Is Online Learning Equal to Face to Face Learning?

In the world of education, virtual learning has become a popular option over the last ten years.  Online education has been present in various forms, especially at the college level.  This trend began with schools like the University of Phoenix and DeVry University.  Online learning has since expanded to be an important part of traditional colleges and universities.  Personally, I was first exposed to online learning while completing my undergraduate degree when I took two history classes online through the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  For me, online courses presented a unique option to complement the face to face courses I was taking concurrently.

In recent years, online learning has expanded from the college level to high schools.  When I first started out in education, I worked with students who used an online platform for remedial learning.  These students took courses they had previously failed via an online platform after school in a supervised setting.  Students were given this option to help them graduate on time with their cohort.  My experience with online learning has evolved since then, and I have seen online learning used in different ways.  For the last two years I have taught Psychology online for North Carolina Virtual Public School. NCVPS is a great option for students to take courses online that are not offered at their face to face school, and also gives students the opportunity to take additional classes, or use online learning as grade recovery.  Online learning at the high school level is continuing to evolve.  This spring, the state of Virginia passed a law requiring all high school students to take at least one online course to satisfy graduation requirements.

With the growth of online learning continuing at a rapid pace, the focus and criticisms of online learning have become more apparent as well.  When people find out I teach in both face to face and online settings, one of the first questions I usually hear is whether or not the two types of learning are equal.  There is a short and a long answer to this question.  The short answer is "yes, but online learning should not replace face to face learning."

In both the online and face to face settings, students should be presented with quality instruction, quality assignments and timely feedback.  The reality is that many educators, including myself, fall short in the above areas in BOTH settings.  In addition, just like in the face to face setting, the amount of information students learn and their overall experience has a direct correlation to the amount of time and effort they put into their education. 

I am an advocate for online learning.  While there are certainly weaknesses that need to be addressed by online institututions to improve the learning experience for their students, I firmly believe the advantages to online learning outweigh the disadvantages. 

Some of the advantages of online learning:

• Online students can work (within reason) at their own pace.
• Online students can access their curriculum anytime and anyplace with an internet connection.
• Online students learn how to appropriately dialogue with others online.
• Online students learn acceptable, professional uses for social media.
• Online students receive timely feedback on their assignments.
• Online students learn accountability and responsibility for their education.
• Online learning is great for students who need to catch up on their credits.
• Online learning is great for students who want to get ahead academically.

There are some definite advantages to learning online.  I agree with states like Virginia who are requiring all students to take one online course in order to satisfy a requirement for a high school diploma.  The State of North Carolina is in the process of implementing the Common Core Curriculum Standards.  A main focus of Common Core is College and Career Readiness and Twenty-First century skills.  Online learning is a gateway that can help students develop the skills necessary to succeed in college, careers and in the twenty-first century. 

While online learning is a powerful resource for most students, it should not take the place of face to face learning.  While I think students can learn an equal or greater amount of information in an online setting, there are many skills and scenarios that students need to experience in a face to face setting, as well.  Students can learn online how to appropriately dialogue on discussion boards and through social media, but they must learn how to appropriately interact with their peers in person on a daily basis as well.  Students need a daily interaction with their teachers; they need strong relationships with adults in their schools who know their personalities, know their passions and can encourage and support them in ways online learning cannot.  An article in the Charlotte Observer on Tuesday June 5, 2012 demonstrates one student's success catching up on her credits through online learning, while also recieving traditional classes as well as emotional and academic support from her traditional high school setting. 

In conclusion, online learning should not take the place of face to face learning.  Online learning should be used to supplement and support traditional learning, and help prepare students for their futures.  Not all students may go to college, but all students are life-long learners.  Online learning provides the support and resources to encourage learning throughout the lifetime.

References

NCVPS Logo. Digital image. North Carolina Virtual Public School. Web. June-July 12. <www.ncvps.org>.

Common Core State Standards Initiative. Digital image. Common Core State Standards Initiative. Web. June-July 12. <www.corestandards.org>.