Distance Education versus Traditional Education
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Distance Education versus Traditional Education
Is it better for a student to enroll in distance or traditional education? This question lingers in many student’s minds as they prepare for college or university education. Distance education is also called e-learning or online learning. Students and teachers do not meet physically in this form of education. Instead, the teacher instructs students via technological media. Conversely, traditional education, also known as conventional learning, is a form where the teacher meets physically with students to deliver instructions. Traditional education has been in existence for many years, whereas distance learning started gaining prominence only in the last few years. The recent pandemic has especially forced many schools to adopt distance learning, and students have become used to this form of learning. This paper argues that distance education is preferable to traditional education because it offers flexibility, promotes self-discipline, and provides a customized learning experience.
One obvious benefit of distance learning is that it offers much flexibility. Online programs usually provide students with flexible schedules that allow them to organize their day to fit studies and other activities. Students can choose when to study, listen to lectures, and complete assignments. Students can continue working full time and performing other obligations while still studying. According to a report by Busteed (2019), out of 85% of students, 35% of students who had been through online courses and traditional classes felt that distance learning provided them with a superior experience due to its flexibility. Unlike distance learning, traditional education lacks flexibility because students must attend classes physically following the schedule provided by the school. Hence, flexibility makes distance education more preferable and accessible to many students.
Apart from flexibility, distance learning promotes self-discipline among students. Since online classes give students a lot of independence and control over their studies, it also demands a lot of self-discipline and motivation. Students must be able to motivate themselves to listen to lectures, read notes, and complete assignments on time. They must hold themselves accountable since the teacher is not physically present to monitor their work. This calls for a lot of self-discipline on the student’s part. According to Goodwin University (2021), students must know how to manage their time to do well in online education. An online student’s success depends on their ability to self-motivate and accomplish tasks. Compared to students who attend traditional classes, online students need more self-discipline and self-motivation. Therefore, distance learning is preferable because it enhances self-discipline.
Finally, distance education provides a customized learning experience. Often, lessons are taught on an individual level, or students are divided into small groups. This method allows teachers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their students so they can help them make the most out of their classes. Thus, students learn at their own pace and have more room to interact with their teachers openly and freely (Chen et al., 2017). Traditional education does not allow for this kind of experience since the teacher cannot give personal attention to students due to the high number of students. Hence, distance education is preferable because it offers a customized learning experience.
A common argument that supports traditional education is that it offers much-needed social interactions. People believe that distance learning lacks the aspect of social interactions, which makes it less desirable compared to conventional schooling that allows students to interact on campus grounds. However, this is a misconception because, for online education, the reality is that teachers and peers are a click away. Online programs usually use collaborative resources such as video conferencing to encourage students to communicate and engage in discussions. Blackboards are also useful tools for collaboration among students. Hence, distance education allows for interactions through collaborative resources.
Conclusion
Distance education and traditional education are necessary to help students advance their education. Distance learning offers several advantages that are lacking in the traditional learning experience. These include flexibility, self-discipline, and a customized learning experience. Often, people argue that conventional education is preferable because it offers an opportunity for social interactions, which is lacking in distance learning. However, distance education has adopted collaborative resources such as blackboards to enable social interactions. Therefore, distance education remains the best choice since it has more benefits.
References
Chen, C., Jones, K. T., & Moreland, K. (2017). How online learning compares to the traditional classroom: measuring accounting course outcomes. The CPA Journal, 87(9), 44-47.
Busteed, B. (2019, March 5). Online education: From good to better to best? Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonbusteed/2019/03/05/online-education-from-good-to-better-to-best/#29dfc8256912.
The Goodwin University. (2021, February 12). Online classes vs. traditional classes. Retrieved from https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/online-classes-vs-traditional-classes/.