Face-to-Face Versus Online Education
Braedyn Wild
Education is a very important
part of human life and no one can deny that importance in any era. No matter
what happens people should continue to learn. However, the question then
becomes what type of education is best in today’s modern society, face-to-face,
or online education? Even though online education is relatively new, this topic
has already been debated for many years. People are now met with a choice when
they choose to pursue education, which is a great thing. However, I believe
face-to-face education is still the way to go, mainly because the effectiveness
of online education is still unclear.
One of the key elements of the
traditional learning process is the dynamic relationship shared between students
and the teacher. Face-to-face learning is necessary for these relationships,
and these things may be minimized or lost when education is done in an online
learning environment. It’s not only about the relationship with the people,
however. According to a survey done by BCcampus, 60% of respondents still chose
textbooks as their preferred learning material, and there is good reason for
this as well. “One
major concern is that digital screens undermine opportunities for “deep
reading,” (Baron, N. 2016). Many cognitive psychologists worry that
confronted with so much digital information that is constantly being dumbed
down to try to grab readers attention, those readers won’t have the time or
motivation to critically reflect on what they have read. This is a huge problem
for online education because as Baron tells us, “in-depth reading has waned,
and educational emphasis is shifting from knowing to knowing how to locate
information” (Baron, N. 2016). With that in mind, are people really retaining
the information they learn through online education?
Online education is possibly
one of the most flexible study options available. You can overcome many obstacles
to obtain an education. However, this same online learning environment enables
learners to participate disingenuously. Without physical stimulation, they are
limited to learning through watching and typing. In some cases, the online
course is reduced to learners basically reading a book off the computer, no
other applicable skills are received. For many students, the extremely flexible
pace at which they can complete their studies is highly valued. If you don’t
quite understand a topic, you can take it upon yourself to go back and review
it at your own pace. However, because of the lack of interaction and feedback
with a teacher, there are more instances of miscommunication and
misinterpretation in an online learning environment versus those done
face-to-face.
Online learning
provides teachers and students access to tools and resources they couldn’t have
had otherwise. For example, a psychology student in Canada can learn from the
top professor from a prestigious school in America and can do so on their own
schedule while managing a family and a job. Not an easy task to say the least
but made possible thanks to existence of online education. It’s clear that while
online learning has provided many tools to fill in the educational gaps
teachers and students find themselves struggling with, it’s still not a
replacement for the traditional classroom. Sure, the technology is advancing,
but it’s far from flawless. Like any new technology created to solve a problem,
it brings with it some complications, and may even create new problems we
couldn’t have foreseen. This idea is called the “Revenge Effect” and was coined
by Edward Tenner, who said “new structures, devices, and organisms react with
real people in real situations in ways we could not foresee” (Tenner, E. 1996 pg.
11). This doesn’t mean online education
doesn’t have a place or a use in our society. In fact, I believe it is going to
become an essential tool that does not replace the traditional face-to-face
education method, but instead enhances it. While
online learning won’t replace traditional classrooms, it will completely change
the landscape of how they are today. With improved resources and reduced workloads
for teacher, classrooms can be transformed into a much more efficient learning
environment. Students can come to class, learn, engage, and do so at the pace and
style that fits them best. Afterall, shouldn’t that be the true goal of
education? Not to choose between different methods, but to use all tools at our
disposal to create the best learning environments possible so that future
generations can spend more time applying their knowledge for the sake of
bettering the world.
Sources:
Baron,
N. (2016). Chapter 10. Does mobile matter? The case of one-off reading. In J.
Farman (Ed.), Foundations of mobile media studies. Abingdon, U.K.:
Routledge.
Tenner,
E. (1996). Chapter 1. Ever since Frankenstein. Why things bite back:
Technology and the revenge of unintended consequences. New York: Knopf.
