meant to be additional info to help if you’re confused, but it ends up being hard to tell where the information you’re supposed to know stops and the additional information begins. Additionally, it is so much harder to ask for help in online classes. In an in-person class you can just raise your hand, but in an online class you have to email and hope the teacher responds fast enough for the question to still be relevant.
However, there are some exceptions in which I do see the benefit of virtual classrooms. A lot of the cons are related to asynchronous learning, but virtual classrooms that meet over zoom eliminate a fair few of these cons. One of the pros to online classrooms is that they allow for people who learn differently to be better accommodated. I know a lot of people that focus better when doing something with their hands, like tidying their room or doodling. Another example is that if someone is shy they may feel more comfortable when they’re able to have their camera off or are able to type in a chat box as opposed to speaking. Another pro to virtual learning is the flexibility in where you can learn. For example, if you’re sick you can still be in class from the comfort of your bed. Or you may not be able to sign up for an in person class due to the time it takes to get there, but you can easily join a virtual classroom from anywhere. There’s also no need to go through bad weather like snow or rain.
