Is Online School As Beneficial As Traditional Instruction? Imagine this: A student wakes up, eager to start their day of school. They eat breakfast and get dressed and then walk across their house to their computer where they log on and start their school day. Although this may seem like a very futuristic way to do school, it is a reality for many students across the United States. Although the benefits and downfalls of this idea are almost even, it is still being explored and researched. Supporters of this idea say that students could learn different things not usually offered in a classroom, a computer can customize to students’ needs better, and online classes cost less. The other side of the argument references John F. Kennedy’s quote, …show more content…
Although the sides to this argument are almost balanced, traditional instruction is better because it helps kids learn social survival skills, have a better working environment, and work more efficiently. First, there is the fact that schools can only teach so many classes. This is becoming more distinct to many students across America, as budget cuts have eliminated some classes from a student’s choices. Having school online could solve that problem, as Andrew Wyrich wrote in the article, “Making a Virtual School Day Count.” Although this is true, there are other skills students are losing by doing online school. In Utah, a program was piloted in which children were provided an online preschool program in exchange for traditional preschool, as Emma Brown explains. “It’s also missing some ingredients- especially social and emotional learning- that many experts and parents consider central to the education of …show more content…
Some say that a computer can generate better information tailored to a student's’ need, but being too reliant on computers takes away writing, which helps students remember information better. Students are also more successful with a real teacher to guide them and there is a bigger commitment to learning in a real classroom. Next, online school isn’t worth it because of the unfocused environment, lack of professional supplies, and all of the technological upgrading that would be needed, even though the day to day cost of online school would be cheaper. Finally, in an online school a student may learn different unique skills, but it would still ruin essential school survival skills, starting with writing, social skills, and time management. Overall, an online school is not worth it. Traditional face to face learning or traditional face to face learning with components of technology is a much better option because of the diversity and social interaction people provide. This is why John F. Kennedy is right. “Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all.” The image of students not having to leave the house to go to school, is not an image that belongs in a futuristic movie any more. It is something happening in right now, but it is something that should be changed so that every child can have the best
In Jack London’s classic story, “To Build a Fire” the main character learns an important value on pride and arrogance. Unluckily, he learned this lesson by losing his life. His pride and arrogance led him to arctic conditions that limited him from building a fire resulting in his death. Had he listened to the wise man and to others, by not traveling out into the deathly conditions, he could’ve survived.
In 2015 at Lakeview, modern technology is crucial to learning. Another big part with technology is communication. Teachers and Students apply technology everyday to communicate. First there’s an application called Emaill. This is used so teachers and students don’t have to go across the whole school to get a message to one another. Basically Email is electronic mail. It plainly is a more efficient way to mail a letter. Next there’s PowerSchool. PowerSchool is online grades. Now students don’t have to wait for their grades. As soon as tests and assignments are graded, the teacher immediately puts their grade in PowerSchool, and the student can see it anytime. This makes improving much easier because students don’t have to wait to see their grades. Another way to communicate is 1:1. This is when every student in the school building gets a laptop. (A typewriter with a screen to see what you care doing while you don’t need paper.) This reduces using paper to help save trees, which is a big problem in the 21st Century. It will also make doing homework easier because you’ll have everything in one place therefore it’s
I disagree with Glassner and Schapiro because some people want the traditional college experience. Don’t get me wrong, technology will eventually take over but a lot of students still want the experience of moving away and going to school. That experience is like nothing else because this is the time of a student’s life where they really discover themselves. Some students want to join social clubs, sororities, fraternities, etc. Online course do not give the students that opportunity. Some students want to travel and attend a school out of state. Some colleges and universities do not have online courses available to those who want to attend that school. The freedom that comes with living on campus is incomparable as well. Every action that the student makes affects the experience of the student. The biggest disadvantage of online courses is that you cannot connect with other students. This period in a person’s life is where the lifelong friends are made and this simply cannot happen if the person is taking online courses.
In “Reliance on Online Materials Hinders Learning Potential for Students” by David Smith the author argues online education has some benefits students are also able to suffer. Smith begins his article with stating students are lucky for being able to have the amount of access they have to receive education unlike past generations. He goes on by stating “this variety has begun to work its way into academia, as well; more and more, it seems, organized instruction is moving beyond the classroom and into cyberspace” (Smith, Par 3). The “traditional” educational experience is slowly being taken over by the technology world.
Students find all the information they need right online. Neil Postman says, “Schools are not now and have never been largely about getting information to children” (378). In Postman’s article its mentions how Little Eva goes nights with few hours of sleep because of her desire to stay up and research things that she finds interest in; Postman considers her to be strange for wanting to do this (377). Going with little sleep does no good for Little Eva. Where will she find the energy to get through school the next day? This will become a fighting battle between technology and sleep, one of which technology will win. By relying more so on machines to teach, will there be a need for educators anymore? Or, will they just be needed to show how to use the technology? Postman agrees by stating, “When we have machines that know how to do something about these problems, that is the time to rid ourselves of the expensive burden of schools or to reduce the function of teachers to ‘coaches’ in the uses of machines (as Ravitch envisions)” (382). The minds of students have grown diverse since the age of machines in education, making the classroom like a
Moreover, it will cut down on taxes. Also it will provide a structure for students to get the individualized education they need. With the standardization of online schooling students will be given the opportunity to go at their own pace weather it be faster or slower than that of their
Online education is helping many students get a better education. This can be for many reasons. Some reasons could include things like a more flexible schedule. Of course their are some that believe that online schools are not a good option because they do not offer students face to face time with teachers, but online schools can be a great way to educate the children of tomorrow because it allows for students in rural areas to get the same education as somebody in the city and the flexible nature of online school allows students to have more time to be with their family, friends and to do the activities they love.
Online school has some differences from a brick and mortar school, however, it also has a few similarities. Online students, like brick and mortar students, must go to classes, communicate with teachers, and turn things in before their due date. Similarly, both school systems have a full staff, reasonable breaks between classes, and textbooks. Schooling online provides students with school dances, field trips, and a student government, in the same way a brick and mortar school would. Online school isn’t held in an official building, everyone works in their own individual rooms in their house. In online schools, the pupils must work a bit harder than in brick and mortar school. One differentiation between the two types of schooling is flexibility
It is no secret that technology plays a critical role in our society. In fact, it has become one of the most used items in the world, starting from personal computers and ending in smartphones, thus it was only a matter of time when educational institutions would start to utilize these gadgets in order to improve the overall state of current education. According to a U.S Department of Education (UDE, n.d) report, all 48 states, including the District of Columbia are now offering online education. Additionally, the report states that these schools operate on all kinds of scales, including state scale, district scale and charter scale, thus it would safe to assume that the whole state of current education in the United States is large and the whole approach is clearly technology based. However, despite the
It seems that technology is growing, improving, and changing at an exponential rate. Technology now affects every part of our lives from the time we get up to the time we go to bed, and even as we sleep. One of the major areas that has been affected by technology is education. At one time, the only option for students to complete their education was in a traditional classroom setting. There has become a major need for non-traditional education because there has been a growth in the amount of non-traditional students that exist in our society. The advancement of technology has
With high speed internet available to potential students of all economic levels, schools are opting to implement online classes into their traditional teaching curriculum. As a result, our society is divided in two different ways of thinking on the education. Some believe the modern method is better than the traditional method of teaching. Personally, I believe both methods should balance one another instead of attempting to substitute one another; this way their purpose of educating will be far more successful.
To launch off, there will always be people who argue that it’s harder for students to work with an online school.“Online schooling will always have it's critics.” (Barker); regardless, this doesn’t mean that it’s a terrible-death at every corner-curriculum. Similar to any movie, many people will enjoy or love it well others ferociously abhor it-there is no in-between. Furthermore, online school is an effective system through the easy access (teachers are online, other sources for help, it can be mobile, etc.) for it's students as well as the seemingly unlimited sources of knowledge. Since it is taught online, the teachers have more data to work with that public school’s do not. This gives the teachers a chance
Learning is more than just receiving information. Traditionally learning was to be in campus, where students would interact with one a another, there were no other ways for learners to get educated beside going to the classroom and listening to the instructor. Nowadays the Internet has brought different ways for people to receive information, such as getting education and degrees online. A few years ago online education was never thinkable, and yet it has become to reality and it is widely expanding with popularity. Online education is a type of educational instruction that delivers learning to individuals to their own homes, and it is getting very popular among nontraditional student and others. Individuals prefer online education
Most students find courses online better than in-class learning. Now even some schools are saying yes to online learning! It is a big money saver because the school or college will not have to employ thousands of
Online education has grown since it first came about, there are mixed views on whether it is truly beneficial. The reasons for the huge growth of online education is money even though online education targeted working adults that have little or no time to sit in a traditional classroom for millions of men and women serving in the armed forces online education has made earning a degree much more possible.