Education Essay Example: Online Schools vs. Traditional University

The traditional class conventionally classroom environment allows students to meet their instructors physically and asked for the response and being able to see their reaction. Online class has incredibly influenced the learning process. Increasing distance-learning opportunities that have taken classrooms from institutions setting right to the student's homes permitting them to the convenience of pursuing their studies without traveling. Technology has bearings on all areas of people's life including the method of learning. People can join either traditional classes that are made of blocks or computer-generated courses in online colleges or campuses. Regular classes and online classes have some similarities and differences. Both methods of learning need instructions provided by instructors and have a similar way of assessments. However, the contrast of each other in relations to schedule position, learning procedures, and communication.

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Schedule Process

A traditional class and an online class differ regarding scheduling. A conventional level needs a fixed place to enable smooth learning and teaching limiting the figure of students that can learn at the similar time. Still, the traditional class does not favor workers working full-time because it needs the students and teachers to be present in a precise place at a specific period. In contrast, the number of students learning at a similar time on an online class is flexible and limitless, as it only requires connecting to the network to assess the computer-generated courses. In summary, the elasticity of online courses enables students to appear in categories at anytime and anywhere, however, traditional classes' students need to submit with a firm timetable to complete their studies.

Learning Process

The learning process of traditional class differs from that of an online class. Students in traditional class require going to learning institutions to pursue their studies. Mostly, these students find information about their courses from the library and notes from lecturers. In the library, students get information from journals, textbooks, reference books, and dictionaries. Nonetheless, the learning process of an online class is different because it depends on the computer and internet. All materials needed by online class students are available in the online course and the exterior website. Discipline, perseverance, and independence are essential tools for distance learners so that to accomplish the best out of online learning. In addition, an online class can frequently program real-time discussions for doing their assignment while traditional class needs participants to present themselves for discussion

Communication

The method of connection between conventional type and the online course is different even if they both share the same aim of conveying knowledge to students. Traditional class applies a physical method that consents direct interaction of teacher with students. For example, students meeting the teacher in a classroom, and students attending physically in traditional classes by having frequent informal communication with peers. Regularly, formal communication takes place in computer-generated classes in online platforms such as Coursera. Students would require communicating with teachers through social media, email or class discussion meeting. According to Tucker, (n.d.), teachers of traditional courses could notice behaviors of their students by understanding facial reactions of the students in which they could then respond instantly to correct the problems that may have occurred, not like an online class. The online course that provides a proper participation forum for the students favors shy students. In online classes, students might not face intimidation from others due to their shyness nature in a face-to-face setting in a natural class. Nonetheless, both forms of communication are essential to delivering information to students for students to gain the needed knowledge in their studies. Therefore, a discussion in both online and traditional university class is necessary even though the form of communication experienced in a conventional type is more informal and direct than that experienced in an online course.

Similarities

Traditional and online classes have various similarities apart from the significant differences discussed already. The instructions from the teacher are critical in both courses since misinterpretation of the information from the tutor might render failure on the student's part. Traditional and online courses both rely on lecturers and professors to convey information to the students and provide direction for the students through the course. Lectures and professors in the traditional class show up in levels to present course material, and other relevant resources and students are required to attend regular classes to gain knowledge from their instructors. Driscoll et al. (2012) found out that Instructors in traditional class focus on covering what the course textbooks set out and students were reasonably concerned with the assignments that set by the instructors. Therefore, it is general that in a traditional class, the subject matter seems geared towards the students' wellbeing and interests. In online learning, the leaner has command of when to view the learning materials at their own experience because some tutors issue different materials for the particular course in the subject during live sessions, recorded lectures and online tutor-student interactions. Both online and traditional class Instructors have the responsibility of mentoring their students and encouraging them to participate in regular attendance of sessions more so the online class through the available online discussions to collect information from their lecturers. Both traditional and online class programs embrace the notification or similar systems where instructors are required to post any form of announcement, assignments, unit documents and notes and other faculty credentials that can be viewed anywhere through a computer and internet. This assists online programme students in preparing adequately for which applies to traditional students too. Moreover, traditional students benefit more since it allows them to seek feedback from the tutor at a personal level and can arrange for a private follow-up schedule with the tutor. Both education programs use a similar curriculum designed by the education body regarding the course content that is required by respective curriculum/examination body (Kokemuller, (n.d.).

Assessment

Regarding assessment, both learning modes have similar assessment approaches that may include both assignments and formal evaluations like exams. Hence, whether a traditional or an online class platform, there is a form of assessment, which is selected by the instructor concerning their style of teaching during their sessions. In online classes, some instructors do not prefer tests in their programs since they are confident that the online students have access to a variety of books and other materials. Instead, they offer more homework assignments that will serve as an indication of whether they are concentration on their work or not. Online programs provide students an opportunity to take responsibility in the learning process compared to traditional classes, but some students demand being pushed to be able to concentrate and adequately prepare for their assessments. In a conventional course, taking tests occasionally become overwhelming, but it is sometimes the most excellent approach since the instructors give time for preparation for students to attain their best grades. Preparing for tests in traditional classes provides an opportunity for student-student interaction and student-teacher interaction, which is vital regarding the ability to ask the instructor questions. Student interactions assist in further understanding course concept with their peers. Submission of tests is occasionally similar since some teachers in the traditional program prefer submission of assignments by electronic, which is identical to the online classes. Students in the conventional test are required to sit physically for the examination where tutors set time limits according to the test content while online exams especially distance learning, students have to complete tests at home monitored by webcams and microphones as required by the online exam regulations. Concerning group assessment, the instructor can award the actual credit to the students since he can see who is actively participating and putting in more effort. This motivates students to put in more effort as students who do not actively contribute to the group get the grades they deserve. In online programs, actual planning of group assignments is a big challenge as it takes time to strategize when everyone is available to work on a project as a team. It might take longer to plan since the students participating in the particular class are not familiar with each other and communicate using a different platform to agree on the time might be lengthier.

Conclusion

As we have experienced differences between online and traditional classes such as fixed programming and flexible programming, book versus technology-centered learning process and direct versus online communication. Nonetheless, the similarities are not extinguished by the variations where both rely on an instructor to issue instructions and have similar assessment approaches. They both have the same aim to enable learners to gain more knowledge. Therefore, in selecting the mode of learning one should consider their discipline and personality before opting between the two alternatives.

References

Driscoll, A., Jicha, K., Hunt, A.N., Tichavsky, L., Thompson, G. (2012). Can Online Courses Deliver In-class Results? A Comparison of Student Performance and Satisfaction in an Online versus a Face-to-face Introductory Sociology Course. Teaching Sociology, 40(4), 312-331.doi: 10.1177/0092055X12446624

Kokemuller, N. (n.d.). Online vs. Face-to-Face Classes. Retrieved June 20, 2018, from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/online-vs-face-to-face-classes-7270.html

Tucker, K. (n.d.). Similarities Between Taking Classes Online and on Campus. Retrieved June 20, 2018, from the global post: http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/similaritiesbetween-taking-classes online campus-4755.html