Drat, there’s no service here
Previous study for me has been either in the workplace with visits from my assessor or in a classroom with instant access to a teacher and classmates. This new digital online study malarky means I am on my own with limited access to my teachers. There is an online study session once a week at a time which is almost impossible for me to join in due to internet access, or I am at sea rolling about so much my laptop is in danger or I am just too busy enjoying my surroundings away from the boat.
Being in a pristine wilderness marine park can mean no signal either phone or internet. To be able to study in these awful conditions I need to download or copy and paste reference material and workbooks before departing from said service. This means clogging up space on my laptop, I have been known to climb up the highest peak searching for phone service. If there’s none then I may have to return to civilisation earlier than expected, inconveniencing fellow shipmates. This online article from Roswell High School’s student newspaper, The Sting, helps to explain some more of the negative aspects of online learning.[i]
Using my laptop means it must be charged up beforehand or plugged in to the 12volt socket drawing precious power from the onboard battery system. A few days of overcast weather can really take a toll on the solar powered system. Power then becomes precious and needed more for fridges, lights, starter batteries and just about everything other than my study.
Studying in a classroom or even from your house doesn’t come with the same problems that I experience. Online learning is key in today’s world of technology. The following link from Montgomery College lists a few more disadvantages to online learning. [ii]
My next post will be about the advantages of studying at sea.
Photograph by Elizabeth Reeve, Blog Author
[i] Roswell High School Student newspaper, The Sting https://theroswellsting.com/5200/opinion/online-school-has-more-negative-impacts-than-positive/
[ii] Montgomery College https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/online-learning/distance/advantages-and-disadvantages-online-courses.html
Sea Freya Afloat 