Traditional Classrooms Are More Effective Than Online Learning

As every college student knows, the process of registering for class is daunting. State University students can especially relate at this time of year, the peak time for registering for spring classes. Finding classes that fit in between clubs, organizations, work schedules, family commitments, and other classes seems like an impossible task. Many students on college campuses across the nation are turning to online classes, a flexible alternative that allows students to juggle their busy schedules while keeping on track for graduation. On paper, the idea of substituting time consuming traditional classes for the more flexible alternative of online classes sounds decent. However, do students really get the same education out of these online classes as their traditional counterparts? How can a class formatted for online consumption possibly give students all the material they have to learn in a way that is meaningful and easy to understand? The unfortunate truth is that these online classes cannot replace traditional physical classrooms. The benefit of online classes’ flexibility is greatly outweighed by their high cost: the loss meaningful learning. Traditional classrooms are better sources of communication and knowledge that allow students to really absorb the material.

One of the most prominent positives of traditional classrooms over online learning environments have is that they are much better for promoting communication between the professor and the students. In an online class, professors only know that students need help if the student directly asks them for clarification on material. In traditional classes, the unspoken communication of body language and facial expressions of students can give professors clues that their...

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