Some Universities Now Offer their Courses on the Internet So That People Can Study Online- IELTS Writing Task 2

Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people can study online. Is this a positive or negative development?

Outline

Essay Type

Opinion essay

Introduction

Sentences 1&2 – Paraphrase the topic with the use of synonyms. Create a base understanding for the reader, something to expand on in the essay.

Sentence 3 – State that the essay will understand how the availability of online courses is a positive development.

Body Paragraphs

Paragraph 1 – Talk about the benefits of online education, as to how it affects people. Take the example of job-having people, and how online education makes it easy for them to balance their work with their education.

Paragraph 2 – Further on the benefits, and mention how online education has made education universally available. Explain how students in far off corners who cannot physically visit a college campus can now learn from their programs.

Paragraph 3 – Acknowledge that the online experience may never come close to that of the offline, but explain that it has been a positive development in the scenario of the pandemic.

Conclusion

Restate your views.

Sample Essay

Online education has been prevailing for quite some time now, but the advent of COVID-19 fundamentally made it the only way a child could attain knowledge. But now that the effects of the pandemic are subsiding, universities are increasing courses that can be availed online. I see this as a positive development, and this essay will talk about the same.

One of the many marvels of the internet is that an individual could learn from anywhere, at any time, based on their convenience. From time to time, people having jobs who wished to pursue their education simultaneously faced a lot of difficulties. But, online education made their lives, as well as many others, unfathomably easy.

Another positive development is that the universality of education has become more transparent, i.e., more and more people can subscribe to online courses and educate themselves. There is ‘n’ number of courses regarding a single topic available, so a student can also choose as per his requirement and needs, all the while carrying on with his daily routine.

Indeed, online education experience can never come near to that of learning in the physical presence of an educator. However, one has to understand the apprehension and unwillingness of people to suddenly jump back into crowds as the pandemic still looms large. In this unique situation, the availability of education online has been miraculous.

In conclusion, the availability of online education has been a hugely positive development.

Band 9 Sample Essay

With the advent of the internet and technological advancements, it has become effortless for people to shop and study online. As a result, online learning has skyrocketed, allowing anyone to learn from the comfort of their own home. Students, working professionals, and the unemployed have all benefited from the convenience of online education. Thus, In my opinion, I consider online education as a positive development, which I’ll illustrate in the following essay.

Online education has gained tremendous popularity in recent years in a world powered by digital technology. One of the most significant benefits of online courses is the flexibility that allows an individual to learn from anywhere at any time at their leisure without commuting to physical places. Several colleges and universities in developed countries offer online courses allowing students to study at their own pace. Although these online courses are less expensive, the course curriculum is of high quality, making learning effective. Moreover, it has allowed a large number of people of all ages to pursue their desired courses according to their requirements while continuing their daily routine. For instance, numerous online websites like Udemy and Coursera offer cost-effective virtual courses in different streams to help people manage their job and personal lives.

The advantages of online education are numerous and indisputable. Pursuing an online course is an excellent option, specifically when traditional learning situations have many obstacles, such as commuting or distance. For example, online courses proved to be a blessing in disguise in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Although online education has some fundamental drawbacks that can be inconvenient, such as a lack of qualified teacher supervision and restricted interaction, it is a great alternative for people who can’t afford the time and money to take offline courses. For this reason, online courses are most suitable for those willing to pursue courses at their own pace and convenience.

To sum up, online courses are an excellent form of learning that allows individuals to gain necessary skills without attending a physical class. Online education is a step toward revolutionizing the educational system in a way that has never been seen before. Moreover, it has proven to be quite beneficial in several essential situations. As a result, I believe that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

Vocabulary

• Prevailing 

Meaning – existing at a particular time; current.
Example – The prevailing unfavorable weather conditions forced the match’s delay.

• Advent  

Meaning – the arrival of an event.
Example – The advent of COVID-19 led to the world being shut down and innumerable deaths.

• Fundamentally 

Meaning – in central or primary respects.
Example – The technology is fundamentally strong and can sustain growth.

• Attain 

Meaning – succeed in achieving.
Example – Ramesh recently attained his driving license after three unsuccessful attempts.

• Pandemic  

Meaning – (of a disease) prevalent over a whole country or the world.
Example – COVID-19 wasn’t the first pandemic that humans had faced.

• Marvels  

Meaning – something filled with wonder and astonishment.
Example – Burj Khalifa is an innovation marvel.

• Subsiding 

Meaning – become less intense, violent, or severe.
Example – People are hoping to return to their normal lives as the effects of COVID-19 seem to be subsiding.

• Unfathomably  

Meaning –  impossible to measure the extent of.
Example – Previously, the oceans were thought to be unfathomably deep.

• Universality  

Meaning – the quality of involving or being shared by all people or things in the world or in a particular group.
Example – The universality  in accepting RT PCR tests as the most reliable ones for COVID was a huge step.

• Apprehension  

Meaning – anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen.
Example – Since his infection with COVID-19, Ravi has had an apprehension of being in a crowd.