Imagine learning everything from chemistry to world history at home on a computer screen. Some schools offer distance learning as an option for students to attend classes from home by way of online or video conferencing. Students would be assigned homework, classwork, quizzes, and tests all from an online instructor. Instead of learning in a normal classroom setting, students would watch videos of their teacher or read online notes. If students attended every class at home it would not be beneficial because students who were less indpendent may slack off and they wouldn't be exposed to the social factors that come from attending a regular school.

Many students struggle to pay attention in class or they do not have a very strong work ethic so it's important that they have a teacher there to push them. If they were given the opportunity to attend classes through a computer screen their bad habits may become worse. At home students can be distracted by other screens, younger siblings, pets, and many other things. Attending a normal school limits the amount of distractions a student would face at home. When a student begins to lose focus a teacher is there to remind them to finish their work. However, at home the student may not have someone hovering over their shoulder to make sure that they are absorbing the content.

Also, online schoolong limits the amount of exposure students would have to social situations. In elementary school, students learn more than just spelling and fractions but social skills as well. If a first grader were to take classes online they wouldn't understand how to raise their hand, wait their turn, or share their markers because it would be just them and a screen. In middle school, students would miss out on navigating busy hallways and playing a sport for their school. In high school, they wouldn't be able to participate in honor societies, clubs, or hands on classes. Many students take architecture, film, art, and agriculture classes to discover what they want to do after high school. However, each of these classes require hands on, expensive equipment that most students wouldn't have at home. Online schooling would limit the type of classes a student could take. In addition, many exploratory classes require students to work in teams to solve problems and work on projects. Online schooling would hinder a student's ability to work collaboratively.

Some may argue that online schooling is a better option for students who like to work at their own pace. Some students take a longer time to digest content than others so having their classes online would allow them to spend more time on areas that they struggle with. In a classroom setting, if a single student was struggling but the rest of the class understood the teacher would likely move on. In the same way, online schooling would allow students who move at a faster pace to breeze through material that comes naturally to them. Overall, online schooling would allow students to tailor the pace of their classes to what benefits them best.

In conclusion, online schooling may prevent students from finishing their work and learning the necessary social skills however it would allow them to work at their own pace. Students who are less driven may fall behind in their work because online schooling wouldn't provide any reprecussions. Additionally, students wouldn't benefity from the social situations that come from attending a regular school. Lastly, students would be able to determine the pace of their classes instead of relying on the levels of the students surrounding them in a classroom setting. Online schooling has some benefits however attending a regular school would be more beneficial especially during the developmental stages of a child's life.