Pros and Cons of Traditional and Online Schools

Sweat dripped onto the paper and a quick sweeping motion distorted freshly written words making them illegible. Whispered curses draw the attention of nearby students. The A/C is broken today and windows are propped open and the rattling of an old fan is making it difficult to make out what the teacher is saying. The sound of one student open-mouth-chewing in the back row is seemingly in rhythm with the nervous tapping of another student nearby. The professors words start to fade into the background and the words on the whiteboard blur out of focus as the minute hand nears the bottom of the hour. The rustling of books being hastily gathered in preparation for the end of class is like a queue and the professor issues nearly inaudible last minute instructions as the bell rings. Traditional classrooms such as this, boast structure and “greater sociality” but online schools are becoming increasingly popular…and for good reason. While the experience offered by traditional and virtual classrooms have differences such as cost, level of convenience, and social interaction, they also share similarities like distractions, student-teacher interaction, peer collaboration, and predetermined timelines.

One of the most significant differences between traditional and virtual schools is cost. Student savings are realized in many ways. There is no cost for transportation or office supplies but most significantly, there is not cost of relocation and in the case of students who live with their parents, there is no rent. These are significant savings for those who do not already live near the College or University of their choice. Not only is it cheaper for the student, but there are substantial savings for the school as well. Virtual li...

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...pite known benefits, as the world evolves and technology advances, attending traditional class only, may be akin to living in the past. Virtual classrooms, however, take a commitment on the part of the student. Establishing a structured home learning environment and overcoming temptations, takes self-discipline but is paramount for being successful in an online class.

References

Fredholm, L. (2001, May 15). Pavlov's dog. In Nobelprize.org. Retrieved August 11, 2011, from http://nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/pavlov/readmore.html

McFarlane, D. A. (2011). A comparison of organizational structure and pedagogical approach: Online versus face-to-face. Journal of Educators Online, 8, 1-43. Retrieved from http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/EJ917871.pdf

Toch, T. (2010). In an era of online learning, schools still matter. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(7), 72-73. Retrieved from