Online vs. Traditional Education

Education is very necessary and without education it’s almost impossible to be successful.
A person need a degree or a professional certification to be competitive and successful in life.
It’s a no brainer that the job market is very competitive with education so without higher the chances of you achieving your professional goals will be that much harder. Having a degree will open doors for the future. Having a degree also makes you more marketable. If you want to get make a comfortable salary getting your education is key. It does not matter whether you attend a brick a mortar school and go to college the traditional way or you go completely online.
The most important thing is that you go and learn the skills needed to succeed in life. Even if a person don’t receive a degree but complete a certification program it still allow them to negotiate a better salary and benefits package versus someone without a certification or degree. People without college degrees settle for jobs that are hard and they don’t always pay very well. So it doesn’t really matter whether you go online or to a traditional classroom there are benefits to going and completing. Going to college online can be better for an individual life because it gives you the flexibility you need as a working adult. People have very busy lives whether they have a family or not. Having a well-paying job allows room for advancement. Having a successful career and working in your trade of preference can also eliminate stress and allow you to live a healthier life. Having a rewarding future is very attainable but you must be willing to put in the work. You must be willing to work hard and achieve your educational goals at the same time. It’s not easy but it is doable. Pursuing education can be reached by anyone who is committed to make a positive change in their life. It’s never too late to receive an education and you are seeing more people go back to school now than ever. A report by National
Committee of Enquiry into higher education indicated more than 50% of higher education students were mature students who starts a degree over the age of 21. You are capable of making any change needed to prosper, be successful, and succeed. Every school has resources available to assist in helping an individual pursue an education. Prioritizing is a tool that can also assist in helping set goals. A goal must be realistic to achieve. Whether short- term or long- term set a goal and aim for it. There may be certain barriers that can stop or hold an individual back from achieving his or her desired goal. Writing down all the barriers that may stand in your way followed with the solution that pertains to that barrier will be helpful. And then put a plan in place to overcome that barrier. Distant Learning refers to the student and teacher being separated by time, location or both.
Distant Learning is instruction in which the mode of delivery is not face to face and is not campus based. There are various forms of distant learning which includes online courses, dual or blended courses which is a combination of traditional course and online courses also known as hybrid format. There was concerns about distant learning lowering the quality of instruction. Studies show the benefits are clear and it continues to gain acceptance. There are advantages and disadvantages to distant learning and traditional learning. The advantage of attending school online is you can be in your home an environment you are comfortable with and going to school pursuing your education. It opens up new opportunities for students who might otherwise be able to attend school because of various reasons. You can even go to the library and do coursework. Taking courses online helps the student and the institution save money. The student save money by not driving to and from school in which they save on gas, and in some cases even save on paying a babysitter. The institution save by being able to have more students enrolled in classes with less instructors with a cost effective way of delivering higher education.
Online learners develop their internet and technology skills by participating in online test, discussions and forums and virtual learning activities. The ability to do coursework on your own where you desire at your own pace. The advantages of pursuing education online is what influence adults to attend classes online.
Instructors and students have a role to play in ensuring success in attending online classes.
Communication etiquette is key. Students that attend distant learning courses need more feedback from their instructor so they will know everything is going well. It’s important to the student to know they are grasping the content. More and more colleges are now implementing online programs. The growth of nontraditional adult enrollment has grown significantly. Currently student enrollment has grown to over 6.7 million. By the year of 2025 more than 150 million people will be seeking higher higher education. This type of technology is here stay. Students can attend schools of their choice and not live in the geographic area. Traditional education is still the ideal mode of education delivery. All forms of education should be measured against the traditional method. Several interviews were conducted on- campus with students 29 to 53 and data collection occurred in two phases. There were open ended face to face interviews conducted, telephone interviews, and document reviews. The open- ended interviews were conducted with students who attend classes online or taught classes online or in a hybrid format. The students had between 9 to 20 years of work experience. A key factor in assessing your potential for effective distant learning is your level of self discipline, time management and motivation. Students also must have a good internet connection. Students misconstrue that online courses are less rigorous or time-consuming. A disadvantage of online education is limited communication with the instructor or other students. The potential for miscommunication and misunderstandings is more prevalent online as well. There are many advantages in attending classes in a classroom. You can listen to the
Instructor, receive visual cues through PowerPoint images, handouts or the whiteboard.
Interaction is immediate and you are given the opportunity to ask questions and participate in live discussion. Traditional learning is more structured and there are regular scheduled times in which you must attend and the times are not always conducive to your schedule. There is no flexibility in traditional learning environments. You must be in class to be in a learning environment. In contrast to distant learning is very flexible. Normally lectures are not available after the class session is over. Students with focus issues may find classrooms distracting to their learning experience. References
O’Lawrence, H. (2007). An Overview of the Influences of Distance Learning on Adult Learners. Journal of Education and Human Development Volume 1, Issue1.