LITERATURE REVIEW: ONLINE VS TRADITIONAL COLLEGE COURSES
Abstract
This paper explores three published articles on the problem of the choice between online and traditional way of education by analysing their pros and cons, evaluating their perspectives and looking through similarities and differences of both. The first article deals with the results of the research conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning, which showed good marks among online students and characterised online classes from the positive side. The second article suggests the idea why with all its benefits online education cannot overtake the traditional one. The article also pays reader’s attention to the number of disadvantages that online education possesses. And, finally, the third one explains how the online type being just “cheap knockoffs of on-campus offerings” and quite an easy way of gaining profit for online providers in the past gained so much popularity nowadays and how such elite high schools managed to legitimize it.
Introduction
The information in the three reviewing articles deals with both systems of education by analysing their main differences and similarities, advantages and disadvantages, while taking into consideration different opinions on the issue: the results of U.S. Department of Education research, Indian college principals’ points of view on online education prospects and legitimizing of online classes and their growing popularity for the last five years.
2. “Do students learn as well online as in traditional classrooms?”
While supporters of traditional education view it as a superior method of educating and consider online courses just corresponding ones with the high usage of media technology, the results of the research conducted by the U.S. Department of Education, Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning showed that on average students whose classes were partially or fully online ones were better than others. Researchers also concluded that students who study online should pay attention to their own understanding of material. They should read articles or textbooks and search online to be able to write about what they got to know later. What concerns group working, online interactions appeared more useful in developing communication skills and cooperation with other people.
3. “The increasing popularity of virtual learning in India has led to a raging debate: Will it overtake the ground based campuses?”
The article by Patricia Mascarenhas deals with the comparison of online and traditional systems by presenting college principals’ opinions about the issue. They say while online education has its own benefits, classical model can’t be forgotten. It’s true that online courses are easier to access, you can do it anytime from anywhere. What is more, they are convenient for people who work part-time or full-time. But here we also observe some weaknesses. We cannot learn everything online, especially when it concerns science demonstrations in laboratories. Apart from this, slow connection and software crashes make an access to online courses rather difficult. One cannot but mention students’ motivation to study and rather rare accessibility of teachers and instructors, which leads to students feel isolated. Direct contact between teachers and students, as well as cooperation and communication among students are listed as benefits of traditional university. At the end, the author suggests “to find the best fit” for everyone, that’s why traditional education in a combination with online one would be a good choice.
“After gaining legitimacy, can online higher education replace traditional college?”
The article by Jeffrey J. Selingo suggests that while earlier online courses were considered “cheap knockoffs of on-campus offerings” and their spread was accepted only as making profit by online providers, nowadays they have become extremely popular. Why? Mostly because elite universities got interested in online learning and what they actually did: they legitimized online education. And that has been going on for the last five years. One more reason why those universities succeeded in providing online courses is that they concentrate on master’s degrees. Another reason for the growing popularity of online education is that at present more and more school leavers take online courses than before. At the end of the article the author concludes that online education does not need to replace traditional one fully to have a great influence on the future of high education.
References
Mascarenhas Patricia. (2013). The increasing popularity of virtual learning in India has led to a raging debate: Will it overtake the ground based campuses? Retrieved from http://www.dnaindia.com
Roanne Angiello. (2010). Do students learn as well online as in traditional classrooms? Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 76 n2, 56-59.
Selingo, Jeffrey J. (2016). After gaining legitimacy, can online higher education replace traditional college? Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com
