In March 2020, COVID-19 became a global pandemic, and college schools shut down. Classes were to be taken online to finish the school as school boards looked for a cleaner solution next semester. Online classes have always been a thing, but the new start to the year required face cams, and to show up on a virtual classroom to talk to teacher and peers. Cut to the present, and both online and traditional classes are used in together, with college students picking whichever they feel work more towards their style. While the students get to choose, which classroom gives you better grades across the United States, online or traditional? Should one be removed for giving worse grades?
First, we must look at what online classes look like in comparison to in person. Online classes give you a flexible schedule and study during your own time. Online classes can also save money. National University “Weighing the Pros and Cons of Online vs. In-Person Learning,” by Todd Prout, which is a website that explains the differences in Online vs Traditional classes, states that “Online students don’t have to pay for student housing, gas for commuting, or on-campus meal programs. That can translate to substantial savings, which is a major perk for cost-conscious students.” (Prout 1). This lets students save significantly while going to college, letting them not have to worry about another thing on top of their studies. Students that go online can also manage their personal lives in conjunction to their school lives. Having kids or spending time with the family is easier while taking classes from home. National University also agrees by saying “so that you don’t have to give up family time, hire expensive babysitters, or cut your hours at work.” (Prout 1).
However, there are downsides to online learning. In Georgia State Online “Is Online Right for Me?” Which is a checklist for students who are interested in online learning, The writer states that “Virtual learners can’t meet up for pizza or book a study room at the library.” (Georgia State 1) Online learners will miss out on the social environment that students get from in person learning. This also branches out to meetings with teachers. With online learning, it’ll be harder to meet with teachers outside the time they have made clear in their syllabus. Lastly, since virtual classes are online, you will need to meet the technical requirements for it. This includes buying a camera or any software the class might need.
Traditional classes give the students Hands-On Learning. Learning in person allows you to learn hands on from a teacher in an environment that pushes you to learn. According to Education Loan Finance “Online vs In Person Classes: Which is Better?” By Caroline Farhat, she states that “In a traditional classroom environment, the conversation may flow more naturally than it can in an online class, allowing more of the material to be discussed. The traditional setting can also make it easier to get assistance with a question since it can be asked in real-time and have dialogue go back and forth.” (Farhat 1) This allows for students to get real time learning and knowledge in a good environment. Traditional class also allow students to take time after class to ask questions to the teacher. Traditional classes also give students more social interactions to talk to peers. This allows them to hang out during breaks or go out to eat after class.
There are downsides to Traditional Classes as well. Traditional classes require you to get to the class. This means commuting and finding a way to school might be difficult. Prout states that “In a traditional, on-campus degree program, you have much less control over when and where you attend classes than you would in an online program.” (Prout 1) This also means that jobs or extracurricular activities can get in the way of your studies. Cost of traditional classes are also typically more.
Which Classroom gives a better grade average, Virtual or Traditional? According to Harvard Business Review “Students Get Lower Grades in Online Courses,” The author states “For the typical student, taking a course online rather than in person would decrease his or her likelihood of course persistence by 7 percentage points, and if the student continued to the end of the course, would lower his or her final grade by more than 0.3 points on a 4-point scale.” (Harvard 1). Why is this the case? For starters, taking an online class takes more time management skills. According to “Why do Students Fail Online Courses?” by Best Colleges, “Online students set their own schedules. According to some sources, at least 40 percent of undergraduate students and 76 percent of graduate students are working at least 30 hours a week. Many are single mothers who also must factor in childcare and time for general house routines. When required study time is factored in, the task becomes daunting and the ability for self-discipline is vital.” (Best Colleges 1) Having better time management can cater to your grade being better for an online class. Secondly, people with poor internet or technical ability struggled to stay focused during classes or being able to find the material. According to “Student’s experiences with online teaching following COVID-19 lockdown: A mixed methods explorative study,” by Kari Almendingen “Only one of 16 students (6%) agreed that they needed to increase their digital competence, but approximately half reported having technical challenges at home.” (Almendingen 1) Finally, as the experience is still new, most students are still finding a way to adapt and find good study habits to make sure they are learning fluently online. Almendingen writes “Among the respondents two and 12 weeks after lockdown, 7/16 students (44%) and 9/21 students (43%) reported having previous experience with online learning, respectively (Table 1). After two weeks of forced online education, 8/16 students (50%) expected that their learning outcomes would be inferior with online education compared to their pre-COVID-19 education at campus” (Almendingen 1).
Both online and traditional Classes both have pros and cons associated with their style of learning, However, even though virtual classes can give a lower grade on average, those classes are more well suited with a student with a busy schedule and good self-study procedure. Before signing up for classes, students should check their metacognition and be able to place if their study style is more suited for a traditional class or an online one.
Sources Cited
Prout, Todd. “Weighing the Pros and Cons of Online vs. in-Person Learning.” National University, 11 Mar. 2021, https://www.nu.edu/resources/weighing-the-pros-and-cons-of-online-vs-in-person-learning/.
“Is Online Right for Me? .” Georgia State Online, 30 Mar. 2022, https://online.gsu.edu/2022/03/30/is-online-right-for-me/.
Almendingen, Kari, et al. “Student’s Experiences with Online Teaching Following Covid-19 Lockdown: A Mixed Methods Explorative Study.” PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0250378.
“Why Do Students Fail Online College Courses?” Best Colleges Online, 18 May 2021, https://www.bestcollegesonline.org/faq/why-do-students-fail-online-college-courses/.
“Students Get Lower Grades in Online Courses.” Harvard Business Review, 30 Mar. 2015, https://hbr.org/2013/12/students-get-lower-grades-in-online-courses.
Farhat, Caroline. “Online vs Classroom Learning Pros & Cons to Help You Choose: Elfi.” Education Loan Finance, 15 Feb. 2022, https://www.elfi.com/online-vs-in-person-classes/.