ONLINE

LEARNING vs.
TRADITIONAL
LEARNING
Estrella Quiñonez
Pathway III

Figure 1: Icons related to online and in-person learning

 INTRODUCTION
Online education has become the source and
channel for imparting knowledge to students.
However, most of them are awaiting the return
to face-to-face classes.

In order to examine the differences between

online learning and traditional learning, three
elements will be compared: Figure 2: Instructor teaching
her students
• Flexibility
• Effectiveness
• Discipline and self-motivation

Figure 3: Shangarey / Adobe

Stock (n.d.)
 01
FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility can be useful but
also challenging

Figure 4: Person using his computer relaxedly

 Flexibility in Online Learning
The flexibility of online education is often the most attractive reason
that makes many students choose this method over conventional
education.

• Instead of having to be at a specific location at a specific

time, online students have the freedom to communicate
with instructors, address classmates, study materials, and
complete assignments from any Internet-accessible point
(Richardson and Swan, 2003)
• Distance learning is a rapidly expanding environment
which allows users the flexibility of operating outside of
the constraints of time and place (Chaney, 2001)

Figure 6: Person sitting on a cliff using his

Figure 5: A woman on her coach watching her tablet laptop
Flexibility in Traditional Learning
It is well-known that traditional education requires time to go and be in
a location like a school, university or college.
Traditional learning must have a routine and defined structure.

• Classroom routines can positively affect students’ academic

performance as well as their behavior (Cheney, 1989)

• Routines establish order and can create smoother transitions

between activities and therefore allow fewer opportunities for
disruptions to occur (Burden, 2003; Docking, 2002)

Figure 7: Person arriving late to college

02
EFFECTIVENESS
The ability to be successful and
produce the intended results.
(Cambridge, n.d.)

Figure 8: Sides of understanding

 Effectiveness in Online Learning
The effectiveness of online education depends on a crucial element,
communication.
Online teachers can organize the class environment to increase the
interaction between the learners, the teachers, and the classmates.

• Lehmann states “communication is remarkably one

of the most important essential to an effective
online course” (2004, p. 9)
• There are a multitude of options for students to
work collaboratively and cooperatively with other
learners and/or the instructor in live debates,
reflective journal entries, peer reviews, discussion
boards, and video or audio teleconferencing
(Savenye, 2005)
Figure 10: Person doing an online
Figure 9: People communicating their ideas by presentation
online meeting
Effectiveness in Traditional Learning
Traditional learning has a remarked advantage over online learning,
it has been refined over centuries. Face-to-face instruction has
numerous benefits not found in its online counterpart (Xu and
Jaggars, 2016).

The key to its effectiveness is dynamic and collaborative classes.

• For now, face-to-face instruction provides dynamic learning

attributes not found in Web-based teaching (Kemp and Grieve,
2014).

Figure 11: Student showing his grade

 DISCIPLINE AND
SELF-
MOTIVATION

Figure 12: Distracted student and a

student paying attention
03
Discipline and self-motivation in Online
Learning
Online Learning requires great self-discipline and self-motivation. The
student must be able to motivate himself or herself to complete
assignments and know how to manage his or her time.

• “Successful students tend to have stronger beliefs they

will succeed, higher self-responsibility, higher self-
organization skills, and better technical skills and access”
(Savenye, 2005).

Figure 13: Student checking her phone

during online classes
Discipline and self-motivation in
Traditional Learning
The success of the learner depends on his or her level of
commitment.
Traditional learning can be the best option for students that need the
discipline to work or the motivation from their teacher.

• In fact, teachers who promote a conducive environment for

learning and engagement, in which students collaborate in its
development, will achieve the learning objectives (Noltemeyer et
al., 2019)

• The classroom setting provides more motivation, encouragement,

and direction. Even if a student wanted to quit during the first few
weeks of class, he/she may be dissuaded by the instructor and
fellow students (Paul and Jefferson, 2019)

Figure 14: Student paying attention to her

class
 CONCLUSION
To sum up, both types of learning have the same target of imparting
knowledge to students regardless of their age or location. To achieve such
a goal, each method is provided with different resources. On one side,
Online Learning proposes a simpler way to study without the dependence
on a physical location, which represents an enormous advantage over
traditional learning for students who can not be able to be attached to a
schedule. On the other hand, Traditional Learning appeals to its proven
effectiveness demonstrated in hundreds of years, besides there is a plus
of constant and immediate feedback given during class. Nevertheless, the
success of any learning depends on the students' discipline and
commitment. Unfortunately, some of them tend to get distracted and
procrastinate their responsibilities.
 REFERENCES
Burden, P. R. (2003). Classroom management: Creating a successful K-12 learning community, 7th edition.
Wiley.com. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from https://www.wiley.com/en-
us/Classroom+Management%3A+Creating+a+Successful+K+12+Learning+Community%2C+7th+Edition-p-
9781119639985

Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Effectiveness: 1. the ability to be successful and produce the intended results. . .. Learn
more. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/effectiveness

Chaney, E. G. (2001, November 30). Web-based instruction in a rural high school: A collaborative inquiry into its
effectiveness and desirability. NASSP Bulletin. Retrieved February 22, 2022, from
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ636994

Cheney, C. (1989, April 3). Pub type non- classroom use (055) - ed. ERIC. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED304869.pdf

Di Xu & Shanna S. Jaggars (2014) Performance Gaps between Online and Face-to-Face Courses: Differences across
Types of Students and Academic Subject Areas, The Journal of Higher Education, 85:5, 633-
659, DOI: 10.1080/00221546.2014.11777343
 REFERENCES
Docking, J. (2002, August 16). Managing behaviour in the primary school: Jim Docking, Michelle MacGr. Taylor &
Francis. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203823569/managing-behaviour-primary-
school-jim-docking-michelle-macgrath

Draw about a woman sitting on her coach and watching her tablet (n.d.) https://slidesgo.com

Draw showing a distracted student and a student paying attention (n.d.) https://slidesgo.com

Figure illustrating a person using his computer relaxedly (n.d.) https://slidesgo.com

Figure showing the sides of understanding (confused and illuminated) (n.d.) https://slidesgo.com

Icon of people communicating their ideas by an online meeting (n.d.) https://slidesgo.com

Illustration of a student showing his grade (n.d.) https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Image of a student paying attention to her class (n.d.) https://www.shutterstock.com

 REFERENCES
Kemp, N., & Grieve, R. (2014, November 12). Face-to-face or face-to-screen? undergraduates' opinions and test
performance in classroom vs. online learning. Frontiers. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01278/full

Lehmann, K. (2004). How to be a great online teacher. Lanham, Md: Scarecrow Education

Noltemeyer, A., James, A. G., Palmer, K., Petrasek, J. & M., & Bowman-Perrott, L. (2019, December 27). Disciplinary
and Achievement Outcomes Associated With School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Implementation Level. School Psychology Review. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.17105/SPR-2017-0131.V48-1?scroll=top&needAccess=true

Paul, J., & Jefferson, F. (2019, November 12). A comparative analysis of student performance in an online vs. face-
to-face environmental science course from 2009 to 2016. Frontiers. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2019.00007/full

Photograph of a person doing an online presentation (n.d.) https://www.edsurge.com/

Photograph of a person sitting on a cliff using his laptop (n.d.) https://studyonlineinnigeria.wordpress.com/
Photograph of an instructor teaching her students (n.d.) https://www.teacheracademy.eu
 REFERENCES
Photograph of student checking her phone during the online class (n.d.) https://blog.cengage.com/

Picture showing a man arriving late to college (n.d.) https://stock.adobe.com/

Picture showing icons related to online and in-person learning (n.d.) https://slidesgo.com
Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. (2003, February). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students'
perceived learning and satisfaction. Online Learning. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from
https://olj.onlinelearningconsortium.org/index.php/olj/article/view/1864/695

Savenye, W.C. (2005). Improving Online Courses: What is Interaction and Why Use It? (Undetermined). Distance
Learning, 2(6), 22-28.

Shangarey / Adobe Stock (n.d.) https://www.schooleducationgateway.eu/

THANKS
Do you have any questions?