It goes without saying that the experience of education is different for everyone, and yet it also proves to be similar in a lot of ways. Whether a student is studying a Mastery in data science or a bachelor in the arts (or any other academic qualification, for that matter), that student is going through an academic experience that is also carrying millions of other students at the same time. Historically, students all had to follow the same cut-cloth format in education, being expected to learn and progress at the same pace as their peers. Now, there is a new format of education that is drawing in the masses, and that is online learning. While the two are inherently different at their core, it takes some time and effort to adequately nail down what makes them so different, their advantages, and their flaws. So, now that we have established that both forms of education have their own benefits and downfalls, what exactly are those advantages and flaws?
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Traditional education
When it comes to standardised learning, traditional education holds the podium definitively and without exception. Having flourished for generations, traditional education is the key learning triumph that countless students have flourished or floundered under. In terms of benefits, the traditional classroom places students in broadly scheduled classes, giving them real-time access to the advice, thoughts, and assistance of their educators and their peers. For individuals that thrive under time constraints and ongoing pressures, traditional education works quite well. On the other hand, when students do not adhere well to set class scheduling and broadly-set learning objectives, traditional education can move too quickly for them, making them look less bright than they are. And this is where online education comes in.
Modern online education
Online learning is a relatively new form of education, and yet it has proven its value time and again throughout its lifespan – and will likely continue to do so. The power of online education comes into play when students who are unable to adhere to the strict time constraints of typical education can learn via online education. Learning this way enables students to access lectures, tutorials, and learning materials at times that suit them, rather than solely at the allotted time schedules that traditional education offers. Additionally, online learning allows for the breakdown of geographical proximity necessities, and allows students to complete their studies wherever they want, as well as whenever suits their lifestyle.
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The key similarity between the two
At the end of the day, the only real difference between traditional education and online education is the format that it is carried out through. Every student learns in a different way, and so naturally neither traditional education and online education will provide an adequate educational experience for every student. The reality of education is that students flourish when they are learning in an environment that caters to their strengths, rather than focusing on their weaknesses. No learner is a perfect student in every environment, and the introduction of online learning to education has made room for every type of learning to flourish in their own way.
