Online Education vs. Fraditional Face-to-Face Education (Essay Sample)

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Online education versus traditional face-to-face education
Since the advent of the computer, many changes have been introduced in the way things run in our world. Not only did it revolutionize machinery and ease the way of doing manual work, it also eased the way of doing mental work. Today, people do not have to struggle with doing huge mathematical sums; they just use a calculator to get it done. Therefore, in this same way, the computer also brought an evolution in other facets of life as well, some of which are still a controversy to this day. One such area today is the area of teaching and learning. Since the shift to the dot com world, a lot of information is contained on the internet, and learning through this venue is much easier. However, there are those who think that the use of online learning tools by students is not a satisfactory way of teaching and are therefore greatly opposed to this way of doing things. Meanwhile, others, especially those who use this means see it as a way of doing things in a globalized world where people have to multi task. The aim of this paper will be to look at the arguments on both sides and come up with a conclusion on which side holds the moral ground on the issue.
To understand the representation of each of these two modes of teaching, one needs to look at the positives and negatives of each. Online study refers to very any facets of the improvements brought about by technologies. However, the main element of this form involves distant learning, where the student does not need to interact with the instructor on a one-on- one basis, though the exam might require their presence in the learning institution. Those who argue for this ode of study have their different perspectives, and can be from both sides of the threshold, either lecturers or students. One of the most inspiring reasons why people choose online study is that they find it quite time saving. This is actually the main reason why people choose this mode of study. According to research carried out by Doskocil, over 70% of the people who use online modes of studying are working parents (Doskocil, 47). This shows that though there are quite a substantial number of people who choose studying online preferentially most of those who use it end up doing it out of necessity. They do this because they are doing something else and cannot be at school at the same time, but still need to complete their studies. In all essence, removing the implications of having to appear in class everyday is an inspiring motivator.
Another important element that those who support this mode of study forward is the fact that today, full time education in colleges has become very expensive. In Derwin’s book, she asserts the implications brought about by the rise in costs for education, which seem to have pushed people into looking for other alternatives. Studying online does not require one to pay the maximum tuition fees, nor any form of accommodation fees since they are not expected to be in school. It also means that one can maintain whatever work they were engaged in prior to beginning their education, which maintains a good income for their upkeep (Derwin, 31).
In addition, others argue that internet study has the element of speed and instantaneousness not found in class. Once a student finds something new that they do not know, they can easily search for it on the net by for confirmation. For the professors also, those that are for this idea propose that it gives their students more confidence to work online. Student who are taught online, as per these instructors are more confident since there is lack of spatial proximity, which increases the students confidence and further more their chances of participation (Fandl, 52). This is as opposed to a class setting where mainly the participation involves the confident students who others see as the teacher’s favorite.
There are still those that feel the classroom environment is too boring for studying in the twenty first century. In Yukiko Inoue’s book, he claims that according to research carried out on concentrations spans for people, researchers discovered that in crammed room with a single person talking, concentration spans were less than twenty five minute (Inoue, 72), unless of course the lecturer was very involving. Therefore, he concludes that saying the classroom environment inspires concentration might not be wholly true and might be one sided. The claim here is that even in online discourses, students who are inspired by whatever they are studying can have high concentration spans, also provided they have a keen interest in whatever they are studying.
However, there are those who are opposed to this notion. They also provide various arguments and notions of their reasons for choosing classroom learning over online study. Many face-to-face proponents argue that the classroom does indeed provide a good environment for learning. According to many proponents, the classroom or any face-to-face interaction with a teacher imposes academic responsibility, accountability and inspires effort from the students (Doskocil, 80). They believe in the saying that education, just as in life, is all about showing up. Many of them also view this time as well time spent since most students are alert than if they were in their own space learning.
Many learners who support the notion of face-to-face being better than online styding also believe that personal interactions with a lecturer provides a better chance of understanding than personal study. This argument purports that if a person knows their lecturer personally and have opportunities to ask any question that they want, this gives them more courage to face the course at hand si...