Universities Offer Online Courses as an Alternative - IELTS Writing Task 2

In IELTS Writing Task 2, topics like 'Universities Offer Online Courses as an Alternative,' students are asked to write a formal essay of at least 250 words in 4-5 paragraphs. This is an Positive/Negative essay topic, which is similar for both the Academic and General Training candidates.

These essay types ask you to evaluate both the advantages and disadvantages of a certain development, trend, or aspect, and then present a clear opinion or a proper and balanced conclusion. Given below are two positive-negative development question sample answers, along with a structure breakdown written just for you to achieve a band 8+

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IELTS Positive-Negative Development Essay Question 

Structure Breakdown

IELTS Band 7 Sample Answer - Universities Offer Online Courses as an Alternative

In recent times, most universities have introduced online courses as an alternative to the traditional on-campus classes. This development has directly sparked a debate about its overall impact on education. While these online courses offer convenience and flexibility, they also present challenges that can affect the quality of one’s learning. I firmly believe that this trend has both positive and negative aspects that deserve careful consideration.

Talking about the positives, one main advantage of online courses is that they make a person’s education more accessible and flexible. Students who live far from their campuses, have work commitments, or even face mobility challenges can pursue their studies without relocating. For instance, online platforms like Coursera and Udemy allow students to earn certifications from top universities without leaving their homes. This expands opportunities for their higher education and makes it flexible for professionals working on upgrading their skills.

However, online learning also has its significant drawbacks that cannot be ignored. A lack of face-to-face interaction may lessen student engagement and opportunities for collaboration, which in turn hinders their critical thinking skills. For example, many students are seen to be isolated in their thoughts during online classes and miss the dynamic discussions. Moreover, networking opportunities are something that only traditional classrooms provide.  

In conclusion, though the online classes are comfortable and convenient, they may not fully give the academic and social experiences of a traditional classroom setting. Hence, the concept of it has both advantages and disadvantages to it.

IELTS Band 8 Sample Answer - Universities Offer Online Courses as an Alternative

Technology has soared high and has impacted nearly every nook and corner of our daily lives, and education is assuredly one of them, too. There has been an ongoing trend of inclusion of online classes, and of late, the online medium is being inclined towards more than ever. However, I feel this trend is good for the sake of human development, and I shall be elucidating the same in the forthcoming sections.

There are innumerable positive impacts of this surge, as it has reportedly helped a massive proportion of students and people of any age to learn at their own convenience and ease, which was not commonly seen. The people living in the remote areas and the rough terrains who, owing to the geographical obstructions or weather conditions, were somehow not able to be consistent with their learning, as they often missed their schools/colleges, have now, with the online alternative, been relieved of such shortcomings. Moreover, for the skill enhancement too, it has become quite feasible for people to go around, pick their favourite mentors around and learn at their own pace without having to undergo the humdrum of finding an institute.

Secondly, online admissions to various coaching institutes and centres are much affordable and providential as compared to the offline ones. The prime reason for this is having to pay jumbo taxes and bills in an offline setup. Then, had the e-media not been there, in the wake of the pandemic, it would have been extremely difficult to even think of with the continuity of educating people around the world, and this would have curbed the learning process devastatingly. The best part that I personally find is the luxury of going through the classes for the people who were socially or physically restrained from doing so due to various reasons like physical disabilities, gender bias, age-shaming, etc. This has indeed revolutionised the whole status of education.

Some people though could put forth that online education may halt the learning process as it could impede the actual one on one interaction between a teacher and a student or among students, however, If the sessions are made interesting, interactive and stringent too, to a certain capacity like making everyone putting their camera on with a formal frame of conduct, such discrepancies could be ousted easily.

In conclusion, it could be stated that online education has indeed been a boon to mankind and a gift of technology that we should revere and extract the best benefits from.

To sum up, presenting a strong Positive/Negative Development IELTS essay is all about presenting a balanced view and supporting your ideas with clear examples. Understanding both the advantages and disadvantages of a development allows you to analyse that particular topic critically, which is what examiners look for!

More Writing Task 2 Essay Topics

• Some People Think That In Order To Prevent Illness And Disease
• People Have Different Views About What Kinds Of Obligations A Company Should Have
• Some People Say Part-Time Jobs Are Useful For Full-Time Students
• Scientists Say That In The Future Humanity Will Speak The Same Language
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