Online Learning vs Traditional Learning

Online Learning vs Traditional Learning

Attending college is no longer a one-alternative path. While in the past, you could only
adapt to a schedule set by universities, it has come the time that you can now create your own
schedule of lectures. Hence, there are now two options of learning which are proving to work
just fine, whether alone or blended. However, no method works the same for everyone. The
same theory applies when choosing a plan that best suits you when absorbing knowledge. So
let’s dig a little bit deeper into online learning vs traditional learning, and the perks of both of
these educational methodologies. After, maybe you can decide which one to choose to
contribute towards building your career.

What Is Brick and Mortar Education?

You can basically understand the context of brick and mortar education by its own name.
Brick and mortar is the traditional way to attend college, with students coming to campus and
attending class in physical classrooms. Being still the most dominant form of pursuing an
education, brick and mortar colleges allow students to interact with one another and discuss
with teachers face-to-face. Probably this is what keeps this form of traditional learning still so
much in demand, as students can communicate with others or ask questions personally to the
lecturer. They feel more responsible regarding their exams, towards every deadline that comes
their way and commit to regular attendance.

However, this kind of college lifestyle does not suit the mindset of some other students.
Attendance, location, lack of flexibility, and campus life are exactly the components that they
find disturbing; therefore, they choose to withdraw. They know that them being late or absent is
something that can be held against them later on in exams. Or maybe the schedule of lectures
does not comply with their part-time job and makes their attendance in the class impossible.
Overall, campus life sounds overwhelming, and little to no flexibility may as well feel like a threat
to their willingness to learn. Luckily, technology made other options available to them.

What Is Online Learning?

Online learning is known as the education that takes place over the Internet. Often
referred to as “eLearning”, or “distance learning” – online learning involves the umbrella term for
any learning that takes place across distance and not in a traditional classroom.

Colleges nowadays use LMS (Learning Management Systems) such as Moodle,

Blackboard, or similar software as a replacement for classes. Assignments are submitted online,
discussions are in a forum format and emailing professors is very prompt. This excellent
learning methodology comes along with convenience, greater flexibility, and greater
accessibility. Lessons can be completed around your schedule without leaving home or having
to relocate depending on the rain, snow, or sunshine.

Even the costs are shorter as most online programs cost less than brick and mortar.
That’s because room and board, parking, books and attendance fees are not necessary. Still,
you get the same benefits and level of knowledge as you would from traditional classrooms. For
instance, our online degree programs here at Potomac University are designed and taught by
industry professionals. We are dedicated to ensuring that the quality, relevance and discipline of
our online programs are the same as our on-ground programs. The online course presentations
are updated regularly, taking into consideration the world’s constant academic evolution in
online education.

Some of the cons of online programs may involve a lack of determination, low retention
rates and less social interaction. This is most likely the reason why fewer degree choices are
offered online than through traditional learning. But if you have the willingness and commitment,
you shouldn’t be discouraged.

Comparison of Online vs. Traditional Learning

Fast Stats
 Online and traditional learning institutions both have their advantages and
disadvantages. However, one thing is for sure: online education is here to stay, and its demand
is on the rise. These statistics on how online learning stacks up when compared to traditional
learning were gathered in early 2014. Enrollment in online universities continues to increase
year after year. But how do these programs compare to traditional, face-to-face education?

The enrollment rate in Online Learning

 The total number of students enrolled in online courses: 6,700,000

 Current number of accredited online universities: 275+
 Amount of college students who have enrolled in at least one online course: 30%
 Whether online or in a traditional institution, 67% of college instructors believe video,
blogs, podcasts, and other online media are necessary teaching tools.

What are students studying?

Most Popular Bachelor’s Degrees for Traditional Learning

 Business
 Accounting
 Nursing
 Psychology
 Elementary Education

Most Popular Bachelor’s Degrees for Online Learning

 Psychology
 Business
 Elementary Education
 Nursing
 Health Administration

Student’s perception of online education

 77% of educators believe that online learning is just as good as traditional learning, if not
better.
 Nearly 70% of all students claim online instruction to be as good as or better than in a
traditional classroom setting.
 26% of online students claim to learn better online than in a classroom.

Online learners’ score on standardized tests

 The average score of classroom learners: 50th percentile

 The average score of online learners: 59th percentile
 There is a 5:1 ratio by which learners differ
  A 5:1 ratio by which learners differ means that the slowest student takes 5 times as long
to learn as the fastest student.
 90% of these learners will successfully reach higher levels, but only if given enough
attention.
 Face-to-face instruction is the best approach to providing these levels of attention.
 Fortunately, 97% of online institutions’ courses offer student/faculty ratios of 25:1 or
better.

Online learning vs traditional learning costs

 Online degrees cost as little as 80 times less than traditional degrees

 Total average cost of traditional degrees: $85,000
 Total average cost of online degrees: $30,000

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%20educators%20believe%20that,online%20than%20in%20a%20classroom.

5 Reasons Why Online Learning is More Effective

by Carmen Dexway | Blended Learning, Education, Methodology, Online Learning

Online learning has been on the rise in recent years, and it’s really not hard to see why.
On the one hand, eLearning courses have become hugely popular by the simple virtue of being
so much more convenient than traditional face to face courses. Students can fit them around
their existing responsibilities and commitments, and can engage with multimedia content and
learning materials at whatever time is most convenient to them. Even better: they don’t have to
travel anywhere to study, they can simply log in to the virtual campus from the comfort of their
own home or office.
There’s a second reason why online learning has become so popular: it’s cheaper. Cost
can often be a prohibitive factor in why individual students don’t enrol in courses they’re
interested in. This is also an issue for corporations who wish to encourage their employees to
undergo further training but don’t have much of a budget for conferences and training
courses. Online courses are easily accessible on much smaller budgets. In addition to the
convenience and the cost, a large number of students are turning to online learning courses
because they have become a better way to learn. Those students who are serious about
improving their understanding, learning new skills and gaining valuable qualifications are keen
to enrol in the type of course that will be the most effective.
  
Here are five reasons why online learning can be more effective than enrolling in a face to face
training course.
 
#1. Students learn more than they do in traditional courses
IBM have found that participants learn five times more material in online learning
courses using multimedia content than in traditional face to face courses. Because online
courses give students full control over their own learning, students are able to work at their own
speed. Generally students work faster than they would do otherwise and take in more
information. They are able to move faster through areas of the course they feel comfortable
with, but slower through those that they need a little more time on.
 
#2. Retention rates are higher with online learning
Many offline courses struggle to retain students throughout the length of the course. The
Research Institute of America have found that this is not the case with eLearning. Rather, online
courses have increased student retention rates from anything from 25% to 60%. It’s been
suggested that more engaging multimedia content, more control over how they take in the
material and less likelihood of classes clashing with other commitments all contribute to this
rise.
 
#3. Online learning requires less of a time investment
Many students are put off enrolling in a face to face course due to the time investment it
will require. This generally involves the time to get back and forth to classes, plus the time spent
waiting for tutors and other students. A Brandon Hall report on eLearning within corporations
found that this style of learning typically requires 40-60% less employee time than learning in a
traditional classroom setting. It’s also key to note that eLearning options generally allow
students to split the time they are investing in the course in whichever way works for them. They
don’t need to be able to dedicate large chunks of time to the course: it’ll work just as well if they
can set aside half an hour from their lunch break each day.
 
#4. More frequent assessments can reduce distractions
One of the great things about online courses is that assessment can become more of an
ongoing process. This is good news for students as interspersing multimedia content and
learning materials with regular short tests can improve student engagement. In fact, research
from Harvard showed that using these short, regular tests halved student distraction, tripled
note-taking and students’ overall retention of the content improved. It’s also worth noting that
the mort often students are assessed, the better their tutors are able to keep track of their
progress. Increased student tracking means that tutors are able to step in earlier when
assistance is needed.
 
#5. eLearning is the greener option
Online learning is certainly the more effective option for students, but it’s also better for
the environment.The Open University in Britain have found that online courses equate to an
average of 90% less energy and 85% fewer CO2 emissions per student than traditional in
person courses. This certainly makes online learning and multimedia content a more effective
method of education overall. Promoting and engaging in this kind of learning can help both
individuals and corporations to do their bit for the environment and stick to their own personal
environmental goals. Interested in finding out more about the most effective way to learn
languages? eLearning courses utilise high quality multimedia content to increase student
understanding and provide an impressive virtually immersive experience.

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%20learn%20more%20than%20they%20do%20in%20traditional%20courses&text=Because
%20online%20courses%20give%20students,and%20take%20in%20more%20information.

8 Reasons Why Online Education is Better than Traditional

TRISH SAMMER Updated on May 6, 2020
Is an online education equivalent to an on-campus education? In a lot of cases, yes, in fact,
there’s good evidence that online education has some significant advantages to the classroom
experience—and some of them may surprise you.

1. You're not bound by geography

Huge strides in technology have made a college education more accessible than ever. With a
computer and Internet access, the entirety of the educational world can be yours as long as
you have Internet access, no matter where you live. That’s hardly an exaggeration when you
consider that for the past few years, highly prestigious schools, such as Harvard, MIT, and
Stanford, have been offering full, non-credit courses of study online for free through something
called MOOCs (which stands for massive open online course). MOOCs generally have the
same professors and the same study material you’d get if you were attending the university in-
person.

It was probably inevitable that schools would begin wanting to monetize all of the material they
were providing online. In 2013, Georgia Tech became the first school to create a MOOC-based
degree program. The University of Illinois followed suit two years later. Now, more than 30
brick-and-mortar schools offer MOOC-based degrees, through partnerships with tech-ed
companies like Coursera, edX, and Udacity. But MOOCs are only the tip of the online-learning
iceberg. Digital and traditional institutions are also perfecting more-intimate online learning
options, with smaller class sizes and more one-to-one professor-to-student interactions. Online
degree options abound and if you can't find the offering you want at a local university, you can
probably find it at another school. So whether you’re looking to earn your degree to go nab a 9-
to-5, or you’re looking to study the stars with the world’s top astronomers, you can probably
find what you’re looking for online.

2. Online learning may be more engaging than classroom learning

A recent article in  Forbes offers some insight into the state of online learning. Researchers
have begun diving into how efficient online learning is compared to classroom education. So
far, the results have been promising.

A study from California State University in San Bernadino found that two different sets of
students—one group who studied online and the other who went to class—who received the
same instruction from the same professor fared equally well in terms of performance. However,
the study revealed that online students were less intimidated about participating, and that there
was a higher-quality of interaction between students and the professor. In addition,
the Forbes article notes online classes are more likely to present material in attention-grabbing,
multimedia formats that may be better suited to today’s students. 

The upshot: Educators have long known that different people take in information in different
ways, but educational methods have struggled to adapt. If you're someone whose eyes glaze
over during a classroom lecture, you may find that you respond better to online learning
approaches. 

3. Feedback is faster and more frequent

Believe it or not, online learners may actually have more contact with their educators than
classroom learners. Online students are generally asked to complete more-frequent
assessments so that professors can monitor their competence. Because of this, learning gaps
can be identified and addressed faster, rather than allowing a struggling student to slip through
the cracks until exam time. Remember, this isn't just about GPAs. When you're paying
thousands of dollars for an education, you don't want to hide in the back corner of the
classroom. You want to ensure you understand the course material so you can apply it later. 

4. Online college can be a cheaper way to earn your bachelor's or master's degree

What’s the biggest difference between online and traditional school? The campus, obviously. If
you attend a regular college, you’re probably going to spend several thousand dollars a year
on room and board, as well as transportation. Online college removes all of those expenses
from the equation, effectively yielding you a five-figure discount during the course of your
studies. Score!

5. You may incur a lot less student loan debt

In addition to not having to pay for room and board and commuting, online study may reduce
your costs in another extremely significant way. Most online programs are structured around
the idea that students are employed, and possibly employed full-time. Being able to continue
working while going to school means that you may have to take on less student loan debt.
Smaller student loans means you’ll be paying less student loan interest. When you consider
that most people take close to 20 years to pay off their student loan debt, reducing your total
debt load is one of the most-important strategies you can adopt. Your future self will thank you.

6. You have more control over your schedule

Absenteeism and scheduling conflicts are virtually removed from the online learning equation.
While some programs may require participation in online lectures at certain times, those same
lectures are generally archived for later reference. Because online learning is more flexible
than classroom-based learning, students can work through material at their own pace. People
who need more time to grasp a concept can take it. People who want to work faster may do
so. Schedule flexibility is also a huge asset for people who work full-time or who have childcare
responsibilities that would interfere with regular campus attendance. Just think about it—the
single mom whose babysitter canceled at the last minute would be out of luck with traditional
learning. With online education, she can still attend class with the assurance that her child is
being care for.

7. The online classroom is good preparation for a changing workforce

Getting comfortable with technology is an excellent side benefit to online education. As

technology advances, workforces are become increasingly distributed. Whether you’re working
with someone across the state or across the world, becoming adept at technology for video
conferencing, messaging, aggregating information, and collaborating is a skill set that you're
likely to find a need for. 

8. Online learning is getting a good reputation

Academics have seen the value in online education for quite some time. A 2012 study from
Babson/College Board showed that 77% of academic leaders believed that online education
offerings were just as good, if not better, than classroom-based educational offerings.
Employers are also getting that message. A recent article in U.S. News & World Report shows
that more hiring managers are seeing the value in online degrees, as long as they come from
properly accredited institutions.

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5 Advantages of Online Learning vs Traditional Classes

Online learning enables students to take courses on a computer from anywhere in the
world. E-learning has given students freedom and customization options that make online
learning a great alternative over the more traditional classroom environment. There is an
increasing number of people who take courses online. According to a 2015 report from Babson
Survey Research Group, the number of students who are enrolled in eLearning courses grew
5.8 percent, and this number has grown annually for the last 13 years. There is a general
misconception that Online Learning is easier than traditional learning. Students are still required
put in as much effort, time and energy when taking courses online.

Here are 5 advantages of taking courses online when compared to studying in a

classroom setting:

#1 – You can learn whatever you want

No matter your age or educational background, online learning allows you to take
courses on any topic you are interested in. You can also use it to learn new technical skills that
are especially helpful if you want to increase your chances of landing a job or advancing in your
current career. Most online courses typically don’t have admission requirements, such as GMAT
Scores, SAT Scores or Academic Transcripts, which make them very accessible. Online
learning has become a great medium to acquire in-demand industry certifications, such as
the Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA)™ designation, that will help you meet the
needs of an evolving job market. A study from Georgetown University shows that by 2020, 65
percent of jobs in the US will look for candidates who have advanced education.

#2 – Learn at your own pace anywhere, anytime!

Unlike in a traditional classroom setup, online learning allows you to study wherever and
whenever you want. You don’t have to deal with commuting and heavy traffic, and you can
study from the comfort of your home if you want to. Taking courses online gives you the option
to study in a setting that is most conducive for you. Whether it’s in your room, in the library, at a
coffee shop or the park, all you need is a laptop or tablet with a reliable internet connection.

#3 – You will learn technical skills

If you want to learn applied technical skills, online learning is a great place to enhance
them. When studying online, you are challenged to step outside your comfort zone and explore
all the features of digital learning such as downloading materials, interactive quizzes, and
hands-on exercises on your own. All of these learning materials provide an optimal learning
experience for technical skills that generally require practice and repetition to master. Practice
makes perfect, and you get a lot of practice through online learning.

In the digital age, learning technical skills will help you stay updated and be a more viable
candidate for future hiring managers. According to the 2017 Career Advisory Board tech skills
survey, 60 percent of employers said that most job applicants don’t have the tech skills that they
need for their careers. Also, half of the employers said there’s a tech skills gap in their employee
base.

CFI’s Excel Crash Course and Advanced Excel Training Course will help you master the
necessary Excel skills required for jobs in various fields.

#4 – There is less pressure

Students have different ways of dealing with pressure in schools that create a
competitive environment. The bad news is, some people can’t handle the pressure in the
traditional classroom setup. According to a 2014 article by Amy Novotney for the American
Psychological Association, students have been exposed to increased risks of anxiety,
depression as well as suicidal thoughts. Between 2012 and 2013, almost half of the students
who participated in the survey revealed that they attended counseling sessions for mental
health concerns. With online learning, you can have interactions with classmates and instructors
in an environment that is suitable for learning and not for competing with others.

#5 – It costs less

An average graduating student has college debt that reaches over US$37,000, in the
USA. Learning in the traditional way means you will pay for the classes, accommodation, meals,
activity fees and books. Online learning comes at a much lower cost since you don’t have to pay
for things such as paper handouts, classroom space, desks, chairs, and other supplies.

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traditional-classes/

What is Traditional Learning?

Earlier, our traditional teaching in Gurukuls (ashrams) was famous in India. Similar kinds
of systems were also prevailed in other countries. Classroom learning has been adopted since
ancient time in which students are taught similar things by their teachers by the same methods.
All must be present if they want to get education. If a student does not attend any lecture,
he/she may miss the topic taught by the teacher in that lecture. Teachers can teach a certain
number of students in a classroom. All the students must learn the same thing whether it is
fruitful or not. Some are not interested in a particular topic, but they have to study. In this way,
traditional system of education is a classroom learning pattern.

What is online learning?

 Online learning is a Digital Education. Science has invented many gadgets for eLearning
such as smart phones, tablets, laptops etc. through which one can study subjects of one’s
choice. Number of students can be taught together sitting at one place. The world is
transforming from traditional education to Digital education. Both students and teachers get
flexibility in online learning. It is easy to get education digitally as it gives opportunity to learn
from the best teachers of a particular subject.

Why is online learning more effective?

Online learning is more effective than traditional learning because it gives you time
freedom. One can open study videos at his/her own time. No need of going to an institution for
attending lectures. Secondly, it gives proper education by experts in particular subjects. It takes
less time to learn much because the experts teach particular topics in less time. People also
think about safety point of view because road accidents are frequent in urban areas. In rural
areas, online study gives better option of education and the students get benefits of experts for
building their careers. The most important thing is everyone can learn through eLearning
platforms. Moreover, traditional learning has become expensive at present, whereas eLearning
is much cheaper than former one.

Advantages of eLearning

 One can learn at one’s own time.

 Students can study anywhere, with no restrictions on areas.
 Easy to choose subjects and topics.
 Students can interact with their teachers via social media, emails, SMS, etc.
 They can remain in contact with their teachers and get benefits.
 Students can even study in hazardous situations like heavy rain, storm, physical damage
of body, pandemic, or epidemic situations.
 It saves a lot of time for students. Get time freedom for other activities.
 Learn only the necessary things and avoid unnecessary topics.
 It is much cheaper than Classroom learning means it is cost-effective for learning.
 No need to travel up to the study center. Therefore, it protects us from road accidents.
 Teachers get an additional income from online teaching.

E-learning Vs Traditional Learning: Pros and cons of traditional classroom

learning

Advantages

 Students can remain in physical contact with their teachers and mentors so that they can
ask questions directly to them and get satisfactory answers.
 They can develop friendship with their classmates and others.
 Students can grow their network and compete with others.
 Experience different school and college activities.
 They have practical knowledge of various subjects in laboratories and fields. Therefore,
they can have better knowledge.
 Students get their degrees physically and have better career opportunities.

Disadvantages
 Traditional way of education is much expensive because teachers can teach less
number of students at a time. Students have to pay much remuneration to their teachers.
 Students have to travel to the educational institutions so that they have to pay travel
expenses and sometimes, they have accommodation charges when they stay in a hostel or
paying guest.
 They don’t get flexibility in time although they have to reach the destination on time.
They must attend lectures taken by the teachers otherwise, they miss them.

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The benefits and drawbacks of online learning

Whether you’re a high-school teacher looking to engage your students in a more

interactive way, or a corporate trainer hired by a large company to design training curricula, e-
learning packs a punch when it comes to benefits that make the creation and delivery processes
easier and hassle-free. Important benefits are outlined below.

No Boundaries, No Restrictions

Along with locational restrictions, time is one of the issues that learners and teachers
both have to face in learning. In the case of face-to-face learning, the location limits
attendance to a group of learners who have the ability to participate in the area, and in the case
of time, it limits the crowd to those who can attend at a specific time. E-learning, on the other
hand, facilitates learning without having to organize when and where everyone who is interested
in a course can be present.

More Fun

Designing a course in a way that makes it interactive and fun through the use of
multimedia or the more recently developed methods of gamification (further discussed in later
chapters) enhances not only your engagement factor but also the relative lifetime of the course
material in question.

Cost Effective

This is directed to both learners and teachers, but there is a good chance that whatever
your role you had to pay exorbitant amounts of money at some point to acquire updated
versions of textbooks for school or college. While textbooks often become obsolete after a
certain period of time, the need to constantly acquire new editions is not present in e-learning.

It Just Fits!

As companies and organizations adopt technologies to improve the efficiency of day-to-

day operations, the use of the internet becomes a necessity. As multinational corporations
expand across the globe, the chances of working with people from other countries increases,
and training all those parties together is an issue that e-learning successfully addresses. And
that’s a great advantage of online learning!

Let’s blend all of that together and apply it in a real-life scenario:

In an effort to enhance the credibility of course material, oftentimes a professor will

summon a field specialist to give a lecture relevant to the topic at hand. In the traditional model
of education, the professor would have to extend an invitation to said expert, and incur the costs
of his flight, stay and training.

With e-learning:

With e-learning the professor has the ability to host a guest lecture without having to
spend much money. It can be done virtually, with cameras for both the lecturer and the
students, and with the use of microphones to facilitate the same level of interaction that would
be possible if the lecturer were physically present in the room. The added benefit comes in
when we are able to replay the lecture and gain even more out of it. Students that missed out
can view the recording, or students that attended can watch it again to further their
understanding.

Concerns that arise with e-learning

Even given all the benefits of e-learning, one cannot deny there are some drawbacks. A
good example of a disadvantage of online learning is that practical skills are somewhat harder
to pick up from online resources. For example, although building a wooden table is something
you can easily share information about, record videos of and explain, the practical experience is
essential. Pottery and car engineering are examples of skills that require hands-on experience.

Isolation

Though e-learning offers ease, flexibility and the ability to remotely access a classroom
in the student’s own time, learners may feel a sense of isolation. This is because learning online
is a solo act for the most part, which may give the learner the feeling that they are acting
completely alone. As technology progresses and e-learning benefits from the advancements
being made, learners can now engage more actively with professors or other students using
tools such as video conferencing, social media, and discussion forums amongst others.

Health-Related Concerns

E-learning requires the use of a computer and other such devices; this means
that eyestrain, bad posture, and other physical problems may affect the learner. When running
an online course it’s a good practice to send out guidelines about correct sitting posture, desk
height, and recommendations for regular breaks.

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Advantages and disadvantages of the traditional model
Article in which the UCL perioperative medicine team discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of the tradition model of surgical care.

© University College London, Perioperative Medicine Master’s Programme

Now you’ve had an opportunity to discuss these issues from your own perspective, we will
highlight some of what we believe to be the advantages and disadvantages of both preoperative
and postoperative models of care.

Advantages - Preoperative

 well suited to a large volume workload

 works well for uncomplicated low risk patients
 workforce costs prefer a nurse-delivered preoperative assessment
 rapid throughout of patients

Postoperative

 uses the knowledge, skills and experience of surgical teams

 clear clinical accountability
 a consistent team
 prompt involvement of surgeons for surgical complications

Disadvantages - Preoperative

 it is less suited to a multi-morbid population or patients who have unrecognized disease

and functional issues
 little opportunity to optimize patients and modify risk
 generation of referral to primary care or multiple organ specific services
 delays in the timeline to surgery
 possible labeling of patients as “medically unfit”, which may influence future decision
making
 no single point of contact for case coordination

Postoperative

 a lack of medical expertise to manage common postoperative medical complications

 a lack of involvement of expertise in rehabilitation and goal setting
 a lack of expertise in discharge planning and accessing appropriate community services
 a lack of expertise in communication with patients and carers regarding medical,
geriatric and functional issues

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Advantages of Traditional Classroom Learning

As online learning has become more and more popular in the internet era, traditional classroom
learning continues to be a tough contender. Despite its advantages, online learning cannot
replace traditional education. Its many perks will make sure of it.

Active learning

One of the top reasons that traditional campus life can benefit a student’s college life is having
contact with professors and instructors. With online learning, the options are limited. On-
campus, students can set up face-to-face meetings with their professors to discuss the class,
their performance, or a project.

Maintaining interpersonal relationships

Students are involved with different people throughout their college experience. One benefit of
being enrolled in an on-campus university is creating meaningful relationships that will probably
last for years. The college experience is entirely about having to be part of many individual and
group projects which require you to communicate with your colleagues. Different clubs that are
created in the university, gatherings to study for exams and the sharing of the study notes are
some of the ways through which one can maintain interpersonal relationships. While retaining
those relationships on campus is quite easy, doing so online will surely be a problem.

Not all majors can be taught online

If a student is considering a major in nursing, agriculture, biology, music, or theater, online

classes can only get them so far. While it is easy to take some required classes online in these
majors, the classes that include labs, clinical practice, or performances cannot be done without
a traditional campus class. Having a traditional campus learning environment for these majors
will provide access to equipment and materials they would normally not have access to with an
online class.

Access to libraries and research materials

A university’s campus library is always a busy place for students to study, collaborate, and do
research for papers and projects. Without easy access to research materials held by the
university and everything that the library has to offer, a student cannot always reach their full
potential with in-depth study in a particular field.

Learning is scheduled

University officials organize the courses in that way that all the students can attend them.
Attending classes means joining the class on time. In this way, students will get a routine of their
own, which will inevitably make the students punctual and disciplined. As they practice being
punctual throughout the academic years, they’ll build those habits and carry them into
adulthood.

Extra-curricular activities
There are some school experiences you won’t gain in any other place. Field trips, school
activities, and different clubs, part of which you can be are just some of those experiences.
From each of those activities, you’ll take life lessons that will be beneficial in your future.

Disadvantages of Online Learning

We can easily say that the aspects that aren’t the strongest suit of online learning format are
definitely of traditional classroom learning.

Lack of face-to-face interaction

While in the beginning, some may see the lack of one-on-one interaction with teachers and
colleagues as an advantage, this may turn out to be not the advantage expected. In the long-
term, you’ll see that it will take way more effort to interact with the teachers and colleagues
online. Even though the contact through emails and social media might make the
communication easier for both parties, you’ll never have the connection and intimacy live
communication has.

Not all majors are available

While you can study many different subjects online, some of them can’t be adjusted to the
online format. All those majors that require hands-on training or use of any equipment fall in this
category. To study these particular majors, you may have to attend their classes on campus.

Increased responsibility

Sure, flexibility is what makes online learning unique and convenient for students. However, this
flexibility can be a double-edged sword. While you can attend the classes at your own pace, it’s
your responsibility to organize everything else in between and to manage your time efficiently.
No one will remember you to log in to the online classroom, join message boards, and finish the
assignments on time. You need to be motivated and disciplined enough to finish your online
program.

Lack of accreditation

While many universities in the world, even ivy league ones among them are more and more
joining the online format classroom, the risk of enrolling in an online university that might not be
certified by state agencies is still present. For you not to become a victim of these kinds of
universities, you should do thorough research on the chosen university beforehand.

Networking challenges

Online students might miss a lot of opportunities on-campus students may take for granted. On
the university grounds, you will meet people who share the same passion for the field you’re
studying, get to be part of many conferences where guest-speakers are invited, or introduce
yourself to teachers of different fields. Those meetings, no matter how short in time, will yield
many job offers. Although online learning might have many benefits, this isn’t one of them.
Traditional Education VS Online Education

When it comes to comparing traditional learning vs e-learning, students may focus on

the financial aspect. While online learning might cost you less on tuition, you won’t get to make
use of the benefits of offline learning which we mentioned are high in number. While 70% of
students see the online instruction to be nearly as good, if not better than its counterpart,
traditional instruction seems to be the best solution to give attention to the underachieving
students. Traditional education has been around since forever. It seems like its numerous perks
will make it impossible for it to be entirely replaced by any other learning format. However, for as
long as those two formats are in “competition” with each other, we’ll keep on seeing them bring
out the best in each other.

https://potomac.edu/top-advantages-of-traditional-education/

Challenges of Online Learning vs Traditional Learning for

Students
By Ervin Delas Peñas, UN SDSN Youth Philippines Volunteer | Published on August 19, 2020
3:08:12 PM

Educational institutions worldwide need to adapt to the barriers brought by the pandemic
by transitioning to online platforms as an alternative place for learning. Some claim online
learning is an indispensable alternative to making up for the lost presence in physical
classrooms, while others struggle as they adjust to the digital environment. Here, we list down
the advantages and disadvantages of each learning style.

Benefits of online learning. Other than the continued access to learning material brought by
online platforms, there is research that suggests “interaction in an online environment promotes
student-centered learning, encourages wider student participation, and produces more in-depth
and reasoned discussions than a traditional classroom“. There are also indications that students
would be less intimidated, and feel less time pressure participating online compared to the
traditional setting. Research conducted by the U.S. Department of Education in 2009 showed
that students who participated purely or mostly in online courses performed better in terms of
grades than the students who took the same course but in the traditional setting.

It is also easy to imagine how flexible it is for students to learn at their own time, since
one of the stark characteristics of online learning is that it is done asynchronously. Students are
then free to pace themselves as they progress through the course. For some, synchronous
sessions are up to the prerogative of the instructor, either making it optional for students to join
in, or conduct none at all. As such, absences do not exist in online classes, unless the teacher
requires the students to attend the sessions they hold online, if any.
Disadvantages of online learning. One drawback of online learning is the possibility of
students not being able to connect or relate to their classmates, unlike in the classroom where
students may ask their peers or teachers for immediate clarifications. This may cause stress
and other mental problems among the isolated students. Another setback among students is
that they may lose interest in the subject matter and thus become less effective learners. At
times, it is also hard to obtain immediate feedback or other related concerns from teachers due
to the asynchronicity.

Other than the social implications it has on students, the internet itself may require its
users to be wary of its natural limitations.

Nicholas Carr’s book, The Shallows, was a Pulitzer finalist, and in it, he brilliantly
illustrated the nature and effects of the internet as a medium. It includes a chapter where it
discusses the limitations of the human mind in processing information we get and seek on the
internet. Carr used an analogy to picture how short-term memory seeps into the long-term: like
filling a bathtub with a tool as small as a thimble. The adjacent part reads "with the Net, we face
many information faucets, all going full blast. Our little thimble overflows as we rush from one
faucet to the next”. This echoes the fact that our ability to store and digest information is subject
to our cognitive load, which refers to the information our working memory receives at any given
moment. And so when we experience an overload—or as Carr says, “when the water overflows
the thimble”—it’s a reflection of our natural inability to absorb multiple information at once, and
thus the practice may hinder effective learning.

As an avid internet surfer myself, it’s difficult to stick to one task while maintaining
another. Because of our tendency to open multiple tabs at once, our mind goes astray. One can
imagine how jagged the progress is when we work on one thing, and then briefly move on to the
next, like a dog following a trail of crumbs, only to end up nowhere. Multitasking inherently
becomes a distraction, unless we focus and recall what it is we really have to work on.

Another obvious downside of online learning is that a prerequisite is to own an electronic

device capable of connecting to the wifi. These two incur costs that some are not able to afford.
According to a study that surveyed internet usage among Filipinos in 2018, 45% (46 million) do
not have internet access, while 74% of (34,500) public schools suffer the same fate. Just
recently, students have resorted to crowdfunding on social media—dubbed
“PisoParaSaLaptop”—as efforts to prepare for the school year. Some students have to endure
walking far lengths or crossing rivers just to gain internet access or signal. CNN reports an
account on how one student climbed a mountain just to submit an assignment, while another
died from a motorcycle accident while searching for wifi in nearby barangays. Unstable wifi
connection also remains a persistent issue in many parts of the country, and others are paying
an unjust price compared to what their family or personal livelihood provides them with, while in
some cases, the subscription just doesn’t turn out as it should be.

There are also some students who claim that they do not have the luxury of private
spaces for them to have a conducive place for learning, which may affect their motivation and
attitude towards keeping up with the class. As opposed to online learning, classes conducted in
physical sites are synchronous, meaning the lecturer has to be present at the same time and
place as the students. This has its own pros and cons.

Benefits of traditional learning. Live interaction makes it easier for students to communicate

easier with their teachers, rendering study-related matters and inquiries easily addressed. Being
able to read the teacher’s body language, as opposed to seeing just their faces on screen, may
help students understand the lesson better and retain information more effectively. Furthermore,
pedagogical devices that are made available in the classroom may serve as visual aids that the
instructor can easily make use of, unlike in online platforms where the usage of applications is
required to illustrate a point or explanation while subject to their technical limitations.

Classrooms may also serve as avenues for students to socialize and make friends,
which may foster encouragement to learn together.. This may also encourage students to attend
classes as they get to meet their peers, and ask for help if they feel shy in approaching the
teacher. In addition, students will develop presentation and public speaking skills as teachers
are given the option to assign such activities for the students to do, which would be quite
unlikely or impractical to do in an online setting.

Other than presentation skills, students will have to develop organization skills by
adapting and adjusting as they interact in an environment where they may be curating their
impressions, or developing behavior that may influence others or the perception of their
classmates towards them. This may inculcate life lessons that students would otherwise not
have the chance or need to do when online where they have to maintain just themselves.

Disadvantages of traditional learning. According to certain academic literature, the possibility

of students going absent may be the cause of conflicts in schedule, emergencies, medical
conditions, and transportation issues among others. As a result, attendance and the required
logistics to fulfill it may be draining for some students, especially those whose residences lie in
an inconvenient distance from the school.

Behavior not conducive to learning may also be an issue among students. This includes
sleeping in class, secretly using mobile devices, and chatting with peers. At times, the teacher
may notice these and take proper disciplinary action that may incur delay for the entire class,
leading to problems with pacing, and may evoke emotions among students that may discourage
them from active or effective participation.

In contrast to online platforms, traditional learning follows a rigid schedule that the
student must follow, else they face consequences set by their school or teacher’s policies.

How does the Philippines fare in this context? In cooperation with a foundation, the Department
of Education has initiated a campaign to fund the distribution of printed learning packets
containing reading materials to the elementary and secondary levels of schools (Grades 1 to 12)
that have no internet connection. Other than the foundation, DepEd will be partnering with the
“Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in mobilizing barangay officials to help
bring the printed materials to households with limited or no access to internet or communication
gadgets.” In line with the DepEd’s proposed Alternative Learning System (ALS), tapping into
radio frequencies and TV channels is an option made available by their campaign “Oplan Balik
Eskwela – Brigada Eskwela”, where teachers are to relay instructions and supplemental
learning materials for those without gadgets or wifi.

In addition to DepEd’s publications regarding how distance learning will take place, their
most recent publication, “Policy Guidelines for the Provision of Learning Resources in the
Implementation of the Basic Education Continuity Plan”, can be found here. DepEd published
an infographic summarizing their plan:

Photo Courtesy of the Department of Education website

Despite this, affordable, ubiquitous, and fair distribution of network channels remains to
be seen in the country as segments of the population lack the resources and capital to adjust to
the country’s lack of infrastructure as we shift to distance learning. Furthermore, an article
published by BusinessWorld last June elucidates this reality:

“Some can’t afford the computers or even smartphones needed, or to subscribe to Wi-Fi
providers and master the use of the technology involved within a short two months. As some
news reports have noted, some teachers are similarly unprepared, either because they don’t
have the devices needed and can’t afford them, and/or are also as technologically challenged
as their students.”

This plus the figure given by the article that some 5 million children may not be able to enroll this
school year, while “9 million students in both private and public schools had enrolled online” by
the end of June.

Last June, Manila City mayor Isko Moreno “earmarked P994 million for the purchase of tablets,
laptops and internet connection for students and teachers which are necessary for distance
learning”. Moreno specified the figures based on the DepEd’s prescriptions that each student
and teacher is entitled to as provided for by the funds: one tablet for all 3 students in every
household, incurring 4 hours of usage of the tablet twice a week, with a 10-gigabyte monthly
load; each teacher will receive a laptop, and a pocket wifi unit to be loaded 10 gigabytes per
month.

There are many other benefits and limitations that may have not been mentioned here, but what
really matters is that students get to adjust to online education, while being able to address
other needs that would help in doing so (depending on the circumstances). They should always
seek support from their social support groups—be it friends, family or schoolmates—while
actively trying to reach out to their teachers, and realize that the common good of staying
healthy is what should be set as a priority in these trying times. Ultimately, there are many gaps
in our system that the government has yet to fill or help with. Without authoritative intervention
or direct aid, most of the country is left to their own capabilities, while some face the chances of
not enrolling this year at all.

https://covid19.sdsnyouthph.org/article.php?id=51