The Difference Between Online Courses And Traditional Courses

If you want to know which model of educational model is best for you, then you need to know the difference between online courses and traditional college courses. Today, slick is an adulthood debate if online education can match and result traditional classroom learning. You have to be aware that online delivery of education is a relatively new formula. So it is just logical to query how online education works and how does it compare with traditional mode of teaching. So here is a basic outline of the differences between the online and traditional learning.

First, traditional schools wish their students to be physically going on in a classroom environment. You can only earn your degree if you religiously attend your class in person at a predetermined time and location. Online colleges do not require the physical presence of students to a classroom. That is because online courses are primarily delivered through virtual class environments. By using modern Internet technologies, students and professors interact and exchange ideas through the cyber space. So the physical boundaries of time and space are non - issues with online education. You can earn your degree wherever you are. And you can attend classes without going physically to a classroom environment.

The virtual nature of online education will enable you to pursue your career while taking full time online courses. No one can prevent you from attending your classes because all you need to do is to log in to your students account to access the virtual classroom environment. Proponents of traditional education contend that virtual learning takes away the vibrant and proactive nature of classroom discussions. In some aspects this is true because when you study online, you will only interact with your virtual professor. Student to student interactions in an online setting is minimal. But with the increasing use of video conferencing and state of the art real time virtual classrooms, vibrant online discussion can become a reality. The key therefore is technology and online colleges are already implementing this type of technology.

A traditional course is strictly bound by time. That is because a class should strictly adhere to a specific predefined schedule. This forces the students to cram and subjects them to a lot of pressure. This is a non - issue with online courses. Online colleges set flexible time for students to meet their requirements. Lessons are delivered through modules which you can study at home. You will only be required to submit the requirements of the course after you set your own schedule. Of course, there is also time discipline with online education. You can not take the course forever. But the schedules are more relaxed and not too restrictive compared to traditional education.

Because of the flexibility of online courses, you will be able to finish your degree without sacrificing your day job. But you have to take note that online learning requires a different kind of discipline. You need to develop the right motivation and dedication in order to avoid distractions so you can earn your degree in the fastest possible time.

The Advantages of Traditional College Degree Programs for Those Who Were Homeschooled

Even though there seems to be a large debate rush on over the whole online college topic, traditional colleges will of course never lose their note and importance. We cannot all go to online colleges, as wrapped tight as we cannot all attend traditional colleges. But considering the circumstances of students who have been homeschooled, it would seem that the main proclivity should be that of choosing a traditional type of college. The reason for this endorsement and the main advantages of this option can be briefly organize here.

First of all, traditional colleges are considered the widely - accepted framework of education throughout the country; online colleges are not entirely accepted and embraced by all companies and firms which are familiarity the hiring, and there are still quite of employers who refuse to hire someone for the bare reason of having completed an online degree program. Homeschooled students therefore should consider the fact that they have already spent the vast part of their life away from the traditional schooling system, so it might be time to return to the very roots of standard education and follow the normal path towards their careers.

Secondly, traditional colleges normally receive faster accreditation, as opposed to online schooling institutions. Therefore, homeschooled students might have to face even more difficulties when enrolling in such an online program that might not have the necessary accreditation, adding to the hardships of getting accepted in the first place, due to their homeschooled status.

Thirdly, traditional colleges will provide the direct contact with professors and colleagues which homeschooled students are not normally acquainted with; this contact will definitely boost their social skills and will make them better employees who will not be afraid or unprepared to work in a team. Being homeschooled means students learned to work independently and without any additional exterior interferences. But in the workplace, they will have to come face - to - face with a whole crew of people whom they will need to work with and create an effective synergy with, which means hard work which will hopefully lead to some great end results. Traditional colleges, throughout their structure, allow students to gain all the interaction and collaboration skills they need.

Also, lower tuition and other fees that some traditional colleges are willing to accept, plus the numerous opportunities of getting scholarships and grants turn these colleges into the primary choice of many homeschooled students. The fact that some of the most prestigious campus colleges such as Harvard and Yale have decided to accept the presence of several students who have been homeschooled within their walls, will probably boost those students ' chances of being regarded as some top - notch graduates once they complete the programs they have chosen.

All in all, there are plenty of advantages or benefits that students who have studied at home can profit from when choosing to attend a traditional college. Most of these advantages revolve around the development of more human, social interaction and professional or team - work skills, and all of which are prone to have a significant influence on their future careers.

Washington Monthly Provides Alternative to Traditional College Rankings

Washington Monthly magazine rejects the college classifying system of big stage name polls like U. S. Facts and World Report. For the former eight years, editor - in - chief Paul Glastris has published an alternative adjudjing system that evaluates colleges by different metrics than those used by the traditional rankers.

Glastris argues that the hefty grading systems are based on " exclusivity. " He asserts that high rankings are obstinate by the more a college spends, the more it excludes students through selectivity, and the more boon the school is. Obviously, these metrics really don ' t have much bearing on a college ' s real value, and that ' s exactly why Washington Monthly offers its alternative to the traditional ranking system. A college ' s exclusivity ranking does little more than display its ability to charge high tuition prices. This evaluative metric is exactly why higher education has been under attack lately from all angles in the political sphere. Critics are arguing that the skyrocketing tuition rates are largely a symptom of the administrators ' desire to fluff the school ' s image. In other words, high tuition automatically indicates that the school is exclusive, and therefore somehow better than its cheaper competitors. This toxic system of valuation only serves to perpetuate the existing problems with higher education. And this is why Glastris and Washington Monthly have chosen to challenge the traditional standards.

The magazine instead uses three very different bases for determining a college ' s worth. According to the website, schools are rated " based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: Social Mobility ( recruiting and graduating low - income students ), Research ( producing cutting - edge scholarship and PhDs ), and Service ( encouraging students to give something back to their country ). "

These measurement standards leave schools like Harvard, Yale, and Duke dropping much further in the ranks than they have ever been used to. Harvard is slotted in 11th place; Duke is 26th; and Yale is a staggering 41st. The only Ivy that still makes a showing is Stanford at 3rd. The California system does well in the rankings with six of the top twenty. Texas A&M - El Paso and the University of Texas scored high, along with Georgia Tech and the Universities of Michigan and Washington.

If you ' re interested in an alternative to the traditional ranking system, and especially if you place a high value on social mobility, research, and service, be sure to check out the Washington Monthly poll. When used in conjunction with the traditional rankings, it will help college students and parents gain a bigger picture of the school ' s status as a an economical educator.