Tech Skills: Should You Learn Them Online or Offline?

The recent digital transformation in the education industry has given rise to the offline vs. online debate. Let’s understand the pros and cons of both methods.
By Ankush Singla

Until a few years ago, students preferred to learn tech skills offline. Today, a culture shift has taken place. 90 per cent of students favour the online mode due to the new benefits it offers. However, every student is different. The decision has to be made after analyzing specific parameters. (Read this article, and refer to the table at the end to know the best method for you!). When it comes to tech skills, students are often overwhelmed by their online or offline options. Offline has its benefits of more interactive and monitored learning.  But, learning online is more convenient and affordable. Read on to find out what will work best for you.

Learning Tech Skills Offline Vs. Online

The COVID-19 pandemic closed classrooms and made millennial and Gen Z students sit before screens and learn in a location-independent environment. With even degree courses in programming languages – everything was made possible online. The digital world is undoubtedly powerful. However, it does have limitations. According to a recent study, the rate of completion of online courses is 15 per cent. Most of the learners drop the courses in between, and some don’t even start. So, does it mean offline classes have an edge over online ones Well, both learning modes come with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Let’s dive in deeper to understand the key differences between offline and online modes of learning.

Affordability

Online degree programs can be up to 80 times less expensive than traditional offline courses. Several factors contribute to the affordability of online courses: multiple students can attend one class, the lectures can be recorded and sold, no travelling expenses, and increased scalability.

Accessibility and Time Flexibility

Offline learning required a learner to travel to the institute or school to take classes on fixed days and at fixed times. Whereas in online education, learners have greater freedom of time and can learn from anywhere in the world. 

Many students don’t have access to good schools and colleges. For such students, online learning is a blessing. For example, in many remote areas, education is not as good as that in the cities. Students either have to move out to the city or compromise on studies. Online learning platforms allow them to take up degree courses and skill development courses with just a smartphone and a computer with a good internet connection.

Focus

Students have certain flexibility with online courses that sometimes works negatively. Along with the learning resources, the internet – a crucial component that facilitates online classes – also has several distractions. Therefore, students learning online tend to have lesser focus than students who learn in traditional classes. 

In contrast, the time and schedule are pre-planned for offline courses. The offline system has greater focus, and there is a considerably higher chance for the learner to complete the course on time. Learning technology requires focus and understanding, which sometimes happens better with offline lectures. For example, at home, students have several distractions due to family, friends, or simply Netflix. It is very easy to procrastinate and delay learning till the deadline. However, this is not an option in offline classes.

Collaborative Environment

Peer-to-peer learning is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways of learning. For technical courses like hardware and coding, collaborative learning can make learning all the more successful. Even at a professional level, when actual products are being made, the whole team collaboratively creates the product. Online collaboration is also possible. However, it cannot beat the energy of offline troubleshooting and brainstorming sessions. For example, in online meetings, people usually talk to the point and end the discussion as it is exhausting to sit in front of the laptop for a long time. Whereas offline, students can sit for hours and brainstorm ideas.

Mentorship and Guidance

In an offline mode, mentorship and guidance are immediately available. Whenever a learner has a doubt, it can be cleared immediately. A mentor may not be easily available in an online mode and immediate guidance may not be possible. This creates a gap in the online method of learning. For example, in offline classes, any student can interrupt the teacher and ask questions. However, in the online mode, immediate interaction during the class may not be available.

Recording and Replay

Recording offline lectures is a tedious process and is simply not done in most cases. Online, the recording process is highly convenient. The recorded lectures can be replayed and therefore gives students a chance to have a better understanding.

Hands-on Learning

Offline learning often provides a great hands-on learning experience that online learning lacks. Fortunately, with improved technology, the gap has been reduced. Today learners can even perform lab experiments on computers. Tech has made learning interactive and more effective. Hands-on learning is all the more vital for tech skills as the student must be experienced enough to implement the learned skills in the professional world. 

Offline Vs. Online: Table of Comparison

Here is a brief comparison of both offline and online methods of learning. This table will be elementary in helping you choose the learning mode that suits you.

PARAMETER	OFFLINE	ONLINE
Affordability	High cost	High affordability
Accessibility and Time Flexibility	Less	High
Focus	Good	Less
Collaborative Environment	Excellent	Moderate
Mentorship and guidance	More effective and immediate	Less effective and sometimes delayed
Recording and Replay	Difficult	Easy
Hands-on Learning	Excellent	Limited for certain courses

Key Takeaways

• Today, 90 per cent of students prefer the online mode of learning.
• For tech skills, students are often confused as to what mode of learning to choose. Many tech courses such as data science, data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence require dedicated guidance and interactive sessions, which are not entirely possible online. 
• Hybrid online + offline methods can work efficiently in this case, and give students the best of both worlds.
• Several factors, including affordability, course, mentorship, focused learning, and time flexibility, matter when choosing a course online or offline.
• Offline teaching methods have been with us for ages and have proven to be highly effective. On the other hand, online learning is gaining massive popularity day by day.
• Offline and online both are effective. The choice has to be made based on certain factors discussed in the article above and what works for the student.

Conclusion

Today, students have several options to gain a holistic education. The traditional offline mode of learning cannot be completely replaced. However, more students are attracted to e-learning due to its flexibility in time and course options. Several universities are moving towards a hybrid form of learning to accommodate pandemic restrictions as well.

About the Author:

Ankush Singla is the co-founder of a leading Ed-tech platform in India. A machine learning expert, Ankush has carved a niche for himself in the Ed-tech sector with an expertise in new-age technology. Prior to this, he was associated with global brands such as Facebook and Amazon. Throughout his career, Ankush has focused on enhancing skills especially to bridge the gap required for a career in technology.