Online Courses are Superior to Traditional Courses

1561 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: essays on the advantage of online learning

In 1999, Mark Bonner of PricewaterhouseCoopers accurately predicted, “Online learning will rapidly become one of the most cost-effective ways to educate the world’s expanding workforce.” Fifteen years later, his statement is truer than ever, as the price of going to a four-year university skyrockets, and technology required to get the same degree online becomes more available. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, from 2000 to 2010, the average cost for undergraduate tuition, room, and board at public institutions increased over forty percent. There is good reason for the growth in online learning in college environments. Student populations have diversified since the introduction of the personal computer and internet (O’Malley and McCraw). Students with geographic, job, or other constraints are now able to benefit from a college education because advances in technology have enabled learning for those for whom higher education was previously not within the realm of possibility. There are also many conveniences and benefits to taking an online class over a traditional, face-to-face class. Many students benefit logistically, financially, and from the course structure itself. Online classes provide the student with more opportunities to be successful in their coursework. Online courses can be completed based on the student's own schedule, provide for faster and less nervous interactions with instructors, and in many cases, are more educationally beneficial setting alternatives to traditional, face-to-face classes. In fact, Sixty-seven percent of academic professionals evaluated online courses as equivalent to as or better than face-to-face courses (Lytle). Development of online courses began when persona... ... middle of paper ... ...s Growth." US News. 11 Nov. 2011. U.S.News & World Report. 14 Jan. 2014 . National Center for Education Statistics. "Postsecondary Education." Nces.ed.gov. May 2012. Institute for Education Sciences. 17 Jan. 2014 . O'Malley, John, and Harrison McCraw. "Students perceptions of distance learning, online learning and the traditional classroom." Online journal of distance learning administration [Online] 2.4 (1999). Web. 10 Jan. 2014 Smith, Steven Bradford, Sean Joseph Smith, and Randall Boone. "Increasing access to teacher preparation: The effectiveness of traditional instructional methods in an online learning environment." Journal of Special Education Technology [Online] 15.2 (2000): 37-46. Web. 10 Jan. 2014

Show More
Related

  • Adult Learning through Online Education

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    In conclusion, most of the students that enroll in online courses are working adults who prefer this setup as an alternative because this way they can share family and work schedule with their studies. They have the commitment and the determination to succeed in the online environment and they bring experience that can be helpful for them to learn and understand new theories and concepts. Adults value flexibility and the ability to choose their schedule. Online education gives adults an equal opportunity of finish school or attains that goal that it will put them on the road to success.

    Read More

  • Distance Learning

    1092 Words  | 3 Pages

    As the Internet becomes increasingly popular, so do online classes. Last year alone, there was a 13% increase in registration for distance learning classes throughout the public university system. (Beverly Creamer, 2003) It is now possible for people to learn conveniently from home or office. People that want to go to school can do so now because scheduling and geographic location does not matter with online classes because the class course is brought to the student rather than the student to the course.

    Read More

  • Difference Between Online And Traditional Classes

    980 Words  | 2 Pages

    What are the dissimilarities between traditional classes and online classes? Innumerable people might recall this debate in their head. Although traditional education and online education have the same goal, they are still divergent. Traditional education requires the student’s presence in class, unlike the online classes that is defined as an education process between instructors and their students in independent locating. Most of the students choose to sign up for online classes because of its flexibility. The majority considering taking regular classes in universities is more than the one taking online classes for many reasons. The main differences between traditional classes and online classes are interaction between students and instructors, the equipment that are used, the cost, and the flexibility for both instructors and peers.

    Read More

  • Online Class vs. Traditional: What’s the Difference?

    618 Words  | 2 Pages

    So it’s 9:00 am and your class has finally ended. As you are on your way out, you glance down at your watch to find out that you have approximately 15 minutes to get to work. As you practically sprint at full speed to your car, you come across a brief thought in your head, “I knew I should have just took that online class”. It is true that online classes do provide flexibility and convenience while traditional classes, typically, do not. And this isn’t the only difference, online and traditional classes are two helpful learning environments that differs in numerous ways.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Free College

    580 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The rate at which enrollments for online classes and education programs is expanding much faster in both the developed and developing worlds than at traditional universities,” claims Reed Karaim. He also states that “Online courses offer the benefits of greater convenience and also a lower total cost. (Karaim, “Expanding Higher Education”). With more online courses being offered on sites such as Udemy and Lynda as well as top universities such as Harvard and MIT, there is less incentive for students to seek education from universities

    Read More

  • What Are The Pros And Cons Of Online Courses

    1794 Words  | 4 Pages

    Before the usage of online courses students had to physically attend classes. Some college students are busy with their lives because they have a family to take care of or they have to work to pay off their house bills. That means that some people might not have time for education even if they really need it, so that’s why online courses can be a life saver. Online courses since students do not have to physically be there they can just complete their college courses easily at home. Taking online courses is great because it has a flexible hours and the student can even do their work while they are at home. It helps a lot of students that have transportation problems, students with a family to take care of, or students with kids. The most demanding part on online courses is course and time commitments. Those two are very demanding for online courses because some students might not be capable of doing this that’s why some schools suggested taking a test for those who are worthy of taking online courses. Some students are asking is online class better than the physical classes? The answer is not necessarily. There are two different types of learning and one is the traditional class taught in a classroom and one is an online course getting thought through Blackboard. Former students are thought with the regular class basis or they will miss lecture, but in an online class there are no drawbacks in this situation because students can attend whenever they want and complete their homework in a certain date. The disadvantages of this are that students have too much freedom. By removing the sense that a student is inside class online courses tends to remove the fact that the student are under pressure. As a result some students will forget about their readings, and some might fail their quiz. The other difference between the tradition classes and online classes is that they are far less forgiving when it comes to

    Read More

  • A Comparison Of Online Education Vs. Traditional Classroom Education

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    With online education, the instructor delivers the content, but students must take greater initiative to access, learn, and understand the material. In addition, students have to actively seek help. Online students may lack the motivation to learn independently. Students, especially those new to higher education, may become easily discouraged when faced with particular academic challenges and drop out. Online education makes it harder to maximize student learning outcomes because the resources that foster learning in face-to-face environments are substantially diminished. In other words, online instruction may not provide sufficient student support. In face-to-face classes, students have their classmates, learning centers on campus, professors ' office hours, tutors, and teaching assistants to support and help them with their various learning needs. These resources guide them, clarify and reinforce the material, and allow them to succeed in their

    Read More

  • Online Classes vs. Traditional Classes

    651 Words  | 2 Pages

    As we advance in technology every day, more options for doing regular every-day things are becoming more available. One certain argument that has surfaced is online teaching through online classes. Online teaching offers students a chance to learn from teachers from far away while in the comfort of their home. Although everyone sees the idea as a brilliant one and many students entering college are jumping on the chance to take these online classes, it has many drawbacks, such as how poor time management and self-discipline is for most students in college, the miscommunication between the students and the teacher, and the learning process that comes with being taught through a computer screen.

    Read More

  • Online Education vs. Traditional Education

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many students have difficulty choosing an institution to attend. Technology has brought many new ways to earn a degree, which is convenient for many people in modern society. Many students might argue whether online or traditional education is more suitable. Regardless, if a student decides to attend a traditional college or decides to attend online, they are both trying to obtain the same goal; an education. Although traditional education and online education have their own advantages, traditional education offers better communication, opportunities, and flexibility.

    Read More

  • Difference Between Online Learning And Face To Face Learning

    966 Words  | 2 Pages

    The revolutionary changes in the nature of higher education from face-to-face courses to online and hybrid courses using technology devices. (Starr Roxanne Hiltz et al., 2005)

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Online And Online Courses

    737 Words  | 2 Pages

    Making a decision to enroll in an online course or a course that is taught on campus depends on the person. There are benefits to both depending on the way you look at it. I find that being able to interact with students in person benefits my education. Online courses make it easier to get the work done without dropping any obligations. Students who like to be in a social learning environment will thrive in a classroom setting while those whom suffer from social anxiety might want to look into online

    Read More

  • Comparison of Online Classes to Traditional Classes

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...nditions. Students taking online classes might find it easier to attend family gatherings, traveling, and attended to personal needs. An online class allows the students to work on their own time, to whereas the traditional classes they have to stick with a schedule.

    Read More

  • Advantages And Disadvantages Of Online Vs. Face To Face Learning

    1073 Words  | 3 Pages

    Those who often prefer online learning are those who have families and work full-time jobs, and for others, it’s because the face to face was either full or not offered. Distance education emerged during the past few decades in response to the increasing needs of learners who are not able to participate in face to face learning. The rapid development of distance learning prog...

    Read More

  • Advantages And Disadvantages Of Online Education

    1289 Words  | 3 Pages

    Online education can be described as a type of educational instruction which is delivered through the internet to students using their computers anywhere in the world (Online Education, 2015). In the last ten years, the popularity of online degrees and courses have been witnessed amongst non-traditional students. These group of students include: individuals who want to continue with their learning as they work fulltime or raise their families. Normally, the courses are offered through the host school’s online learning platform. However, other technologies can also be used to offer this courses. One of the distinctive difference between online learning and the traditional way of learning is that online learning sets the students free from the normal routine of on-campus degree programs which include: taking the bus to school, being physically present in class, and planning schedules among classes (Clive,

    Read More

  • Advantages of an Online Education

    1319 Words  | 3 Pages

    Is online education a valuable innovation that improves opportunities for students or is it a poor substitute for traditional, classroom-based teaching? It has long been recognized that students and educators need to use a variety of tools in order to keep up with the skills that are needed in the contemporary world. Online education is becoming popular, but some people raise questions about its effectiveness in comparison to traditional learning. While teachers will always be involved in the education process, there is room also to consider new ways in which teachers, students and technology can work together. Technology is here to stay, and everyone in an industrialized society needs to learn how to make the best use of it. This paper argues that online classes have numerous advantages over traditional classroom learning such as the following: the internet offers faster feedback, more flexibility, convenience, and the opportunity to learn at one’s own pace.

    Read More

More about Online Courses are Superior to Traditional Courses

Open Document