The Impact of Online Learning on Educational Equity - TOEFL Writing Integrated Practice Test

Academic excellence in TOEFL demands more than just language fluency—it requires strategic thinking and clear expression. Today's practice session focuses on the Integrated Writing task, where you'll develop essential skills for processing academic texts and lectures. Through targeted exercises and proven techniques, we'll help you craft responses that demonstrate both understanding and analytical ability. Ready to enhance your writing performance?

Writing Instructions

• You'll read a passage and listen to a lecture on an academic topic.
• You may take notes while listening to aid comprehension.
• Then you will write a response to a question that asks you about the lecture you heard.
• Answer the question comprehensively using information from the lecture. Avoid expressing personal opinions in the response.
• There is no strict word limit. However, an effective response is considered to be within 150 to 225 words.
• Your response will be assessed based on writing quality, content accuracy, and completeness.

Online learning is often seen as a big change for making education more fair. It lets students from everywhere, even those in remote areas, access top courses and materials that were once out of reach. This can greatly improve their learning chances and results.

Also, online learning is very flexible compared to traditional classrooms. Students who need to balance school with work or family can really benefit from being able to learn at their own pace and on their own time. This is especially helpful for students like working adults or parents who might find it hard to go back to school otherwise.

Another big plus is that online learning can be cheaper. Without needing buildings and with the ability to easily scale up, online courses can cost a lot less than in-person classes. This can make education more affordable for students from lower-income families who might struggle to pay high tuition fees at regular colleges and universities.

Finally, online learning can adapt to different learning styles and needs. Advanced tech like AI and smart learning systems can tailor the content for each student, making the learning experience more effective. This can be a big help for students who might not do well in a one-size-fits-all classroom.

Now play the audio.

Question

Summarise the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage.

Learn what a good TOEFL score is before you check out the sample answers to the Writing Integrated task!

Sample Responses for the Integrated Writing Task on the Impact of Online Learning on Educational Equity

Examine the two sample responses provided—one at a mid-level and the other at a high-level. By comparing these examples, you'll gain valuable insights that can help you refine and improve your own writing response.

High-Level Response

The reading passage highlights the benefits of online learning, emphasizing its potential to enhance educational equity. It argues that online learning provides access to quality education for students in remote areas, offers flexibility for those balancing other responsibilities, reduces costs, and adapts to various learning styles. However, the lecture presents several counterarguments that challenge these points.

The professor points out that the digital divide is a significant barrier to educational equity. Not all students have reliable internet or the necessary devices, particularly those from low-income families and rural areas. This contradicts the reading's claim that online learning improves access to education.

Additionally, the lecture argues that online learning lacks the social interaction and support found in traditional classrooms. This absence can lead to feelings of loneliness and disengagement, especially for younger students. This challenges the reading's assertion that online learning is more flexible and beneficial for all students.

Furthermore, the professor notes that online learning requires a high level of self-discipline and motivation, which not all students possess. This can result in lower completion rates and poorer academic performance, particularly for those already facing educational challenges. This opposes the reading's view that online learning is universally effective.

Rater's Comment

This response effectively captures the main points from both the passage and the lecture, demonstrating a clear understanding of the material. The response is well-organized, with each paragraph addressing a specific counterargument from the lecture that challenges a point made in the reading. The response also highlights the lack of social interaction in online learning, the need for self-discipline, and the significant upfront costs, all of which are key points from the lecture that challenge the reading's assertions.

The language used is clear and concise, with appropriate transitions that help to maintain coherence and flow. The response avoids personal opinions and focuses on summarizing the relationship between the reading and the lecture, which is a crucial aspect of the task. Additionally, the response demonstrates strong control over grammar and vocabulary, with only minor errors that do not affect the overall meaning. Overall, this response meets the criteria for a high score, effectively presenting the key information from both the reading and the lecture in a well-organized and coherent manner.

Mid-Level Response

The reading passage talks about the benefits of online learning, saying it can make education more fare. It mention that online learning gives access to good courses for students in remote areas, offers flexibility, reduces costs, and adepts to different learning styles. But the lecture has some points that disagree with this.

The professor says that not all students have reliable internet or devices for online learning. This is a big problem for low-income families and rural areas, making the digital divide worse. This goes against the reading's idea that online learning improves access to education.

Also, the lecture mention that online learning lacks social interaction and support. Traditional classrooms let students interact with peers and teachers, which are important for their growth. Online learning can lead to loneliness and disengagement, especially for younger students. This challenges the reading's point about flexibility.

Another issue the professor brings up is that online learning needs a lot of self-discipline and motivation. Not all students have these skills, leading to lower completion rates and poorer performance. This opposes the reading's view that online learning is effective for everyone.

Rater's Comment

This response provides a summary of the main points from both the reading and the lecture, but it lacks some depth and detail. The discussion on the lack of social interaction and the need for self-discipline could be more detailed.

There are also some grammatical and punctuation errors that affect the clarity of the response. Despite these issues, the response does capture the main points from both the reading and the lecture and demonstrates a basic understanding of the material. The language used is generally clear, but there are noticeable errors that affect the overall coherence. Overall, this response meets the criteria for a mid-level score, providing a summary of the key information but lacking in depth and detail, with some grammatical and punctuation errors.

Strategies for Taking the Integrated Writing Task on the Impact of Online Learning on Educational Equity

Here are some effective strategies to approach this task with confidence.

• Thoroughly read the passage to identify the main arguments regarding fast fashion’s impact on the environment.
• Listen closely to the lecture, taking note of any agreements or conflicts with the passage, particularly concerning environmental outcomes.
• Structure your response with a well-organized outline, including an introduction, body paragraphs addressing both the reading and lecture, and a conclusion.
• Highlight and explain the key similarities and differences in perspectives, showing how they either align or diverge.

Now that you’ve reviewed strategies and sample responses, it’s time to practice and refine your skills further!

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