Online V Traditional School

Antonio Cabral Jr
Everest University
Composition I-68
December 7, 2012

Students nowadays have much more choices on how they want to start their career. But now there is a debate on which way is better online or traditional. Some people may say online schools are not as fulfilling as a traditional or college would be. That is not the case, because you have the same opportunities as someone who went to a regular college. Everyone’s not the same so certain people learn in different environments than others.
People who should take online classes are people who are able to stay focused and accomplish what they set on doing. There has been a debate in recent years if online-schooling is better than being in a classroom setting. Both can have their advantages and disadvantages. I am doing college courses online because most online courses take up to 24 credits from another university; this is what helped me really make my decision (Advantages of online v. traditional universities). I have found it more convenient to do classes online in my situation, because I have a full-time job. It can be hard at times though, because there is no teacher that you can ask a question to and get a helpful response right away. With online school all your previous assignments, lectures, quizzes, and etc are still available for you to view. This is very helpful to me because I do not take notes well and to be able to view past lectures and discussions has really saved me a couple of times. A disadvantage would be that having a class online can at times make you lazy and get side tracked from what needs to be done. Some people say that a disadvantage of taking online school is that you need to have knowledge on computers, but I say if you don’t know so much about computers or how to even open up a word document then why even consider online classes? Before I begin, what is online education? Online education is courses in which the majority of content is presented online and there are little to no on-campus requirements (Online v. Traditional learning). The amount of people who are taking online courses has increased from 1.6 million in 2002, to 2.3 million 2004, to 3.2 million in 2005 and so on. A lot of people are turning to online courses either because they are unable to be on campus or they maybe learn better alone and at their own pace. You gain the same respect from online courses as you would from a traditional education, so this also is a reason why people are making the switch. Some people may say that an online course requires much more dedication, focus, motivation, and discipline then a regular education and I completely, but if you work hard you will be successful like everything else in this life. There are some disadvantages as well as advantages in online and traditional schools. A disadvantage of online school would be the lack of motivation and concentration. People who already have a tough time attention in a regular classroom may have an even harder time in a virtual classroom. At the same time if you know you have a low attention span you really shouldn’t be taking online classes where you are in control. Another disadvantage would be that some students may have a hard time keeping up with assignments either because they don’t understand a topic or are too afraid to ask anybody for help, but if you know you are self-motivated and can stay on track with your work then you will be successful. An advantage would be the cost of taking an online course. Typically online schools don’t have as many expenses as a regular school does so their tuition is a lot cheaper and affordable. They also cut the cost of transportation to and from school. Online courses are very flexible and you are able to complete your work on your time and your schedule. When you think about it most students are working or are taking care of their families and having this is very ideal for them (online v traditional). A disadvantage of a traditional school would be the distractions. When you’re in a regular classroom you have your friends with you, you have noises coming from outside the window, and you have people walking up and down the hallways. For me, these were some of the reasons why I never did well in school. For some people it doesn’t bother them but I’m not most people. Another disadvantage would be the cost of going to a university. Nowadays it will cost you an arm and a leg just for one semester attending a good university. Yes, there are ways to help you with the cost but in most cases you will be paying off college until you are thirty. An advantage would be getting feedback from your teacher right then and there. If you have a question or had trouble following the lesson you could raise your hand and you will automatically have your question answered. In an online school it could take up to a day to get feedback maybe less, but it still isn’t better than talking to your teacher face to face, creating a relationship with him/her. Another advantage would be having the opportunity to create or go to study groups with fellow classmates to help each other out with a certain topic. There is no way you can do this in an online setting. Yes, you can get to know your classmates but for the most part they wouldn’t want to get to know you. It’s hard making friends online that you can’t see or hear (online v traditional learning). In conclusion an online education can be very rewarding for those individuals wanting to earn a degree in a non-traditional education environment. Research has shown that students who are mature, self-motivated and organized are extremely successful in their in their online learning. Online learning also offers students who are employed or have children an opportunity to earn a degree without sacrificing other important areas of their lives. If you’re not motivated and aren’t willing to learn at your own pace then this isn’t the type of education for you. At the end of the day you are the one who finds the best education program that suits your lifestyle and personality.

“-References-” Brenda Sanders. (May 4, 2011). Traditional Education V. Education. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5387976_traditional-education-vs-online-education.html Sammie Rhode. (September 9, 2007). Online v. Traditional learning. Retrieved from http://onlinehighereducation.com/articles/196/Online-vs.-Traditional-Learning Andrew Parker. (October 7, 2010). Online v. Traditional. Retrieved from http://www.onlineeducation.com/resources/Online-VS-Traditional.php

References: ” Brenda Sanders. (May 4, 2011). Traditional Education V. Education. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5387976_traditional-education-vs-online-education.html Sammie Rhode. (September 9, 2007). Online v. Traditional learning. Retrieved from http://onlinehighereducation.com/articles/196/Online-vs.-Traditional-Learning Andrew Parker. (October 7, 2010). Online v. Traditional. Retrieved from http://www.onlineeducation.com/resources/Online-VS-Traditional.php