Online Learning – Better than Traditional Face-to-Face Model?
August 19th, 2009It is important that students of all ages recognize the online learning model has been growing in stature with each passing year. Using a delivery style that allows students the utmost in flexibility, online learning has become the choice for most working adults, whether they are seeking their first degree or to upgrade their skills.
However, once upon a time, the general consensus was that online education might be convenient and worthy, but it would not be anyone’s first choice for a learning model. Ultimately, the belief was the flexibility you gained meant you had to give up the ideal learning environment, the traditional college setting where peers physically gathered in a room with the professor.
With the release of a new report, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning, those standard thoughts must be reconsidered. It seems the data now indicates that online learning may be the better educational option.
The basis for the conclusion was formed by doing quantitative comparisons of online and classroom performance for identical courses. The Department of Education found that students doing some or all of the course online ranked in the 59th percentile in tested performance while the average classroom student scored in the 50th percentile.
While discussing the summary, the NY Times offered this telltale quote from the study’s lead author, Barbara Means:
“The study’s major significance lies in demonstrating that online learning today is not just better than nothing — it actually tends to be better than conventional instruction.”
Indeed with the arrival of Web-based video, the use of instant messaging and other message boards as collaboration tools, online education has moved beyond the basic correspondence course of yesteryear. Ultimately, as the Times reinforces, the future of online is extremely bright because of its ability to provide “learning experiences that are more tailored to individual students than is possible in classrooms.”
But what has made the online environment take off has been the ability to connect learners through social networking platforms. While learning is ultimately a personal activity, experts agree the most meaningful learning occurs within a community.
Given its convenience and flexibility, online learning is clearly here to stay. In fact, given the online model offers improved student outcomes, it is easy to think that online education could soon replace the traditional model in the not so distant future.
With the networking platforms now available, a learning community is now present in all high caliber online courses. Therefore, the model represents a very viable educational format, one that traditional students now must consider as they pursue their college choice.
I think that online learning certainly has it’s advantages. The only and main requirement to be successful is discipline. Organization is key to online learning and once you get the hang of it, it is a great way to gain needed classes on your own time. Online learning is not for everyone and those people need to recognize that this may not be for them.
By Kristan Fury on September 7th, 2009