Online Learning Vs. Traditional Classroom Learning

Throughout this course, a new perspective has provided us with the opportunity to take a look at many of the different ways in which the digital world has become one of the most dominant viewpoints of today’s generation, and how technology has taken over and welcomed itself into many aspects of our lives. This course paper will take a look at one topic of interest in particular, which in hopes will shed some light on a heavily discussed topic in the education world: does technology help or hinder the student. This paper will look to prove the point and discover more about the way in which technology has been incorporated into the classroom, both in an elementary context as well as a post-secondary context, and the effects that it has had on the student, the teacher, and the overall academic development that accompanies it.

Many students have a difficult time choosing between online education and traditional education. Both styles of education offer advantages and disadvantages to the student. There are many things to consider when making this life altering decision, such as, cost, convenience, time, social interaction, and technology. This information is meant to inform prospective students looking to further their education of the pros and cons of both online education and traditional education. Taking the steps to further your education is a big decision and one that should not be taken lightly. One should weigh all of his/her options and be well informed and certain of their choice before taking that leap.

The topic I have chosen to focus on for my final project is Online Learning vs Traditional Learning

I chose to discuss Online Learning vs. Traditional Learning for this final project. Since 1999, the debate on the differences and similarities between traditional and online learning has been ongoing. Notably, this was the time when institutes began to use internet as a way of conveying distant education. Despite the differences that are there, it is worth noting that they are being narrowed down since technology is emerging prevalently. These facts beg the question; how do the two learning formats differ and what can one expect during transition to eLearning? Before seeking answers to this question, it is worth mentioning that I chose this topic because even though I am currently taking online classes, I wanted to research and learn more about the different benefits of online learning. Also, I am interested in researching on the major differences between online learning and traditional learning.

Nearly 20 years ago when the World Wide Web was released, many people in society had no idea what type of advances were in store for the technological world. Endless opportunities became available worldwide in every avenue of approach, one of those being education. Education has blossomed in the light of technology and will only continue to do so for many generations to come. Although it can be argued that technology is negatively effecting the education system, more innovative ways of learning are becoming available and society has no choice but to conform to these advances.

Every day the world is changing and things are done differently. Technology has also affected the way students are taught and in which they learn. It has changed the classroom. Technology saves us time and allows us to access material in only minutes. “The Internet and online subscription databases, even as a supplement to the printed works in the library, allow students to see, and force them to consider or reject, points of view that they might never have encountered in decades past” (Gow 4).With all the time technology produces, it also has downsides and it also may have created a less intelligent society.

When deciding to take college courses there are many choices you have to make. One of the more important choices is where you plan to take your classes. Online classes are becoming increasingly popular because they can be easier to fit into a busy schedule, but some people still argue that nothing beats a traditional classroom setting. Having the option of online classes makes continuing an education more appealing to people that have to balance many other responsibilities like family, jobs, etc.

Technology has changed the world today as much as the industrial revolution changed the world in the nineteenth century. People interact directly with technology in fields such as education. In the network society, many schools offer online courses providing time, distance, and place advantages for students who live far from their campus or work full time. However, these online courses bring some disadvantages, such as no social interaction, academic dishonesty, and procrastination. As a sophomore news-editorial major, David Smith, in his “Reliance on online materials hinders learning potential for students,” claims that web-based learning cannot be a substitute for on-campus classes because e-learning

When a person thinks of someone going to college they probably imagine them walking across a large campus or sitting in a lecture hall among other students. While this is the way many people do choose to attend college, there are also those who have chosen to get their degree in an online setting. Online learning gives people the opportunity to get their education in a way that is more flexible and can fit in with their daily lives. Though both are reputable forms of higher educations, there are distinct differences between learning in a tradition classroom and learning in an online setting.

Among schools with 12th-grade students during the 2010–11 school year, the average percentage of 12th-grade students who graduated with a high school diploma was 89 percent for traditional public schools, 91 percent for public charter schools, and 92 percent for private schools (Institute of Educational Sciences). Traditional on campus classes are those in which a student earns a diploma or a degree in a classroom environment taught by a professor. Students are provided with high amounts of social interaction with students and faculty to prepare them for careers outside of the classroom. From the time children are enrolled in kindergarten up to graduation, the familiarity of a classroom atmosphere sets up structural support to help them through their studies as well as provide students a sense of societal discipline. Traditional on campus classes are more beneficial to a student’s education than online courses.

Technology is changing every aspect in our lives, even the way we learn. Online classes are a rapidly growing trend it today’s society. Online classes are a cost-effective substitute for traditional courses and more convenient for many, so more schools and universities are offering this option. Due to the increase in online course enrollment, people are questioning if students truly learn something from online classes because it’s not a traditional learning environment. Online classes are just, if not more, effective as traditional classes because grades have increased and online discussions provide students with the chance to interact through networking while earning a degree for less than what it would cost to enroll at the same university.

Technology affects every aspect of our lives. From romance to business, it has shown its presence everywhere. But technology has had a huge impact on education that cannot be denied, and has done nothing but improve the quality and quantity of education.

In current times, technology has become such a big part of life, and most people would not be able to live without it. It has become very prevalent in education today, but technology appears to be more detrimental than beneficial. It has become the world’s main focus of the educational system, and although it has been useful to have, the disadvantages should not be ignored. Technology has clearly made an impact on society and education, but an inadequate amount of evidence has surfaced to justify that it is helping students and the community. Because of the technological advances in education, students’ learning is hindered because they have become accustomed to relying on it, and the learning environment is limited to fancy, expensive technology.

Education has undergone significant changes because of the development of information and communication technology over the 21st century (Lin & Jou, 2012:2). As a convenient and inexpensive way to gain knowledge while pursuing higher education, online learning, a form of training or teaching that takes place over the Internet, has been considered as an alternative to traditional classroom learning (Zhang et al, 2004). This essay will argue that even though online learning has benefit such as flexibility which could outweigh traditional learning, traditional classroom learning might still not be entirely replaced. This essay will discuss positive and negative aspects of online and traditional learning in terms of four criteria:

Across the U.S., technology used in education has been increasing exponentially. Every learning institution ranging from elementary school to college have incorporated technology into their teachings. Online textbooks, quizzes, notes, and classes are all examples of how education has been utilizing technology. While technology has a place in education, not everything in education needs to involve technology.