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Teaching Methods Online Vs Traditional Classes



Online classes are a fairly new innovation. Most people have taken traditional classes. There is some comfort in sticking to what you know. But then again there is a bit of fun in stepping away from "normal" and trying something new and different. Let's take a look at the teaching methods online vs traditional classes as well as the cost differences between online and traditional courses. Note that online courses are not the same as distance learning.

We shall begin by looking at teaching methods online vs traditional classes. Traditional classes are held in a classroom on campus whereas online classes are held completely over the internet. There is lecture in both traditional and online classes, however, the lecture in the traditional class is face to face whereas the lecture in the online class is solely given over the internet.

There is also interaction among peers in both the traditional and the online courses. The difference in the interaction is that in the traditional class setting the interaction is face to face, where as in the online class the interaction takes place on discussion boards and through the email. You have to get dressed, get in your car and drive to the traditional class in order to get your full points.

For the online class you have to get out of bed and log onto the internet in order to receive your full points. You have a set time that you have to be at the traditional class, whereas with the online class you can log on and dothe required work at your convenience.

The online class consists of a lot of reading and typing, whereas the traditional class consists of more listening and interacting. There is an opportunity for hands-on learning and personal interaction in the traditional class whereas hands-on learning and personal interaction is hard to come by in an online class. When you have questions you can ask them and receive immediate answers in the traditional class whereas you have to email your questions to your professor and wait for a reply in the online class. Both types of classes have their advantages and both have their disadvantages.

Let us now look at the cost differences between online and traditional courses. The cost difference will vary from college to college or university to university. For the most part, however, online courses will be a bit higher than traditional courses. The cost difference goes toward technology fees. It costs money to run the web site for online courses.

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