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I am sending my rough draft to remove the source information and change to 2 or 3 Scholarly Sources for my paper titled;
Styles of Education: Completely Online vs. Traditional (face to face). The assignment will not have blogs, journals, google, no dictionary, magazines or Wikipedia research resources. No plagiarism and the last page must be Work Cited.

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Styles of Education: Completely Online vs. Traditional (face to face)

Modern-day spheres of life have been revolutionized by the advancement of technology. Ranging from medical to military, education has had its fair share in the uptake of emerging technological trends and changing times. For many years, learners were confined in brick and mortar classes, with an instructor delivering the learning material. This method of learning, despite the many advantages it has, had multiple drawbacks. To try to alleviate the challenges of traditional classrooms, institutions developed distance learning model, which became the precursor and foundation of online education. Online courses are characterized by learning over internet networks, where the learners and the instructor interact through computing devices. The popularity of this style of learning has been on the increase.  The defining difference between online and traditional learning is conspicuously noticeable in three scopes: the style of learning, classroom setting, and access to learning. This paper seeks to compare both models, traditional and online learning, with a focus on the benefits to learners, the advantages, and the delimitations of each style.

Each student has a different learning curve, with unique preferences. Commonly, there are four accepted leaning styles, which a student identifies with: visual learners, auditory learners, reading and learning, and kinesthetic learners (Smith). Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners are best suited for the classroom, traditional style of education delivery. Teachers in classrooms are better positioned to deliver content through imagery, film, or charts, which works best for visual learners. The classroom experience also enables conversations in real-time, which enables the learner to seek clarification, give feedback, or participate in the discussion. Additionally, students may prefer learning by doing, which refers to the kinesthetic style, which may involve lab experiments, modeling, or practical activities (Smith).  This methods of learning necessitate classroom models, since online courses may not encompass the requirements of each student. On the other hand, learners who prefer reading text, or a combination of audio and visual materials may find learning online best suited for them. Over the years, there have been multiple misconceptions alluding to isolation while learning online. The developers of the learning management systems and curriculum developers have, however, incorporated various communication options, all geared at adopting an active learning environment (Stack). For instance, the systems include peer-to-peer communication through channels such as video conferencing, instant message, and message boards, not forgetting student-instructor interaction through email and chat rooms. Both models of learning focus on a collaborative approach in teaching. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that classroom learning has the advantage of social and academic support from peers and instructors.

The classroom setting marks another major difference between online and traditional styles of education.  In the traditional setting, learners gather at a specified location, at a specific time to learn (White). This involves a physical location, where lectures are delivered, discussions held, and interactions involving study groups carried out, majorly teacher-driven. This face to face communication lets students develop friendships, promotes teamwork, and fosters better development of the cognitive abilities of learners. This can have a huge positive impact on the performance of the student. In contrast, online learning allows students ample time to digest the information they have read or received from the instructor. Learners are expected to attend online classes, which may be synchronous, allowing question-and-answer sessions. Nonetheless, there is flexibility in when a learner can attend, depending on their convenience. The structure models of the online classes are user-driven, with some courses allowing flexibility in the pace of completion of the learning materials (White). However, this flexibility calls for disciplined time management skills, since a lapse can delay the attainment of a degree certificate. Regardless of the setting of the classroom, similarities exist in both. There are group and individual activities in which a learner is expected to participate. This approach is geared at ensuring the students better comprehend and show apprehension of the expected learning outcome. The teacher in both structures works as the facilitator. Despite the different formats, there has to be an instructor, who guides learners, and checks on scholarly progress.

Access to education is the third major differentiating metric in the different models of learning. The cost of education has been on an upward trajectory. The costs involved to acquire a degree marks as a stumbling block to many students’ world over. From the costs of living on campus to paying for the tuition fees, the traditional style of learning has huge cost implications. The traditional style of learning has a huge financial obligation compared to online learning (Stack). Most institutions have different tuition plans, depending on the model a student chooses. Some charges may not apply to online learners, for example, laboratory, boarding, or transport fees. Exchange of notes in traditional face to face model brings with it the cost of printing the materials. In online learning, electronic sharing of documents through emails and class boards has little to no cost. However, learning online requires digital literacy, to be able to navigate and operate electronic devices used (Beaumont). On the other hand, online learners may be expected to invest in computing devices such as computers with high-performance power, and high-speed internet connection. The geographical distance used to be a major challenge while trying to get an education in foreign countries. For instance, if a student in Australia wants to attend a university in Europe, without online learning, the learner is forced to relocate. This may come with it a huge financial burden, culture shock, and a myriad of challenges. With more institutions offering online learning, one can access education from whichever corner of the world they may be in.

In both models of learning, learners are expected to invest a great amount of work to successfully attain the set learning outcomes (Beaumont). This, therefore, requires learners to possess excellent time management skills. In both models, assignments are part of the education, with some necessitating giving feedback to other leaners. In either learning environments or approaches, it’s both challenging and rewarding.  Milestones that need to be accomplished before the transition to the next phase are defined by the curriculum developers. In recent years, scholars have carried out research trying to identify which group of learners perform better than the other. Interestingly, some studies showed that online learners outdid traditional classrooms. However, most of the studies found little to no difference in the overall performance of either group (Kemp and Grieve). The striking differentiation in both models makes each style suitable for different learners, at a different stage of the learning journey. While online learning model may be applicable for students in instructions of high learning, it may be difficult for lower levels of learning such as high school.

Each model has its strengths and weaknesses. Although the traditional model of learning will not be phased out in the foreseeable future, it’s safe to say online education will gain more traction, marking as an alternative to attending physical classes. More particularly, for working students, the flexibility of attending classes at their own pace and convenience makes the online model more preferred. Online learners are not confined to the resources provided in the course program, hence, further research makes learning a bliss. Moreover, online education has anonymity, hence external factors that may be prohibitive of a conducive learning environment such as age, race, gender, or disabilities discrimination are eliminated. It’s noteworthy that a student should be able to identify and choose the model that works best for them.

Works Cited

Beaumont, Kizzy. “Google Classroom: An Online Learning Environment to Support Blended Learning.” Compass: Journal of Learning and Teaching, vol. 11, no. 2, Dec. 2018, doi:10.21100/compass.v11i2.837.

Kemp, Nenagh, and Rachel Grieve. “Face-to-Face or Face-to-Screen? Undergraduates’ Opinions and Test Performance in Classroom vs. Online Learning.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 5, Nov. 2014, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01278.

Smith, Hugh. Learning Styles. Learning Matters, 2004.

Stack, Steven. “Learning Outcomes in an Online vs Traditional Course.” Georgia Educational Researcher, vol. 9, no. 1, Jan. 2015, doi:10.20429/ijsotl.2015.090105.

White, Alan. “A Pilot Study to Compare the Effectiveness of Traditional Classroom Learning, Online Learning and Self-Study.” SSRN Electronic Journal, 2017, doi:10.2139/ssrn.3326270.

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