Differences between a traditional and non-traditional
classroom learning setting.
Classroom settings play an important role in meeting students’ demands for learning at any age. The classroom concept traditionally and nontraditional, pertains to a space or environment wherein students are comfortable obtaining knowledge. Over time many changes have been made to accommodate growing trends in the education industry. Some are perceived as advantageous while others not so adapted.
Traditional classroom learning
The traditional learning classroom is closely linked to traditional education systems. Therefore, in exploring the differences between these two types of classroom settings, inevitably references to the prevailing educational system will be made. For example, the traditional model educational system takes both teacher and student back-to basics. In this model recitation was a virtue. Students sat quietly in their seats and listened to one at a time recite passage or numerical formulas and tables. Teachers’ role was assigned the work and then listening to one recital after the other. The classroom setting consisted of desks and benches formulated for an audience to accept a recital performance. The basics of this model encompassed four phases namely assignment, study, recitation and test (Withers, 2014).
Experts have described this, however, as teacher centered learning whereby within that classroom setting students are matched by age. Their cognitive/learning abilities are also similar for convenience. All students within that classroom setting have taught the same lesson. Besides, the teaching methods involve direct instruction through lectures within a seating environment. Students learn by listening and observing. The materials utilized in this type of learning consists of textbooks, individual written assignments accompanied by lectures. Also, subjects are independent of each other. In some cases, they are unrelated to the personal preferences of students (Withers, 2014).
Correct reproduction of knowledge is the focus of learning objectives. This type of classroom learning leaves limited scope for social development of students. Since the focus is based on independent learning, students seldom socialize through knowledge sharing ventures during classroom instructions. The curriculum is unified with little variation for students with different learning abilities. Instructions is customed-tailored to sit the majority needs. Weak students have to take alternative classes in order to catch up or drop out of school. Testing methods offer more learning opportunities to student who had prior knowledge of the content rather than beginners who were never exposed to the subject (Withers, 2014).
Non -Traditional learning classrooms
Modernization and social changed has pushed learning away from a physical class room structure. However, even when a physical structure remains teaching methods have evolved in response to the learning needs of students with instructions being student - centered. Learning is case-based moving further up the form Bloom’s taxonomy recall learning level to comprehension, analysis and synthesis. Case-based learning utilizes theory in delivery of instruction. The advantage lies in preparing to apply real or imaged experiences in the knowledge accumulation process. These scenarios have obtained from websites through internet searches (Johnson, 2015).
In modern classroom simulation is utilized as a teaching learning technique. Students interact with models as if they existed in real life conditions. Content is obtained from readings. As such, when students enter the physical or internet classroom, they are prepared to contribute to the learning experience. This is achieved through discussions with peers or instructions offering more insights into the subject matter or clarification of misunderstandings. The modern classroom embodies concept mapping interactions whereby a graphic display of information is presented to facilitate understanding of key terms (Park & Choi, 2014).
Major Differences
Traditionally, people learn through absorption by memorizing content. Modern teaching/ learning strategies. While absorption may be relevant, student learning ought to be more progressive exposing the population to opportunities for analyzing what is being absorbed. The online learning classroom setting is a highly competitive, modern nontraditional teaching learning model. It makes traditional classrooms somewhat obsolete. Instructors can be viewed through an internet program whereby a number of students from different geographic locations tune into the instructions and participate in discussions as if in a physical classroom (Johnson, 2015).
Distant education is another modern nontraditional adaptation whereby students use lessons sent by mail or downloaded from the internet. Quizzes and examinations could be considered non-traditional devices. Students were scored using a marking scheme, which was not scientifically tested. There were no norm reference or criterion based testing guidelines as modern classrooms (Johnson, 2015)..
References
Johnson, D. (2015). Traditional Versus Non- Traditional Teaching: Perspectives of Students in
Introductory Statistics Classes. Journal of Statistics Education,13(2);23 -26
Park, E., & Choi, B. (2014). Transformation of classroom spaces: traditional versus active
learning classroom in colleges. Journal of Higher Education. 68(5); 749–771
Withers, A. (2014). The Traditional Classroom: The Impact of Technology on twenty-first
century learners. Oneota Reading Journal, Retrieved on August 5th, 2016 from
http://www.luther.edu/oneota-reading-journal/archive/2013/the-traditional-
