Tiffany McHenry
Joyce Keeling
Com/155
Feb-13-2013

Online Vs. Traditional Education Even though people prejudge online education before they give it a try, when a person

has many responsibilities or other obligations, online education is a better option. There has been

debate about online classes vs. traditional classes. Since online education is becoming a well-

known way to further your education. Some debaters thinks online is a waste of time, but the

question is as to whether these online classes are bad.

Many people have many misconceptions about online education. Some people still

believe that traditional or in class education is better and much more acceptable than online

education. Traditional education does bring information to students in real time, and many

people especially employers, are still skeptical of the legitimacy and effectiveness of online

education. They are of the opinion that most online courses are not handled or issued by

authorized institutions or persons, making diplomas from these online institutions fraudulent.

They contend that some online courses are not really taught by teachers or diplomas holders, but

are instead done by experts or under-qualified faculties that don’t present their credentials online.

Online education has many advantages over traditional education in certain aspects.

Online education has a good number of resources for the students. You can get help from your

professor right on your computer. You can also always use online research as well. Another

advantage is that students do not have to lose time by traveling to class as well as waiting long

hours for lessons to start. This is because as long as you have an Internet connection, lessons can

start right then and there. The course materials are always given online through text, audio, or

video downloads. The students have the option to go through them later. While in a traditional

setting there is a heavy reliance on books; books that you need to buy or borrow from the library

and have tons of pages Xeroxed.

Today almost all libraries have access to the Internet which makes research easier. There

are no buildings to maintain, no maintenance costs, and no traveling fees. Students can save

more money by studying online. I think when you have a family; you can also attend to family

needs, and school needs. I think students can handle their lessons easier because they can take

their time in the learning process based on how easier because they can take their time in the

learning process based on how easily they can learn. Lessons are modular and courses are

outlined and straightforward. Students can focus on one lesson without the need to study other

unrelated information, saving time to be put to use on other things such as part-time work. There

is a greater variety of learning methods for every student, reducing boredom, and increasing

lesson retention during the learning process.

Some disadvantages that could arise from online education may be rooted in the students’

circumstances and choices. Some students are less receptive to online learning than others. Some

students prefer that the instructors are available for questions immediately so that an answer can

be given to them right away. It would be hard for students with poor study habits or low levels of

motivation to continue online education. If you do not have motivation or a support system, it

would be very difficult to stay on task. You need to have self-discipline. Studying in isolation

can create negative effects to easily-affected students. The lack of constant communication with

other people could hamper the conversational skills of some students. Some skills which require

hands on experience may be harder to simulate during online studies as compared to having a

physical labratory or workshop, and may not properly teach the student how to do things

properly. As you know Traditional classes gives you the option to talk directly to your professors

and classmates and discuss or ask any questions you may have. With online classes, you send

them an e-mail or post questions anytime on the discussion board and your classmate or your

professor can give you an answer. Though, with this setup, you have to wait until someone

answers your questions not unlike in a traditional setting where you get an answer immediately.

In the future, it is expected that online education will get as much credit as regular and

traditional education. Many universities are offering distance or online learning courses for

students, with good credentials and compliance to standards. Online education is not limited to

short term courses now, but also offered by reliable education institutions. Globalization has

made the evolution of online teaching and learning faster and better, by testing new ones and

seeing the changes in the results. Many companies are already open minded enough as regards to

the credibility of online learning. Some companies do not discriminate between people who are

graduating from either a traditional or online course, giving them better chances of hiring those

with an online diploma. Many companies give support to schools and facilities which have

online learning services.

For people who may not have enough time and money to go through traditional

education, online education is a better option due to its many advantages. When attending online

classes you do not have to show up in class, you can just check out the discussion board.

However, it might take a while before majority of the population gains to accept the validity of

online learning. Stills, the future of online education is still bright, especially with the increase in

members of the population who have opened up to the changes that studying online could bring

to the learning process.

There’s a huge number of advantage that are offered by online learning when it is

compared to the tradition learning. This included saving in terms of times and cost both to the

teachers as well as to the students. That having been said there is also need to mention some of

the disadvantages that online leaning presents. These are usually influenced by preferences and

tasted of different individuals. There is expectation though that with time online learning will be

embraced by society as the norm and not the exception.