Online-Education vs Traditional-Education, Essay Example

Abstract

Online education has opened the door for individuals to attend college that historically would have been otherwise barred from attending college due to various reasons that will be examined in this work in writing. Traditional education is that which has historically been offered in the classroom setting however, in contemporary times many students are attending college via the Internet at colleges and universities that offer their classes in an online forum, which may be either asynchronous or synchronous in nature. While certainly there can be much said in support of attending a college or university in the traditional manner the fact is quite simply that online college classes have opened the door to a college education for many individuals who previously were effectively barred from attending college due to financial and other limitations. It is certain that online college classes offer a new set of options to those who in the past did not have the luxury of the choice of whether or not to pursue the furthering of their education.

Online-Education Versus Traditional-Education

Online education has opened the door for individuals to attend college that historically would have been otherwise barred from attending college due to various reasons that will be examined in this work in writing. Traditional education is that which has historically been offered in the classroom setting however, in contemporary times many students are attending college via the Internet at colleges and universities that offer their classes in an online forum, which may be either asynchronous or synchronous in nature.

Asynchronous and Synchronous

It is important to define ‘asynchronous’ and ‘synchronous’ in order to full examine the issue of traditional college versus online college classes. Asynchronous means ‘not occurring at the same time’ while synchronous means just the opposite, or that which occurs at the ‘same time’. Therefore it can be understood that asynchronous classes are those which students take but are classes of the nature that all participants are not learning simultaneously and synchronous classes involve participants all learning at the same time on a specific schedule.

New Opportunities Via Online Education

Online education has opened the door for many individuals to attend college that previously would not have been able to do so due to limitations placed by time constraints, familial responsibilities, and the necessity of taking a second job to support family members and children. For example, the single parent who works all day and comes in to children needing assistance with homework, baths, dinner and bedtime would  not historically have been able to further their education or at least not very easily. However, the ability to attend colleges or universities via an Internet connection allows the single parent to, after having put their children to bed for the night, to further their education and ultimately bolster their future achievement and earning potential.

Opening Doors and Educating Minds

Consider the mother who now has an empty nest but who always stayed at home with the couple’s four children, as the father was the breadwinner. Such an individual might be embarrassed to attend the local junior college where her children are attending however; she may easily attend college online and earn a degree, which she may put to good use for the remainder of her productive life.

Consider as well the paraplegic young woman who after having flipped her car is unable to walk much less carry a book bag back and forth across the college campus without assistance but who has a bright eager young mind. This young woman can easily attend college via online classes and pursue her dream of becoming a criminal defense attorney whereas had she only the college campus as an option may well have opted out to live a life on a disability income spending each day depressed in what is a never-ending life of despair and regret.

Finally, consider the young man or woman who recently graduated high school, and who finished with a 4.0 grade point average but who is from a very poor family who does not own a car. This individual may upon graduating from high school and working a part time job is able to purchase a computer and then attend online college classes. However, the possibility of the same individual working part time in order to purchase a vehicle, then attempting to pay college tuition along with the purchase of clothing for the campus and paying the parking fees and other fees associated with attending college on a campus, is doubtful. In fact, this individual, according to statistical findings, will never actually manage to attend college and is likely to land in dead-end jobs with no hope for a better future.While certainly there can be much said in support of attending a college or university in the traditional manner the fact is quite simply that online college classes have opened the door to a college education for many individuals who previously were effectively barred from attending college due to financial and other limitations. It is certain that online college classes offer a new set of options to those who in the past did not have the luxury of the choice of whether or not to pursue the furthering of their education.