Online Learning Versus Traditional Learning Research

Online versus Traditional Learning
Student’s Name
Institution
Online versus Traditional Learning
The advent of the internet has brought with itself the opportunity for educational institutions to offer courses through an online platform. As technology advances, more and more people continue to acquire devices that can access the internet where they can register and undertake courses easily. As the popularity of online learning continues to grow, it is important to evaluate its effectiveness compared to the traditional learning method. While traditional learning is best suited for social interactions and discipline, online learning has significant benefits that make it preferable. This paper argues that online learning is better for both instructors and students since it offers flexibility, feedback, cost effectiveness, and enough resources to complement the learning program.
Compared to the traditional learning method, online learning offers flexibility, and this appeals to many learners to a great extent. According to McLoughlin & Olive (2000), learning through the internet support flexibility in many ways and allows learners to have control over their personal learning goals, their topics of research, and the sequence and pace of access to resources. The structure and choice offered through online learning give learners the chance to understand their learning needs as well as performance levels (McLoughlin & Olive, 2000). As seen, there is a high level of flexibility that comes with online learning that is not found in traditional learning. Such flexibility is particularly important for students that have commitments with family and work. It is quite difficult to manage to work and to raise family when you attend traditional classes. The inflexibility that comes with traditional learning means that one has to adjust other commitments. It is easily deducible that commitments like raising a family or working cannot be adjusted easily. Traditional learning comes with strict schedules that one has to follow in order to complete programs successfully. It thus cannot work for a person with other important commitments. However, when it comes to online learning, one can decide when to attend classes and handle assignments. As such, one can log in to the online course at a time that fits into his or her schedule. This is in contrast to the traditional learning when one has to attend lectures or classes at specific times which are beyond one’s control. Therefore, online learning provides the student with the opportunity to engage in other important commitments while at the same time attending classes. This flexibility allows one to develop career and attend to family obligations which is difficult if one undertakes a program through traditional learning.
Feedback offered by instructors is also another factor that makes online learning preferable to traditional learning. The online platform allows students to receive feedback not only from the instructor but also from other students. According to Alvarez, Espasa, & Guasch (2012), when the feedback offered includes questions and suggestions, it gives students the opportunity to respond constructively. In addition, students can discuss the tasks and conten...