Online Classes
Online classes have become popular for a number of reasons. Online classes allow for flexible hours giving the learner control of their schedule while still teaching them the material necessary. Also, the classes are generally cheaper than traditional college. Although there are some downfalls, the student must choose what course style is right for them.
Online vs. Face-to-Face
There have been studies done to determine whether online classes are more advantageous than traditional, face-to-face classes. In one study conducted by Roanne Angiello, it was concluded that online classes are more efficient at teaching students than traditional classes. Although Angiello found mixture of the two was the best; the online students tested better on the material. The study found that the amount of time spent on the task affected the results. The time the online learners spent on the material is the cause of their achievement over the traditional learners (Angiello).
Another experiment was conducted to compare student outcomes in an undergraduate research course taught using both internet-based learning and traditional learning. After the experiment was over, there was no significant difference in test scores between the two groups on their grades at the end of the course (Leasure, Davis, and Thievon 2000). Below is a comparison of the grades of students in online courses versus traditional classrooms.
| Traditional Classroom | ||
| Grade | Percent Receiving Grade | Number Receiving Grade |
| A | 13% | 6 |
| B | 43.5% | 20 |
| C | 34.8% | 16 |
| D | 6.55% | 3 |
| F | 2.2% | 1 |
| Online Class | ||
| Grade | Percent Receiving Grade | Number Receiving Grade |
| A | 28% | 5 |
| B | 33.3% | 6 |
| C | 38.9% | 7 |
| D | 0% | 0 |
| F | 0% | 0 |
Students in an online class were asked to compare online classes and traditional classes; most students reported learning the same in both classes or more in traditional classes. 38% of the students stated learning about the same amount of information in the two classes, but another 31% reported they learned more in traditional classes. However, 12.5% said they learned more in online classes (Cooper).
| Did You Learn More in Traditional or Online Classes? | |
| About the Same in Both | 38% |
| More in Traditional Classes | 31% |
| More in Online Classes | 12.5% |
| No Opinion | 18.5% |
Tablet PC’s
This is how a professor would write a comment on an online student's paper
A tablet PC is a laptop-like device designed with a touchscreen so that the owner can write notes on the electronic device. Professors of online courses use them to provide handwritten comments on papers submitted to them. Faculty members stated that they find tablet PCs very easy and efficient to use in providing instant feedback to their students. The students report that they like having the more personal “human-touch” of the comments given by the tablet PC (Steinweg, Williams, and Warren 10).
Opinions of Online classes
Surveys were conducted to determine whether people preferred online classes and why this was so. When questioned, Dr. Ginger Sabine from Northwestern Technical Institute said although she prefers being able to read her students faces if they are having a problem in a face-to-face class, she admits there are a number of advantages to online classes. She says she “has folks in my classes who wouldn’t be in school otherwise.” She has students that work 12-hour shifts, international students, and stay at home mothers (Yates). These classes allow flexible hours for those with hectic schedules and cost less than traditional schooling.
A study was preformed to determine whether personality type played a role in class type selection. The study gave 166 females who were taking or had previously taken four or more online classes Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and a Likert-type questionnaire which asked why they preferred online classes over traditional ones. The results showed that introverts preferred online classes and extroverts preferred the traditional classroom. Rick Harrington says that “students who preferred online classes indicated their rank ordered preference was because of convenience, the enjoyment of computer technology, and a desire for innovation. Those who preferred face-to-face classes reported they were influenced by the class structure appealing to their need to learn through listening and by their desire to better gauge the emotional reactions of others in the class” (Harrington and Loffredo). Overall, to succeed in learning, one should pick a class style that fits their personality and needs.
Pros of Online Classes
Reasons for selecting Internet courses included cost, convenience, and flexibility. One can pick when to do the work depending on when it fits into his schedule. Online classes combine audio, video, color, graphics, and animation to stimulate student interest. Students respond to messages that are posted on a forum or website at a time convenient for them. Christopher Cox, a child actor in Columbia, Maryland says "You're able to learn at your own pace and you also can have help whenever you need it from the teacher." The teachers are extremely accommodating of students’ schedule and needs.
Also, anonymity plays a role in online classes. When one is in a large lecture hall with 500 other students, they may feel shy asking a question. With online classes, this problem is solved. Students can post their question on the class blog, email other students, or email their teacher. Garrett says, “Students who might have been intimidated to speak up in classrooms often find their voice online” ("Developments in Online Higher Education"). The teachers are generally more forgiving of deadlines and offer much more leeway than traditional colleges.
In an attempt to make online classes accessible to a variety of students, virtual laboratories have been created. In these labs, Richard Garrett says chemists-to-be can tests their skills and even conduct experiments that might be too dangerous or too costly in the real world ("Developments in Online Higher Education"). This is a remarkable advancement in the world of online education.
Some people worry that if they get an online degree, their degree will not be held to as high regards as a traditional degree. When students were questioned, nearly 54% voted they felt online classes had the same level of respect as face-to-face classes while less than 5% believed it was less respected (Allen and Seaman). This just goes to show how well online classes have integrated into our generations education.
Cons of Online Classes
Although the pros sound very appealing, take the cons into consideration. There is limited subject matter offered through online courses. For some professions, traditional college is necessary. Also, there is a lack of social interaction with online classes. When an online course is taken the student has to be his or her own disciplinarian. No one is there telling them to finish their homework or learn the material; the student is their own boss ("The Pros and Cons of Online College"). When one has a question, they might not receive an immediate answer. Instead, they may have to await the reply of their professor or fellow classmate. This is when traditional classes are appealing. People enroll in traditional courses for a number of reasons including human interaction, a decreased opportunity to procrastinate, and immediate feedback.
Growth of Online Classes
Throughout the last two decades, online classes have been growing in popularity. In the 1997-1998 school year, only one third of the colleges in the US reported offering online classes. In 2000-2001, one half of the colleges reported offering online classes. Northwestern Technical College has one-third of the faculty teach 20 classes online to 179 students. These include students from all around the world. According to Sloan Consortium Report, online enrollment increased from 1.98 million in 2003 to 2.35 million in 2004. (Allen and Seaman 6) This popularity may be due to many reasons including flexibility in hours for soon-to-be moms, working parents going back to college, or students interested in the learning styles online classes create.
In the last year, the online education sector has grown 13%. Nowadays, about one in four students have taken some form of online education. In 2002, this number was one in ten. This could be due to the rising college prices, which is about 8% a year. Only about 40% of students who start college actually graduate, but online classes has been raising this number ("Are Online Classes the Future of Learning?").
President Barack Obama poured $500 million into online classes and the necessary materials in an attempt to make college more accessible during the recession ("Are Online Classes the Future of Learning?"). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is dedicated to bringing the United States back to the top in higher education. “President Obama is committed to ensuring America will regain its lost ground and have the highest proportion of students graduating from college in the world by 2020 ("Obama Stimulus Provides Money For Online College").” He has done this by making online college more accessible to the American public.
This growth is creating a new learning culture. Before computers were invented, traditional classrooms were the only place on could go to learn. Today with the development of computers and the internet, online classes have come into the picture. Clayton Christensen, a Harvard Business Professor predicts half of kindergarten through high school students will take online classes within the next decade. This just goes to show how popular online classes are becoming in this new culture. If online education really becomes the school of the future, our children’s generation will all be more knowledgeable than us with technology and it will be completely integrated into their education. Say goodbye to chalkboards and textbooks and hello to the technologies the future holds.
By: Mikayla
Works Cited
1.Allen, Elaine, and Seaman, Jeff. “Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning.” The Sloan Consortium (2007): 6. (database name). Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
2.Angiello, Roanne. "Study Looks at Online Learning vs. Traditional Instruction." Education Digest 76.2 (2010): 56-59. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
3.Do It Yourself. (sponsor). (last date edited). Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
4.GoogoBits.com. (sponsor) 8 Aug. 2005. Web. 30 Nov 2010.
5.Harrington, Rick, and Donald A. Loffredo. "MBTI personality type and other factors that relate to preference for online versus face-to-face instruction." Internet & Higher Education 13.1/2 (2010): 89-95. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
6.Higher Education Management Group. Keith Hampson. 2 June 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2010
7.Leasure, A. Renee, Davis, Lisa, and Thievon, Susan L. “Comparison of Student Outcomer and Preferences in a Traditional vs. World Wide Web-Based Baccalaureate Nursing Research Course.” Journal of Nursing Education 39.4 (2000): 149-154. Wilson Web. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
8.PCMag.com. Ziff Davis Corporate. 1 Oct. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
9.Steinweg, Sue Byrd, Sarah Carver Williams, and Sandra Hopfengardner Warren. "Reaching Through the Screen: Using a Tablet PC to Provide Feedback in Online Classes." Rural Special Education Quarterly 25.2 (2006): 8-12. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
10.Yates, Eleanor Lee. "From The Trenches: Faculty Have Differing Views Of Online Education." Community College Week 12.21 (2000): 9. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 30 Nov. 2010.
Pictures
1. Ausserhofer, Himsel. Student Life in a Lecture Hall. Photograph. Research in Germany: Land of Ideas. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. <http://www.research-in-germany.de/16844/disover-germany,templateId=popup,currentContentId=12764.html>.
2. Jagdfeld, Jim. Senior Lauren Rill,17 Works on Algebra in an Online Class at Pinckney Community High School. Photograph. Mlive.com. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. <http://blog.mlive.com/lcn/2008/12/pinckney_students_offered_uniq.html>.
3. Tablet PC. Photograph. Some More MLearning Hardware. Web. 3 Dec. 2010. <http://people.virginia.edu/~jmc4as/mlearn/hardware.html>.