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Home ยป Why Enrol In An Online Public Speaking Class?

Why Enrol In An Online Public Speaking Class?

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the increase in online courses, which gives professionals, students as well as parents with a stay-at-home child the opportunity to make the most of learning opportunities they were unable to find the time for earlier.

One of the best tools available to develop a person’s abilities is to take a class in public speaking. There are many types of classes for speaking, however they are usually based on training and enhancing public speaking abilities in front of other people. Online classes for speaking provide the same possibilities like traditional classes in person, however, it has unique characteristics.

In this post, I’ll talk about the advantages and cons of enrolling in an online class in speaking the things you should be aware of before signing up and how you can ensure that your experience is as enjoyable and rewarding as it can be.

What are the advantages of taking an online public Speaking Course?

In a new book University of Washington professor Matt McGarrity talked about the move to online public speaking classes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. McGarrity noted that, since the virus has forced previously reluctant teachers to go online, technology and methods are also evolving rapidly to make sure that the effectiveness for online-based classes.

There are now five main advantages to taking online classes in speaking such as convenience, variety, price, comfort and more flexibility.

Convenience

First of all, an online speech course can be extremely practical. In particular, if reside far from your campus at a college or university and you aren’t able to take classes on campus because of your schedule it could be difficult to find any slots available on the schedule of classes.

Public speaking classes online are accessible anytime of all hours of the day from any location connected to the internet. This means that they’re perfect for students with hectic schedules or require greater flexibility in their schedules and can manage their work, school as well as family and other obligations.

Since these classes are online, they can be made easy to format by allowing students to view videos online or read text-based documents at their own pace in order to have numerous ways to learn.

Here’s a list that identifies the characteristics of a class that you should be looking for if you’re looking for ease of use:

Accessible at any time throughout the day from anywhere in the world.

Web-based format that allows videos and other media to be watched.

Video lectures and other forms of multimedia are essential for learners who learn best through visuals, and learners who prefer reading text or other written material.

Classrooms should be equipped with an interactive discussion area where students can interact with their peers and the professor and send assignments.

Classrooms should be equipped with chatboxes for teachers and students to talk quickly and efficiently.

Variety

A virtual speech class is an excellent way to gain access to an array of instructional materials. Students can search for classes from over 100 colleges, universities and other institutions across the globe available on educational platforms such as Coursera as well as Edx.

Universities such as Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Duke University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia University, and Yale University are just a handful of the many famous universities that offer online classes.

Students will not only get exposed to a variety of styles of teaching and educational styles as well, they will get exposed to wide range of perspectives and cultures.

You can also participate in various kinds of activities during online classes in speaking:

Online educational games, specifically in the case of practicing the most important aspects of speaking abilities, such as pronunciation and the use of mnemonics.

Talking with natives to those students learning to speak the teaching language.

Virtual field excursions to destinations in which there is a language spoken (e.g. an instructor can guide students on”a “virtual trip” of their country, or instruct them about the culture and language of that country).

Group projects allow students to experience working with others who are also learning the same language.

Social media use like Facebook or Twitter.

Comfort

If you are taking on an online program, you will not be anxious before your peers. As with all classes but you’ll have to plan for every lesson prior to the time.

Additionally, if your instructor uploads video lectures to YouTube or other video sharing websites you can check them out ahead of time and be prepared for what your professor is likely to discuss in class. There may be additional videos related to the subject on YouTube that your instructor hasn’t yet watched!

Many instructors of online courses encourage students to make podcasts to help with anxiety about speech. Podcasts have been proven efficient in decreasing anxiety in speech and also teaching rate, word choice and tone.

Greater Flexibility

The final benefit is that online courses will provide students with more flexibility in the time you schedule your classes. In traditional classrooms students are given the opportunity to attend numerous lectures, and the associated tests or quizzes over the period of a month or week.

In many online courses students can finish their work anytime throughout the week. For instance when a student wishes to get ahead of the game and complete all of their homework completed on the weekend, and then take a break and not think about anything until Monday, they are able to do this without feeling pressured.

What are the cons of Participating in an Online public Speaking Course?

Although there are definitely benefits of taking an online course in speech but there are also disadvantages that you need to think about prior to making a decision to sign up. The top five disadvantages of enrolling in an online speech course include a lack of physical interaction technical issues, low motivation, a lack of practicing listening and speaking as well as computer fatigue.

The absence of face-to-face interaction

One of the major disadvantages of an online class in speech is that you don’t meet face-to face with your fellow students or the instructor.

It’s difficult to form relationships with your instructor and your classmates if you don’t get to meet with them face-to-face. Although technology lets us be more connected all over the world however, some believe it cannot substitute face-to-face interactions. Additionally there are students who prefer learning in a group setting with people who are also learning in the same way.

The instructor and the other students of the online class could be complete strangers. It’s much more difficult to form relationships with someone you’ve not ever met or even meet them on a personal level.

Technical Problems

Professors and instructors often use the same technologies that students use, for example, Skype or Zoom. However, if either you or the professor have an insufficient connection, the audio might be hard to hear and video quality might appear less clear than you’d prefer. Furthermore that the technology may fail at any moment, stopping you from completing your assignment or task, or the class.

Low Motivation

Another drawback of taking an online class in speech is that it could be difficult to find the drive to finish your task. It could be due to the course seems too challenging or boring without an instructor to guide you, or simply because there is no feedback about your work. This is where discipline and self-direction are crucial.

Practice in Listening and Speaking

It is possible that online speaking classes may become difficult to speak in relation to exercises. It is often difficult for your teacher or your classmates to provide precise advice on how to improve your speed, pronunciation tonality, intonation or even your stress.

There is a chance that you have difficulty getting your classmates to understand you If they’re not communicating clearly or if there is a delay within the live feed.

Computer Fatigue

In the majority of cases students will carry laptops or computers in their possession throughout the day and even into the evening. When you take a speech class online there’s no limit on how long you can be on your computer with no break. This could lead to eyestrain, pains and pains throughout your body and adverse impacts on your mental well-being.

Online Speaking Classes are Valued

Despite the disadvantages for online classes in speech, the advantages that we have mentioned are worth the cost. The advantage of online classes is that you have the ability to control your time so that you can accommodate the class to your schedule, regardless of whether it is in the morning evening, on weekends, or at night.

Furthermore, since there is no limit to the amount of time you could remain at your laptop, you’ll be able to work at your own speed and explore various topics in the depth. Be aware of the effects of computer fatigue!

Conclusion

The option of taking a speech class online is a great option for students who don’t need the resources or funds to attend a physical institution. But, ensure that you’re aware of both the benefits and drawbacks before you make a choice so that you can make an informed choice.