Traditional Learning vs. eLearning

With the technological advancements of the 21st century, is the traditional classroom still the most effective learning environment? Or does the traditional classroom need to evolve and adjust to modern times? There is an argument that the traditional classroom environment is the best way of maintaining a learning process. However, In studies when students were asked to compare the traditional classroom to eLearning practices,  students have expressed a higher satisfaction from the eLearning. The Students also rated the learning as much more effective than in the traditional classroom.

 eLearning includes many components that are familiar from traditional learning, such as: presentation of ideas by the students, group discussions, arguments and many other forms of conveying information and accumulating knowledge. The contents of the course’s curriculum might be organized according to subjects and in a serial manner. 

 eLearning also includes advantages which are not found in traditional learning, such as: time for digesting the information and responding, enhanced communication among the learners, both as regards quality and as regards urgency, knowledge being acquired and transferred among the learners themselves, the ability to conduct an open discussion, where each learner gets more of an equal standing than in a face-to-face discussion, access to information and to discussion ability, responses may be made around the clock with no restrictions, a higher motivation and involvement in the process on the part of the learners. 

The following table summarizes several opinions regarding the comparison between eLearning and traditional learning:

	Traditional Classroom	eLearning  Processes
Classroom Discussions	The teacher usually talks more than the student	The student talks  at least as much and often more than the teacher
Learning Process	The learning is conducted with the whole class participating; there is almost no group or individual study	Most of the learning process takes place in groups or by the individual student.
Subject Matter	The teacher conducts the lesson according to the study program and the existing curriculum	The student participates in determining the subject matter; the studying is based on various sources of information, including web data banks and net-experts located by the student.
Emphasis in Learning Process	The students learn “what” and not “how”; the students and the teachers are busy completing the required subject matter quota; the students are not involved in inquiry-based education and in solving problems, but rather in tasks set by the teacher.	The students learn “how” and less “what”; the learning includes research study which combines searching for and collecting information from web data banks and authorities on the communications network; the learning is better connected to the real world, the subject matter is richer and includes material in different formats.
Motivation	The students’ motivation is low, and the subject matter is “distant” from them.	The students’ motivation is high due to the involvement in matters that are closer to them and to technology.
Teacher’s Role	The teacher is the authority .	The teacher directs the student to the information.
Location of Learning	The learning takes place within the classroom and the school	The learning takes place with no fixed location
Lesson Structure	The teacher dictates the structure of the lesson and the division of time	The structure of the lesson is affected by the group dynamics.

Personally, I am a huge advocate of eLearning. However, I also believe that it is not quite time to completely dismiss the traditional classroom. I feel that both have their  own separate advantages and disadvantages. I also believe that different situations require both at times. In my opinion, the most effective learning could be done by  combining and incorporating qualities from both in the learning process. I have had a positive and negative experience with both extremes throughout my educational career.

What is your opinion? Through personal experience, do you have a preference between the two? If so, why? We would love to get the input of others! Thanks!


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