Online Education Online Learning vs.

Online Education

Online Learning vs. Traditional (in-Class) Learning

Whether students prefer online learning or in-class learning largely depends on many factors, including how much socialization a student is looking for and whether he or she is happy with the commute and the classroom setting. Some students also go back to college after having been in the workforce for some time, and when this takes place the individuals who do this may feel uncomfortable in a classroom full of much younger peers. These students may also have children and/or aging family members that they have to take care of, and this can prohibit how much time they can spend away from home. Some of these people are also still working, and they do not want to spend all day at work and all evening in class. If they take classes online, they can be more engaged with their families in the evening, and do their schoolwork later, after their children have gone to bed. Online learning gives them the option to have flexibility, but it is not for everyone.

Statement of the Problem

The changes that are brought about by online learning are changing the dynamics of education in this country, and the long-term effects of this have not been studied.

It is true that most people see online learning as a great idea. They feel that it is so convenient for them, and they can work it into their schedule. They also think that they will have all kinds of time because they do not have to go to class, but this is not always the case. Quite often, these people procrastinate, and they leave their work until the last minute, forcing them to scramble and do substandard work to make a deadline. This results in aggravation, poor grades, and a desire to quit. By planning better, a person can have a better online experience for all of their classes.

Many people want the 'full' college experience, though, and for them online learning would not be the right choice. These are people who deeply desire the interaction that they would have on a college campus, and that they would not get sitting in front of their computer, posting to the class message board and uploading their assignments when they are completed. Everyone is different, and colleges and universities are thought to be respecting that by offering both traditional and online classes for their students.

Long-term, though, no one has really looked at what will take place with online education. Is it better? Is it worse? Is it too easy to cheat? Are there other concerns that have not been addressed yet, through study of the issue? There are all kinds of different options, and it is important to find a happy medium when it comes to helping people get through school but also determining what these people need to do to really learn their chosen profession. There are some things that are received in a classroom that just cannot be received through the computer, and there are many other college experiences that are unnecessary wastes of time when people are simply trying to learn so that they can further their education and profession.

Some of this might come down to how serious a person is about college, and whether the desire is to have a college experience, or simply to receive a degree that will help with employment and earning potential. These are two very different issues, and while they can be accomplished at the same time, most people often choose one way or the other. This may strongly affect whether they attend a traditional college, or whether they obtain their education through online learning.

Statement of Purpose

The goal of this study is to understand what makes online learning vs. traditional learning successful or unsuccessful for a student. In order to do this, one must have an understanding of both kinds of learning and also of the different kinds of students who are in college today. Demographics, learning styles, monetary considerations, and other issues all affect which choice a student makes when it comes to learning at a traditional college or learning via the Internet.

Research Question

The research question for this particular study is as follows: When it comes to online vs. traditional education, do students prefer one method of learning over the other? There is also one subquestion to this, which is: Through what steps, process, and/or methods should this learning be done?

Significance of the Study

This study is important because studies of this kind of have not been completed, and the long-term effects of learning traditionally or online are not yet known. Whether a person learns more or less in one setting vs. The other depends somewhat on the person, but also on the knowledge that is offered and how it is presented. A study such as this one is important to online and traditional learners, but also to professors and educational administrators, as these individuals are always looking for ways in which they can help students learn more easily and more effectively.

There are important benefits from a study such as this one. These include a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand, as well as a way for future learners to make a better choice as to which option they would like to take. Since every learner is different, he or she will have specific reasons why one learning style might be a better fit than another style. Education professionals will also benefit from this study, because they can make a determination as to which classes they want to offer online, and how many online vs. traditional classes that they wish to offer each semester.

Limitations

Each and every study that is conducted has its own unique limitations which must be addressed. Usually, these have to do with time and with budget constraints. For this study, however, the main limitation is that online learning has not been taking place for a long enough period of time for the researcher to be able to collect any long-term data about it. There have been some other studies into the differences between traditional and online learners and which style works best for a certain type of individual. Despite that, though, there have not been studies of the financial and other affects that are related to online learning vs. traditional learning. This is largely because online learning is so new, but it has been available, at least to some degree, for a long enough period of time now that some conclusions can be drawn. How to do this is a concern because there is no benchmark to follow. Creating a study that has no previous studies like it and ensuring that is handles the task at hand will be the largest limitation, but it can still be addressed effectively and provide a study with merit and validity.

Chapter Two - Review of Related Literature

There are several things that this review is designed to do, but the main focus of it is to examine the specific practices that are employed by colleges and universities and the ideas that have been proposed by researchers, and show how these affect the students when it comes to online learning. Many college students are first-generation students, meaning that no one in their family has been to college before. This is especially true of racial minorities and women. The review is also designed to identify the elements of existing practices of course design so that students that are becoming involved with online learning will know what they are looking at. This will help them to determine what they need to do in order to perform well in online classes and will keep them enrolled in college. Many first-time college students drop out before completing their degrees and it is hoped that the option of online classes will lessen this problem. In addition, however, the students and why they either remain in school or drop out must be better understood.

Tinto (1993) proposed a complex longitudinal, theoretical model of persistence/departure behavior that results from a process of interaction between the individual and the institution. Traditionally, this was used for 'standard' students, meaning those that attended classes on a university campus. However, this can also be extended in today's society to students that attend online-only schools, or to students of 'traditional' universities that are now offering online classes. The integration model examines the relationship between student characteristics, enrollment, involvement behaviors, persistence and attainment, all of which are important to online students as well. These students tend to be female, older (in the 30 to 50 age group), returning to school or attending for the first time, and needing to take online classes because they need to continue to work and/or spend time with their families.

Student characteristics include demographic, family, and high school background characteristics; involvement behaviors address how the student engages in academic and social activities within the institution. Naturally, online classes do not require (and often also do not allow for) the social interaction that would be seen with traditional students on a college campus (Richardson, 2006). Persistence (also called retention) is defined as remaining enrolled in the institution, presumably until degree attainment or completion. Online courses can help students achieve this, because they provide options for learning that were previously not available to them (Drennan, Kennedy, & Pisarski, 2005).

Satisfying and rewarding interactions with the formal and informal academic and social systems of the institution lead to greater integration and persistence (Tinto, 1975). However, teachers of online classes must find ways to keep their students integrated and to increase the social network that they have. Online chats and discussions can help with that, but only if the students participate in them (Richardson, 2006). If the students do not want to participate they will not, and if they are forced, this can cause them problems as well. Unpleasant or limited interactions inhibit integration and decrease the likelihood of persistence, whether online or in the traditional classroom.

Having online learning and an online 'community' of learners can help students to feel more connected if it is done correctly, however, because many of these individuals are in a similar age group and family situation. Because they have things in common, it can help them to form a bond and make friends with others like them. It can also allow them to receive help when they need it (Richardson, 2006). Previous research has shown that academic and social integration are influenced by a variety of factors (Munro, 1981; Pascarella et al., 1980); these factors include student background characteristics, pre-college educational experiences, student expectations, and initial experiences in college. While this previous research was carried out on traditional students, it also applies to online students in today's society as well.

Tinto's model, some researchers have suggested, overly emphasizes individual rather than social factors, does not address women and minority students' particular cultural backgrounds, and may implicitly blame students for their departure when, in fact, other cultural and environmental factors may be influencing their low participation (Braxton, 2000a; Laden, Milem, Crowson, 2000; Rendon, 1982; Tierney; 1992). Tinto's model of integration has been critiqued for implying that all students entering college are coming from and moving toward being members of the same culture, that they must come to share common cultural values, and they must conform to the norms of the dominant culture of the institution (Attinasi, 1989; Tierney, 1992). The dominant culture, however, is not always well understood by those that take classes online, and many of the individuals that only learn online are not interested in being part of the 'culture' of the institution.

For the purposes of this paper, "dominant culture" refers to the institution's traditional cultural norms, values, and practices, which, in the context of the United States, tend to be white upper- and middle-class male orientations. Tierney (1992) highlights the individualist emphasis of Tinto's constructs and measures that focus on the extent to which the individual adjusts to the environment rather than the extent to which the college environment might adjust to serve or support the student. In the case of online learning, in other words, the student must learn to meet what the environment needs in order for the student to be successful. The environment is what it is, and it will not change for the student (Kim, et al., n.d.; Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006; Yukselturk & Inan, n.d.). There are others, however, that do not feel that this type of model is working for online learners, and that it is the universities that should be looking to change for their students, because student demographics are changing, especially where online learning is concerned as more and more students consider it.

In support of Tierney's position, Caplan and Nelson (1973) provided important distinctions between person-centered and situation-centered problems, noting that the way a problem was identified gave way to specific solutions. For example, researchers focusing on person-centered problems would focus on individual characteristics as the root of the issue and the target of the solution, while ignoring context relevant factors. In the case of studying why older college women that are learning online experience alienation, a person-centered definition would identify the pathology as residing with the stereotypes of women (e.g. women are less intelligent than men, not analytical thinkers). Conversely, Caplan and Nelson (1973) noted that situation-centered problems have a system change orientation. Here, the context in which individuals operate is examined and remedies are proposed to change the male dominated norms present at some institutions of higher education. Online learning is helping to change some of that, as more women are taking classes online so that they can be home with their families and still attain their degrees, and they are encouraging other women to do the same (Kim, et al., n.d.; Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006; Richardson, 2006).

Tinto (1987) noted that "eventual persistence requires that individuals make the transition to college and become incorporated into the ongoing social and intellectual life of the college" (p. 126). The term "integration" can be understood to refer to the extent which the individual shares the normative attitudes and values of peers and faculty in the institution and abides by the formal and informal structural requirements for membership in that community or in the subgroups of which the individual is a part (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, p. 51). Where integration is considered, however, online learning is much different from the traditional forms of college classroom learning, and therefore it cannot be addressed in the same way. In order to integrate the online community, colleges and universities must determine what kinds of options for community involvement their online learners want, need, and will actually use (Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006). This is not always an easy task, but it is important.

Some individuals do appear to attend college mostly to socialize, but those that are seriously interested in seeking a degree will seek it regardless of whether they attend traditional classes or online learning classes. Online learning simply opened the doors to college for some individuals who were unable to attend traditional classrooms for a variety of reasons (Sedlak & Cartwright, 1997). Trends in the future look as though they will move more toward distance education and computer technology in higher education, but at the same time these trends must follow what students want and need (Sedlak & Cartwright, 1997). In the past, students who have attended classes off campus have not been thought of as highly by many members of the faculty and staff. They have not largely been considered as belonging to the University in the same ways that regular attendance students have been (Sedlak & Cartwright, 1997).

Because of this, students have sometimes shied away from online learning because they believed there was a stigma attached to it, and they would not be seen as serious students but rather as students who wished to buy their way to a degree over the Internet (Sedlak & Cartwright, 1997). However, there has been so much technology created lately and so many online learning courses offered by reputable universities that the tendency to classify online learning students as not as significant in the workings of the University is changing (Sedlak & Cartwright, 1997). Those that work on the faculty of many institutions also have reasons to embrace this new technology. Many faculty members enjoy it because they see it as challenging and new, but others who are not as interested in it are often talked into taking part in it by means of other incentives (Bowie, 1993).

While interactionalist theory is concerned with the interaction among individuals and institutions, involvement is the mechanism through which student effort is engaged in the academic and social life of the college. In the 1993 model, Tinto explains that the model is "at its core, a model of educational communities that highlights the critical importance of student engagement or involvement in the learning communities of the college" (p. 132). Consequently, it becomes important to address problematic issues related to the involvement dimension implicit in the Tinto model. While both Tinto and Astin would agree that the institution plays an important role in facilitating involvement, and in fact Tinto's 1993 revised model emphasized this point, these researchers have concentrated on the individual responsibility aspect.

Nowhere is individual responsibility more important than in the case of online learners (Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006). These individuals must take more responsibility for their own actions than traditional classroom students because they do not have an instructor standing over them, forcing them to work. They are responsible for keeping up with their college work, participating if there are scheduled online discussions, and turning work in on time. If a person cannot organize his or her time and remain motivated enough to do this, he or she might not be a good candidate for online learning (Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006).

Alexander Astin's (1985) theory of student involvement is perhaps the most widely adopted college impact model of student development. According to involvement theory, "the individual plays a central role in determining the extent and nature of growth according to the quality of effort or involvement with the resources provided by the institution" (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, p. 51). Astin (1984) defined involvement as "the amount of energy that the student devotes to the academic experience" (p. 27). Indeed, research indicates that the more time and energy students devote to learning and the more intensely they engage in their own education, the greater the achievement, satisfaction with educational experiences, and persistence in college (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991; Tinto, 1987). As was previously mentioned, these kinds of traits are not only preferable but practically compulsory for those that choose to learn in an online environment.

In contrast to the aforementioned view, Rendon (1994), Jalomo (1995), and Terenzini et al. (1994) have found that involvement in the college community is not an easy thing for students, especially nontraditional females, from working-class backgrounds and that both in -- and out-of-class validation were essential to their engagement and persistence. These students often struggle with online classes because they feel isolated and do not receive the validation that they need from others in a learning environment (Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006). Validation is a powerful, interactive process involving a student and a validating agent. Much of the validation occurred out-of-class (with friends, parents, spouses, etc.), substantiating that there are other forms of engagement that can have a positive impact on persistence. These researchers (Rendon, 1994; Jalomo, 1995) employed qualitative methods that allowed students to express who and what was making a difference in their academic lives and why this was so. Online students can get this validation from others in their family or circle of friends, but only if these individuals remain involved and supportive.

As important as family and friends are in influencing the student's educational performance at the college level, it is clear that the student's individual characteristics are equally or even more important, especially when students are older, already have careers, and already have families. Students that are interested in online learning often have different overall goals and lifestyles than students that attend classes in a more traditional manner, but they all must have the opportunity to learn all that they can. Unfortunately, most individuals that begin online courses think that these will be extremely easy, when in fact they are not (Moody, 2004). This leads to higher attrition rates and many other problems.

For the online learner that is successful, however, discipline and organization are important characteristics. These individuals, since they do not usually have to attend a class at a specific time, are generally disciplined people (Moody, 2004). They must be able to set their own hours, make time for their class work, have a place to study, and still be able to meet their other obligations. For some people, doing all of this without help and guidance would be next to impossible, but others are capable of handling this type of workload without an issue (Moody, 2004).

For the unsuccessful online learner, disorganized behavior, poor study habits, and an inability to take work seriously are traits that are commonly seen (Moody, 2004). It is unfortunate that this takes place, but all too often individuals that attempt online learning are so unprepared that they fail because they do not take their learning seriously enough. To be successful, the online learner must take responsibility for his or her own actions and also understand that online classes are just as difficult - and sometimes more difficult - than more traditional, classroom-based learning.

For many college students, enrolling in higher education has become a way for them to advance academically as well as socially (London, 1992). For individuals that are older and taking classes online, getting a better job and a higher income is often the only real reason for attending college. According to London (1996), upward mobility is the primary expectation of most students. To become a competitive applicant in today's job market, these students realize the indispensability of a bachelor's or even a master's degree (Brooks-Terry, 1988). Students' expectations about social mobility have a powerful influence on thoughts and actions in college. The degree to which a student's social, academic, and financial expectations accurately reflect the college environment will have a critical impact on academic performance and persistence, and this appears to be accurate regardless of whether students take classes in a traditional classroom or online (Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006).

Student preferences and expectations, and the relationships of these to institutional expectations and priorities, are exceedingly complex issues for analysis, especially where online classes are concerned (Shea, Li, & Pickett, 2006). For students that are learning online, the chance to use 'campus resources' may be limited or non-existent, depending on where the student is located in relation to the university that he or she is studying at.

In the 2004 first year national survey of college students, almost half were unsure about "what was required of them, or of the direction they should take" in their college courses. Their insecurity was exacerbated by initial confusion at the start of the year about timetables, expectations, how they compared with fellow students, and academic standards. Almost a third of students also had difficulty adjusting to the style of teaching at college. This is part of the reason that online courses are often offered. Many individuals that do not do well in the classroom will perform at a higher level if they are allowed to do so in their own home. First year students participating in the first year national survey (2004) identified the following problems:

Feeling overwhelmed by one's own ignorance, lack of background knowledge, feelings of inadequacy, doubts about one's intellectual capacity.

Difficulties in understanding what faculty require of students - what is the purpose of written assignments, study groups? What are faculty looking for in grading me?

Inadequate or highly critical feedback from faculty.

Inability to use the library effectively.

Overwhelmed by the amount of reading and complexity of reading material.

Little direction or help by faculty on how to study.

Feel unable to approach staff.

Have no idea how to tackle a long essay - choosing, researching, planning, organizing/selecting material, developing argument, writing, referencing.

These are all the sort of study skills that students need to gain including problem solving, time management, learning how to learn, independent learning, motivation, and responsibility. Most faculty members would also agree that student involvement in the social environment of the classroom is an important factor in the quality of the teaching-learning experience. However, those that teach online courses must find other ways to judge this, or not judge it at all. Not only do faculty members find students who do not participate a problem, but students themselves can be quite anxious about that participation. This indicates that online learning may not work well for some students, because of the different type of teaching-learning experience that is involved with online learning (Kim, et al., n.d.; Richardson, 2006).

Online learning and asynchronous education have become very popular in recent years and they are trends that are promising to be strong in the future (Rahm, 1994). Many universities have adopted several different models for online learning instruction and from this are learning a great deal more than they had originally thought they would about student needs and the importance of broad-based planning. Even though distance education programs are fairly common in many universities, different universities take different paths in implementing these programs (Rahm, 1994). There are planning processes and decision-making processes that are carefully charted in many institutions. Others do not seem to take distance education quite so seriously and do not make it so complex. They are quite likely only providing online learning in order to keep up with the perceived competition from other universities (Rahm, 1994).

In order to better understand this, it is important to look at distance education and how universities embrace this issue. It also helps to explain some lessons that universities have learned in the process of following this trend for the future. Online learning in most universities was somewhat television based and traditional (Rahm, 1994). In other words, students would learn in a classroom-like setting but they would learn via television monitors as opposed to an actual instructor. However, asynchronous instruction is becoming more popular.