Will Online Learning Replace the Traditional Classroom?
I disagree that online learning will replace traditional classroom delivery. I do believe that online learning will continue to grow, especially as educators and students become more familiar with and adept at using new technologies. However, I believe (and hope) that there will always be a place and need for traditional classroom delivery. I think that there is room for both and a need for both and that they can work together rather than be opposed to one another.
Hi Jenny, my kids are home from college this week and my one son who is a sophmore is telling me that next year all of the classes he has to take will be delivered online! This is at the University of Central Florida and they are using their f2f classrooms for Freshman and Sophmores and once they become Juniors, they move them to an online delivery!! Tina
I disagree. I think there will always be a place for classroom instruction. However, I think that we as instutitions of higher learning will soon get away from the terms online and classroom learning in the very near future as the 2 will be merged to be one. In other words, all classes will have an online component to them to the point that there will not be any classes that are necessarily 100% in a classroom and/or face to face.
Hi Tim, I agree; however, the cost of keeping up f2f classrooms is great, so there are advantages to offering more classes online. At some institutions, they are offering most of their f2f classes to freshmans and sophmores and moving juniors and seniors to the online environment. Tina
That's like saying email will replace writing a letter. Yeah, the email is convenient to send an email, but there is much more involved in writing a letter that adds something extra to the message that makes a letter undeniable. The movie “Good Will Hunting†touches on something similar to what we are discussing. Robin Williams’s character has a conversation with Matt Damon’s character (paraphrased)
“If I were to ask you about art, I’m sure you could tell me about every book written, but you’ve never smelled or stood in the Sistine Chapel to actually see it with your own eyes.â€
-Good Will Hunting
He then goes to explain more differences like reading about war and being in a war, I feel the same for traditional vs. online instruction. Reading and watching a lesson, as opposed to sitting in a lecture hall with peers and the instructor, all sharing the same air and a form of tactile and intellectual ownership of the learning experience. No, I don’t believe traditional will ever go away.
Hi Marcus, well put! I think it depends on the instructor, but there is no comparison between the way information can be delivered via lecture and the written word in an online environment! The energy in the class has a huge impact! Tina
I don't think online learning will replace the traditional classroom. There is a certain level of prestige that comes with attending a brick and mortar institution. While I believe that online learning is an excellent option to most who don't have the time to dedicate to sitting in a classroom setting. it will never eliminate the need for traditional classrooms.
I hope that there will be a place for both forms of delivery as well as blended. I feel that, as a society, we are moving away from the simple face to face conversation and hand shake towards the impersonal usage of texting and chatting. Our traditional ground based instruction provides personal interaction and growth that are difficult to replicate in an online environment.
I do see online instruction continuing to grow and evolve in order to meet the educational needs of our society. Our traditional colleges and universities cannot meet the demand in a traditional "brick and mortar" system. The demand will drive more research and investment, which, in turn, will improve quality. This will yield more respect for the delivery method and further growth.
Although the market for online learning continues to grow, I don't believe that it will replace the traditional classroom. Personally I'd rather the traditional classroom because of the ability to ask questions and receive feedback in a timely manner.
Hi Cynthia, I agree. In addition, many online universities don't accept learners under the age of 25 because a traditional f2f environment is much more supportive for the younger adult. Tina
Hi Samuel, I do too! You are correct about the fact that demand and need will make it necessary to deliver education online; however, it is a different way of learning and will not meet the needs of all learners. Tina
Hi Archie, in some respects, it is easier to ask questions and get timely feedback online because learners can ask questions in private and feedback is posted directly into the course, so learners don't have to wait for the next class to have their assignments returned! Tina
I disagree, I believe it depends on the learner. I don't think it's going to be replaced, but each person learns differently.
Hi Jody, can you elaborate on how different learning styles will determine the mode of delivery a learner chooses? Tina
I agree with most of the posts here that the online learning environment certainly has it's place, but I do not think that it will completely take over the traditional f2f learning environment. I believe going to a brick and mortar class f2f has a lot of positive aspects to it for the students as well as the instructors. The interpersonal skills that you can learn and the conversations you can have in the classroom tend to be more dynamic. Reading the body language of the students will help you to determine if the student is engaged in the learning or totally confused. I have only experienced teaching in an online environment, but I got my degrees at a brick and mortar setting. I like the convenience of the online learning environment and its flexibility, but I do miss the face to face with the students. I guess one way to get over that is possibly use a video like Skype or something like that so you can see the students. That may help and may change the learning experience.
I agree with Jody. I think there are students who really struggle with this online learning because it's not a great match for their learning style. There are things we can do to assist, say, auditory learners, like creating audio files and scheduling conference calls, but online courses are unlikely to be the first choice of some students. As long as there are students to pay for f2f classes, there will be institutions that will offer them.
Hi Marie, we have been using Adobe Connect for our live study sessions. The instructor and learner/s can use the video feature, so they are able to see one another to develop greater presence. Tina
I do not believe online learning will replace the traditional classroom. Some students prefer the traditional over online due to the hands-on component. I've found some subjects like math and physics are especially challenging to teach and learn online.
Hi Shellie. In addition, learners with poor academic skills struggle more in the online environment, so they may be more successful in a f2f learning environment. Tina
Hi Brian, you make a good point about the mode of delivery based on the subject matter. Although I have seen math delivered online successfully, most times having some synchronous component is necessary. Tina
