The issue of online and distance education has become much more prevalent in recent years, due to the affordability and flexibility of said education increasing over time. That being said, comparisons to a traditional, on-campus higher education are inevitable, and people wish to know which type of education is preferable. Online education has been an increasingly prevalent option in the past five to ten years, with both private and public universities in California opening online departments and making college degrees available to those who qualify and will pay tuition (Gardner & Young, 2013). Given the increasing use of online education as a means to easily gain an education, as well as opening up education opportunities for some who may not have the time or money to attend a college campus, the subgroup of people gaining online degrees is becoming a more integrated and ubiquitous part of a worldwide population. With that in mind, the quality and efficacy of online education must be evaluated, particularly in comparison to on-campus education, to determine its comparative usefulness. If an online-only education is truly "better" than a campus-based education, in terms of a return on investment (for both cost and time), this must be determined in order to make this assessment available to those considering the two options. The face and direction of higher education is changing from a face-to-face format to a flexible, cost-effective method of learning; the actual quality of education as compared to a campus-based education must be investigated.
The higher education system is one of the most prevalent and important institutions in the developed world, being the means by which individuals acquire the certification and knowledge necessary to find work and advance their knowledge of the world. The face of education is changing with the advent of the Internet - the availability of constant contact with others and access to incredible amounts of information has led to the advent of online education . Ever since its inception, the goal of online education has been to provide those without the time or money to attend physical universities the chance to continue their education and learn new skills and subjects. However, what would the impacts of an online education be, considering the potential lack of accountability and the lower chance that the student actually acquires this new knowledge using such a method?
Definitions Distance education, or online education, can be defined as courses or curriculum that is delivered to students through the Internet, using various media, in lieu of a physical education (Noble, 1998). Online education is typically distributed through traditional universities, which carry an online component, or private companies that offer online degrees and courses for a fee (Van Schaik & Barker, 2003). These classes can be taken anywhere the student has access to an Internet connection, including the comfort of their home. Conversely, assignments are handed out physically, or performed on computers linked together at a physical site. For the barest definition of traditional classes or education, this project uses any context in which students meet a teacher in a designated room on scheduled times to learn.
The education system in the state of California is especially impacted by the potential efficacy (or lack thereof) of online education. In January 2013, the California State University system announced a pilot program to introduce lower division online courses at its campus for as little as $150 (Ferenstein, 2013). California’s proposed Senate Bill 520 is a bill that establishes a statewide platform that permits universities to accept credits earned in massive online open courses, or MOOCs (Gardner and Young, 2013).
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online and Campus-Based Education Online education is said to carry many different advantages and disadvantages. Online education permits classes to reach a greater number of students, allowing for larger class sizes (Volery & Lord, 2000). Furthermore, the lack of strictly set class times and hours allows for online students to learn at a slightly more relaxed pace, with more resources immediately available to them (Lorenzo & Moore, 2002). Disadvantages include the potential for communication to be lost without a physical communication with the instructor, as well as scheduling and motivation issues due to the looser structure of the curriculum (Noble, 1998). Campus-based education provides a more direct link between instructor and student, so that instantaneous assessment of ability and comprehension can be made (Beard, 2003). The quality of professor-related contact has been found to be important for students to achieve that sense of interactivity necessary for better education, but current online course materials still provide a measure of that interaction (Beard, Harper & Riley, 2003). Disadvantages include higher costs and stricter time schedules for a student, which may prevent individuals with jobs, low income or other responsibilities from having the availability to participate in college courses. Already, access to classes is a huge problem in California, with 472,000 students enrolling in California Community Colleges put on a waiting list in the fall of 2012 (Gardner and Young, 2013). To that end, online education could be seen as a potential solution for these widespread issues in the Californian education system.
Quality of Online vs. Campus-Based Education (Student Participation/Performance)
In studies comparing each type of course in similar or identical subjects, researchers saw no measurable difference in student performance between traditional and online courses (Bullen 1998). However, some instances actually found some improved student attitudes towards subjects, including critical thinking, in online courses (Bullen, 1998). Distance learning students are said to possess greater motivation for achievement than students in traditional college climates, due to the perceived extra effort needed for distance learning (p. 414). In a learner-centered model combining both on-campus and online education models, greater interaction and communication between teacher and student was found (De la Varre, Keane & Irvin, 2010).
With the advent of the Internet, the convenience and ubiquity it brings has made online education an increasingly appealing option to those who wish to pursue higher education. However, given concerns of lack of face-to-face instruction and the interests of private companies willing to easily sell cost-effective education to others, the efficacy and quality of online education has been called into question. One of the pitfalls of for-profit distance education is that curriculum offerings are often limited in order to maximize profits – the emphasis is on making money, not providing a good education (Noble, 1998). In terms of the quality of education that is received with an online course as compared to a traditional campus based course, the effectiveness of both methods were examined along multiple subjects (e.g. special education, business statistics, technical writing). In most, if not all cases, these case studies offered little to no measurable difference between online courses and traditional courses in terms of effectiveness and student participation. If anything, student attitudes and participation increased with online courses, due to the need for personal motivation and the flexibility of time offered by those courses. The delivery systems for online course materials (e.g. e-mail, Blackboard, instant message) are shown to be just as effective as in-class dispensing of course materials, with equal amounts of effort taken by instructors (Van Schaik & Barker, 2003). With this in mind, it is concluded that participating in online courses offers little to no loss or net gain in quality of education when compared to traditional classes. These findings carry many implications for the future of online and distance education as compared to traditional courses. Given these conclusions, it is reasonable to assume that someone who would normally not have the means to go to a physical college can receive a comparable education online. There are many factors at stake that involve a quality education regardless of the venue, such as teacher participation and student involvement. If these factors are successfully addressed, an equivalent quality education through an online course of some kind is entirely possible.
In conclusion, online education is shown to be a viable alternative to traditional education, particularly for populations normally underserved by on-campus education (those with limited social skills, time-strapped adults, etc.). The increasing prevalence of online courses has called into question the effectiveness of so-called "degree mills" and the actual applicability of a degree gained from an online university. Many opponents feel as though the distance between instructor and student divorces each party from investment in communication and motivation to pursue a quality education. However, it is reasonable to conclude that there is no measurable difference between an online course and a traditional one in terms of quality. Provided the right teacher and students are placed together, these learners receive just as good an education online as others do on a campus.
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