TRADITIONAL EDUCATION VS.

ONLINE EDUCATION

Prof. Iova Alina-Ionela

Colegiul Național Alexandru Lahovari

Not too long ago, online education offered no competition to traditional education. Today,
online education competes with traditional education on every level. Most traditional education
experiences now have an online component that enhances the program while competing with up-
and-coming online schools. With the surge in Internet usage, online schools continue to grow in
their offerings and quality.

The term "traditional classroom" brings to mind visions of a classroom of twenty or more
children, all roughly the same age, listening raptly to the instructor or teacher, while all working
diligently at their studies. The reality is far different.
In a traditional classroom environment, there are usually anywhere from twenty to thirty children
and one teacher. In some cases, that teacher might have a "teacher's aid" or an assistant teacher.
This is where the disadvantage starts- it is simply impossible for one person to give each student
the one-on-one attention or instruction that may be required.
In a classroom of twenty to thirty children, there are going to be several children with
differing learning styles and academic strengths and weaknesses. A teacher and/or teacher's aid is
going to be woefully unequipped to handle any and all learning styles or weaknesses. And woe to
the teacher who has a couple of students who present themselves as "problem students," a child
who is difficult to manage or who disrupts the classroom is also going to take away time that the
teacher could be using to help with one-on-one time with his or her students. Which brings to light
the next disadvantage of a traditional classroom. In a traditional classroom environment, it's not
uncommon for children to become bored or frustrated. Some children learn better by visual means,
others will learn better with auditory means, and still others are going to learn better with a hands-
on approach. It is virtually impossible for a single teacher to accommodate all methods of learning
when he or she is responsible for teaching a large number of children. Thus, children who do not
fall into the "traditional learning method" category are far more likely to "fall through the cracks,"
become bored or discouraged, or to display behavior problems in the classroom. The traditional
classroom environment works well for a large number of children, but there are many others who
simply have difficulty learning in this environment, have difficulty interacting with peers that are
strictly in their age range, or who require more one-on-one attention and time to grasp certain
concepts.
The fact that a traditional classroom environment consists of one teacher and a large
amount of students, in and of itself, is a big issue. But another issue that should not be ignored is
the fact that children are separated and segregated into classrooms filled with other children only
in their own age-range. In this time the present school system is better than traditional school
system because in past, the school only focus on physically not thinking but in present the school
focus on both.

Not too long ago, online education offered no competition to traditional education. Today,
online education competes with traditional education on every level. Most traditional education
experiences now have an online component that enhances the program while competing with up-
and-coming online schools. With the surge in Internet usage, online schools continue to grow in
their offerings and quality.

Type of Learners

Traditional education offers a face-to-face encounter; online education does not. Both
options can be beneficial, depending on your preference. If you're a self-paced, independent
learner, online education may be a better option for you. Self-paced, independent learners have the
ability to work at their own pace within a schedule that they set for themselves. Additionally, self-
paced, independent learners are usually more disciplined in terms of preparation and time
management. However, if you need more direction in learning and you need to be able to ask
questions as you learn, traditional education would serve you better. Your knowledge of the subject
is an important factor in whether you choose online education vs. traditional education. If you're
an expert or at least have a working knowledge about the subject, taking an online class in that
subject could be beneficial. On the other hand, if you don't know anything about the subject and
you have little or no background knowledge, a traditional course might be a better option for you.
Many schools offer online and traditional courses that may give you the best of both worlds, or at
least the opportunity to experience both.
 Student's Personality

Your personality type can also be significant in choosing whether to pursue an online
education as opposed to traditional education. Are you an introvert or an extrovert? By nature, an
introvert may feel more comfortable in an online education environment because she won't have
to interact in-person. She can learn in the comfort of her home, independent of others. An extrovert,
on the other hand, may prefer a more social education experience and enjoy regular in-person
interaction with others.

Online education is considered a viable option in education. At one time, online education
wasn't considered very professional in the job market. Employers are less apprehensive about hire
employees from online schools. Today, many employers hire employees with online-only degrees.
Traditional education has a longer history of being acceptable by employers.

Bibliography:

“The E-Learning Handbook”, Saul Carliner and Patti Shank, Ed. Pfeiffer, 2008