The difference between online courses and traditional teaching

The difference between online courses and traditional teaching

Education is an important tool for acquiring knowledge and skills. Our world is constantly changing over time. With the advancement of time and technology, people have become more aware of the quality of teaching. The current teaching methods can be divided into two categories: traditional teaching and online lessons. These different kinds of concept education have their own purpose and characteristics. Both of them have their unique advantages. Students should see the importance of online lessons and Formal Education benefits and negatives it has on individuals.

The first advantage of online classes is that they can learn anywhere and reduce the pressure from students. The requirements for online classes is that students require a computer with internet access. This allows students to learn from home, libraries, or any other location that has internet access. Online learning is not affected by the weather. If students live in areas where snow or other severe weather is causing traffic jams, they don’t need to get up early and overcome many difficulties to get to school. They just need to access their computer and take online classes at home. Students may have some unexpected circumstances that prevent them from attending school. For example, China currently does not open schools because of pneumonia. In an unexpected situation, the online school helps students to keep up the track and graduate school. Many schools offer online classes for students at home, which not only protects students’ safety but also prevents them from going backward. Students usually need to take a full day of lessons at school. There is only a short period of time between each class for them to rest, and a long time of concentration will greatly increase the pressure on students. If students are taking courses online, they can schedule lessons according to their own time, so they will have enough time to rest after class. Student pressure, on the other hand, comes from school bullying and discrimination. “More than one out of every five (20.8%) students report being bullied and Students who experience bullying are at increased risk for poor school adjustment, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and depression” (Preventing Bullying). Online classes at home are indeed a good way to avoid bullying on campus.

The second advantage of having online classes is easy for credit transfer. “An online bachelor’s degree can be a great choice for people who have either an associate degree or no postsecondary education and want to continue their education. It’s an appealing choice for those who want to advance in their current career field or change fields completely”(US NEWS). Online courses provide more opportunities and choices for people. For international students, online lessons also provide the conditions for them to learn from home during the holidays. International students can also contact professors on the other side of the country and get credits for completing assignments through computers.

However, compared with traditional teaching, online courses also have disadvantages that cannot be ignored. “In online education, instructors are available via email, but they cannot be accessed directly through office hours. This can make it challenging if a student runs into questions and needs guidance, particularly complex guidance that is best conducted in-person. In addition, e-mails can sometimes be lost or missed, so some questions might not get answered”(Disadvantage of Online Learning Communities). This shows that when problems occurred students may not be able to solve it right away, which can waste a lot of student time when they need the answer directly. Mentioned in the website of Disadvantage of Online Learning Communities “Online classrooms can lack a sense of community and lead to a feeling of isolation. They also reduce the opportunity to network with others, which can be a disadvantage as students finish school and begin to look for new work opportunities”(Disadvantage of Online Learning Communities). These problems are currently unsolvable problems in online education, and also need to be noticed by students during online courses.

The advantages of traditional teaching are more obvious. The first advantage of traditional teaching is that students can directly communicate with each other and help each other. This can make the classroom atmosphere more active, students’ thinking is more flexible, and their language expression skills will be promoted. “Classroom environments promote and stimulate a dynamic known as collaborative learning. Collaborative learning translates into a type of learning in which the pairing or grouping of students is required to complete a task or to come to a specific outcome”(Advantages in Classroom Teaching). Group discussions make classrooms more active, and students value their learning outcomes more. Students of different skin colors and backgrounds can also participate in group discussions and increase their friendship more equally.

Formal education is also very helpful for students to adapt to the social environment in the future. Many students today are afraid to communicate with others, in which case they miss many resources and opportunities. The school is not just a place for students to learn textbooks, it also looks like a small society. It can improve students’ social skills and their shortcomings as much as possible before they enter the society. “Classroom teaching environments help students figure out how to resolve conflicts, work in teams, get along with those from different cultural backgrounds and give presentations in front of peers. Such experiences are valuable in shaping students’ communication and listening skills, as well as growing and maturing emotionally”(Advantages in Classroom Teaching).

The third advantage of traditional teaching is that students are more impressed with the content of the lesson. In the classroom, the students’ energy is 100% invested. In this case, students have a stronger memory of what they have learned. In-class quizzes and class notes also help students pass the exam. The classroom quiz can help students understand the teacher’s questions and the knowledge points that will be tested, and the class notes can also help students focus on the class. “Taking notes is a great way to help students identify the importance of concepts covered in class. Even if you have a great memory, you simply won’t be able to remember everything the teacher says” (Esther Lombardi).

Education is really important in one’s life. Since the technology the world has developed, students have more opportunities in what kinds of ways to learn. Each of the online classes and Formal education has its own benefits and negatives on individuals, but it can enhance the individual to grow. Education helps to destroy darkness and bring light to the world.

Work Cited

“Bullying Statistics.” Bullying Statistics – National Bullying Prevention Center, www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/stats.asp.

Lombardi, Esther. “Esther Lombardi, M.A.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, www.thoughtco.com/esther-lombardi-735031.

Friedman, Ashley. “Traditional Education Vs. Online Education.” The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey, 6 Mar. 2019, www.theclassroom.com/traditional-education-vs-online-education-5387976.html.

“The Best Accredited Online Colleges of 2020 – US News.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, www.usnews.com/education/online-education.

Sheahan, Kyra. “Advantages in Classroom Teaching.” The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey, 10 Jan. 2019, www.theclassroom.com/advantages-classroom-teaching-7865477.html.

Trent, Ann. “Disadvantage of Online Learning Communities.” Education, 21 Nov. 2017, education.seattlepi.com/disadvantage-online-learning-communities-1331.html.