Thursday, August 17, 2017

Which Educational Platform Is Best for Your Child? Differentiating Online Vs Traditional Education

Since its inception during the 1950s, the Internet has already played a significant role in the lives of various individuals and in the management of various companies. Today, Internet continuously influences individuals in almost every aspect of their lives including social, personal, and even cultural. Due to the benefit of the Internet, it is already being incorporated in the educational system.
Internet has made it possible for students to learn and obtain a degree through online education. The concept of online education is becoming more popular among students and various educational institutions. More and more colleges are offering online degree courses. Due to its benefits, online education has been widely accepted by various individuals throughout the globe. The popularity of online education has resulted to serious competition between schools that offer online education and traditional education.
Since its introduction, online education has been the subject of debates regarding its effectiveness as compared to traditional education. The online and traditional educations are two educational platforms that have their own advantages and disadvantages. Parents need to understand their key differences before deciding which platform is best for their child. These differences might involve:
Class Schedules
In traditional classroom, students are required to go to school for certain hours every day. They are also given the chance to engage in a class discussion with other students in the same class. Since students who are attending traditional class are required to obey the schedule set by the school for teaching, they might experience a lot of pressure when they come to school unprepared.
On the other hand, the time of students in an online class is more flexible as they are given the privilege to choose the time convenient for them. They just need to access their computers to view their lessons and assignments as well as to interact with their professors. In this aspect, online education is ideal for those who are already working but want to acquire more knowledge or earn additional degree. In terms of class interaction, students in an online class can interact with other students across the country and even students from other parts of the world.
Courses Offered
Traditional schools offer courses on liberal arts and in different fields of science including mathematics, medicine, and engineering. Students are more likely to find their desired degree program or course in traditional schools. Most online schools do not yet offer newer educational programs. To make sure, students or their parents should check first the available courses offered by these schools before enrolling.
Instructor's Credibility
Professors and instructors of traditional education are required to have a degree in their chosen field of study. University or college professors are required to have a 4-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree while community college professors should gave a master's degree. Some traditional schools even require them to have a post-doctoral degree. Although some online instructors are bachelor degree holders, others are just experts in their chosen field but not really a degree holder.
Cost
Educational costs depend on the school and the education program chosen. Some believe that the cost of online education is much cheaper than the cost of traditional education. However, there are countries that offer financial aid to deserving students who want to enroll in traditional schools. There are also courses offered online that is much cheaper when taken in traditional schools.
Regardless of the educational platform chosen, education is still one of the aspects in life that needs careful planning, considerations, and preparations. It is important that parents choose the type of platform that will meet the educational needs of the children. They should make sure that their chosen school has passed the accreditation set not just for a curriculum but for the school as a whole.