Online, students must actually demonstrate engagement. This forces them to think critically about the material. While it is much easier to fake participating in the classroom scenario, doing so is much more difficult online. Online courses also offer a degree of anonymity, which allow students to post what they really think and feel, encouraging intelligent discussion. Furthermore, online classes allow students who want the ability to participate the ability to do so 24/7, while being present in a classroom can be difficult for the returning adult student, or the working college student.
In addition to class participation, classroom courses also fall deficient to online courses when it comes to quality of learning. in-class courses require that a portion of the teacher's time be spent not on the imparting of knowledge, but on classroom management. Classrooms can be noisy, intimidating, and boring, and students can easily fake their own learning by simply behaving and asking a few questions....
Online courses, on the other hand, allow teachers and students to focus solely on the material rather than class demographics. Furthermore, the teacher can quickly respond to students individually using postings and e-mail. Thus, student-teacher interaction is increased and focus on subject matter improves. Students, because they must make postings regarding their learning, cannot simply make the teacher believe they have knowledge of the subject by remaining quiet during class. Thus, students also benefit from online courses more than from in-class courses because the quality of learning is enhanced.
In conclusion, teachers can choose many methods of imparting knowledge to students now that technological advances are so great. Two popular forms of courses and teaching are online and in-class. While in-class learning may be traditional, online classes offer advantages to students in both participation and quality of learning primarily because they allow anonymity and flexibility.
