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In today’s society we can choose to take online classes or the traditional way in a classroom the two differ in many ways, but the concept of the two are the same the goal is for the student to learn and apply the information given. Each setting has its pros and its cons. Having more than one choice in how to learn is beneficial to each individual because everyone learns in different ways. Some people learn better by themselves without any distractions and others learn better in a group setting. Each person knows which setting is a better fit for them, and which setting would help them be more successful in their classes.
The teaching methods are different in each class the students are more independent in one more than in the other. In the online classes the students are left to do their work on their time. In the traditional classes the work is assigned to be done in class or on a specified date. More or less the students in the traditional classes are guided by their instructor more than in the online class setting. Online students are responsible for reading all material and information listed for that week’s assignment. The student gets reading assignments as well as other information just as the online class students do.
The difference is that the assignments may be read in class or the due date may be moved opposed to the student having to read the material on their own. This also allows the student to ask questions about the assignment if they had any problems understanding it. In the online class setting the students aren’t usually given lectures. They are usually given power point presentations as well as some brief notes. The students in the traditional classes are also given power point presentations and notes but have the advantage of a lecture as well. Some students learn better from listening than they do reading.
Therefore, the teacher giving a lecture is an important part of the students learning process. The traditional class also gives the student the ability to ask questions as the lecture is being given. Oppose to having to read all the material and then submitting their question via email to the teacher. The process of the student emailing their questions to the teacher can be a long and drawn out process. Sometimes still leaving the students question unanswered or still not completely understanding the material. When choosing which class to take you must look at what teaching method better suits you.
As well as the amount of time you have available to do the work. Another difference in the two setting of the online and traditional classes is the amount of time given to complete the assignments given. In the online class you have about the same amount of time to do each assignment. The class is taken as a whole and broken down into sections. Each section is usually due within a week of the date posted. With the traditional class the assignments are spread out more. The due dates are set according to where the class may be in a chapter or lecture. There is more flexibility with the traditional class setting.
In the online class setting the student can not lag or fall behind on their work because that would cause them to potentially fail the class. The traditional class allows every on to be at the same pace. If the student happens to fall behind they could speak with the teacher to let them know that they are moving to fast. If the teacher sees that most of the class is having the same is the teacher can change the pace and get the students back on track. With the online classes the student has to keep up or just get left behind. Knowing this the student should also be aware of the work load each setting has.
In the class setting the work load is different mainly because of how the classes are set up. The traditional class set up allows for more flexibility. Therefore, the work is spread out more oppose to being one big bulk of work due at a certain given time. The online class may assign three or four chapters to be read within a week or two. The traditional class may assign the same amount of reading but you have a little more time to get the reading done. In the online classes the student will have multiple assignments all assigned at one time. For instance, the student may be assigned an essay, a review questions and a discussion board.
In the traditional class the students get their assignments day by day. The student may be assigned the same exact assignment, but the review would be gone over in class to ensure the students understanding. The discussion would be held in class also and there would be no written document due to be turned in. In this case the student would still have to read and understand the material but wouldn’t have a lot of written work to do. The student would have to be prepared to take on the larger work load of the online class if that was the setting they were to choose. In both class settings the student would have to be good with time management.
The student would need to know how much time the have free to give to doing the class work. The student would also need to know if they could get the work done with out having someone to tell them or remind them when to do the work. Time management is extremely important when it comes to the online classes. The teacher only tells you when the groups of assignments are due. They do not send you any kind of reminders to do your work or study for an exam. In the traditional class setting the teacher does tell you when to do certain things in order to have them turned in on time. They also will remind you to study for test and to do homework.
The student that chooses the online class needs to be able to put aside time to get their work done and stick that schedule. The student who chooses the traditional class has to do the same but have a bit more leeway than the student who chooses the online class. In both class setting the student has to learn the material and apply it. If the student takes into consideration the teaching method, the amount of time given to them to do the assignments, the work load of each class, and their ability to manage time the student would be able to choose the appropriate class setting that would better fit them.
The choice must be made carefully and the student must be honest with themself to come out with the correct choice. Everything isn’t for everybody what works for one person may not work for the other. The student must take into consideration their own personality, ability to learn and apply information, how responsible they are and if they could do the work on their own with little to no help or would they need extra support.