Kiefer's Essay: The Major Deficits Of Online Classes

Have you ever wondered what the best college learning method for a working adult is online or campus? If working adults took online courses they can do their work anywhere there is an internet connection however they have to ask themselves; would I get the same or better education I could if I was sitting in a classroom? In a classroom setting they would get the interaction with fellow classmates and the professor who all come from different places in their lives. If the working adult had a question or did not understand they would get the results right away, on the other hand, if the student is learning online they have to wait for their professor. The response time for their email to be read and returned will not be there when it’s fresh in the student’s mind. If one is planning on going to college as a working adult, he or she should consider the value of taking the time and attend classes on campus.

There are no facts supporting the statement that “you cannot learn as much online as in a classroom”. Everyone has their own needs for learning some people do better online in the privacy of their home where there are not any distractions, and some people need have face to face interaction in order to learn. Some people who are in online classes may learn more than those who are in a classroom. No matter what you choose the learning part is up to you and how committed you are to furthering your education.

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.

A lot of students prefer the comfort of learning on their own, rather than with their peers, which is one of the biggest benefits of online education. Due to the fact that all teacher are not the same, different teaching methods and speeds, onlines classes gives the student the advantage to go at their own pace and time to digest the material. Chapters and assignments are emailed to the student, for which are given a guideline to be completed. Most will agree that having to not fight traffic and look for parking spots are two less stressors you don't have to deal while taking online courses. Online education has a plethora of subjects that students can enroll in to further their education that some colleges or universities might not

There are others, like myself, who feel that online learning is better. The supporters of this back their claim by stating that online classes can be more beneficial for teachers and students. For example, fewer distractions in a classroom like other students disrupting class. Students can come into class late after the teacher has already started class and cause a disruption or talk during the class. With online classes the student can control their environment. Also, a teacher can provide in writing just the basic information a student needs for an assignment. This way there is less of a chance for the student to get confused on the assignment when the topic

In order for students to be able to take college courses online, they need some type of way to organize themselves and push themselves finish their work since their teachers really can’t (Bird). In a physical classroom, teachers are able to move around and be able to answers questions right then and there, but with online schooling students would have to wait a while to get a response from their teachers if they have questions (“Key”). The dropout rate for online schooling in very high, mostly because students don’t know how to prioritize their school schedule and don’t know how to be self motivated (Bejarano). Learning independently is very challenging, and students may become discouraged when they have to face challenges with learning online by themselves (Bejarano). Online learning would not be a good option for students that can’t self motivate and can’t focus

However, advocates of classroom learning believe the online method isolates the students from one another as well as their professor minimizing the overall value of taking the course. They also claim that students learn better when working together with their instructor and their fellow classmates. Students learn better when they are given the opportunity to ask questions, join in class discussions, and they move the process of learning forward through their participation. Face-to-face advocates firmly believe that this kind of interaction is not possible over the Internet; and for many types of education, e-learning will never meet the potential of live human interaction in the classroom. An article in the New York Times titled, “Second Thoughts on Online Education,” backs up the points made above. A recent research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, comes to the conclusion; “A rush to online education

Non-traditional students are finding it easier and easier to maintain a job, a family, and pursuing a college career at the same time. This is possible because more and more non-traditional students are receiving an education using distance learning, as opposed to traditional, in-the-classroom teaching. Distance learning is basically taking college level, credit-bearing courses via the Internet. One of the most obvious advantages of distance learning is that it puts the classroom in your home, office, or wherever you can find a computer and log on to the Internet. However, there is much controversy regarding the quality of the courses being offered on the Internet versus the quality of

The positive of online classes is being able to access the class in any free time. Most online classes though, require work to be turned in on certain days and times. Which makes it harder for students to remember when assignments need to be done. The pleasure of the instructor reading/lecturing the textbook material out loud won’t be there. It

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.

In contemporary times, the technological advancement known as the Internet, has revolutionized the way in which society is educated. This tool greatly impacts not only the field of education, but every aspect of society. Indeed, Lewin documents, “those ages 8 to 18 spend more than seven and a half hours a day” (A1), connected to the Internet. This citation illustrates the extensive amount of time today’s youth are online. To that end, the Internet is prevalent in many homes throughout the world and continues to influence the way in which people are educated both in the classroom and even while performing homework. The impact of the Internet becomes evident when one begins to examine similarities and differences between the slew of

Online education or education in a traditional classroom setting. That's an easy one. The answer to that is a classroom setting. You'll never be able to cope with humans if your just answering to a machine all day for the rest of your life. You'll never be able to enjoy yourself. All you will know is that a machine gave you all of these complicated questions and expected to give you the best answer that will be hung up for all to see because of its perfection. We want what humans have. Life.

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:

Andrew Simoncelli once said, “Students who take online classes must be motivated, independent learners.” This is relevant because independence and motivation is what it takes to succeed in an online course. Online learning will not only expand what students learn, but will also bring a number of positive changes in the way students are taught. Courses online have changed everyone’s look at learning all over the world. It allows more opportunities for observers to learn online rather than learning in class. Another affirmative of taking an online course is flexibility and convenience. Students who would like to experience some of these ideas should look into an online class!

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.