Essay Example: Face-to-Face Vs. Face-to-Screen Learning
Albert Einstein once said “I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” For many years, students attended traditional schools, sat in classrooms, studied a standard curriculum, listened attentively during classes, and transcribed important notes. This was an effective method till technology had taken its place in recent years. In fact, technology has drastically reshaped the education system and made it possible for instructors to lecture their students virtually through online websites. Both of these methods aim to deliver a proper education for students and provide them with exemplary conditions for their own intellectual growth and creativity. Face-to-face learning and online learning can be different based on time-saving, engaging socially, and being flexible.
On one hand, online learning has proven its effectiveness to save both time and money. Students who learn online will have a chance to complete their classes in a relatively short time, allowing them to do other activities that could be beneficial for them, such as having a part-time job. It can also leave a positive impact on students' academic performance and enhance their grades since they are given much more time to focus on doing their assignments and studying for their exams. Moreover, learning while staying at home might be slightly cheaper for students. Students will not have to pay for their daily transportation or their fees for rented flats, there is no need to purchase any books, they will be uploaded online. Following this method will not only save time and money but it can also be eco-friendly, saving fuel and using Mobile or Laptop screens to read books is actually less harmful to the environment. On the other hand, face-to-face learning is often seen as time-consuming and unprofitable. Students will barely have the time to do anything rather than studying, they may not be able to do some outside activities or get the opportunity to work. A lot of their precious time will be spent in vain, which keeps many of them stressed and afraid that they might not catch everything they have been taught during classes. In addition, attending classes every day can be a little bit expensive due to the payments that include transportations and rented flats. Therefore, online learning may seem an excellent choice for those who want an educational system that can be affordable and save extra time.
E-learning, unlike traditional learning, maintains students less enthusiastic during their virtual classes. That’s because online learning creates a gap between the instructors and the rest of the students, students’ participation will shrink to its lowest degree and the chance to build new relationships will narrow down. Besides, lack of interaction and being isolated from each other will promote insecurities and self-doubt for students. For example, students who lock themselves for long hours doing nothing but staring at their computer screens will increase their chances of experiencing anxiety. In contrast, attending classes physically and meeting people in person will encourage social interaction. The students will have the opportunity to engage in dialogues with their peers, hear their stories, and see their facial expressions. Furthermore, students will feel more confident by involving themselves in-class activities. Such as participating more in classes and communicating more easily with professors. Being surrounded by people will have a positive impact in the long term. Surely it will prevent people from feeling lonely and bored, as well as increase self-confidence for individuals. E-learning may not seem like a great idea for people’s mental wellness, indeed, it might be a problem especially for youth who just got started to meet the world.
Lastly, technology has proven its flexibility and effectiveness when it comes to online learning. Online learning programs are suitable for students' needs, they are easy to use, students in one click can have access to the session’s meet. The variety of these apps plays an important role in making the learning process smoother. In fact, there are apps for class meets, sheets, slides, etc. In online classes, the session is usually recorded, which means that students can go back in any time they want and replay the video. One example is the whiteboard that is used to solve mathematical equations. Students can go back to this board and see how these equations have been solved. Another great example is that there are some features that it have been developed recently, such as MLA and APA formats that Google docs provide for students to start writing their essays immediately without wasting further time. However, when it comes to traditional learning it shows the opposite. Since technology isn’t involved widely, students’ tasks will become harder to achieve. Students will have to pay their full attention during lectures, taking notes as much as they can, trying not to miss a word. Some features won’t be available for students, they can’t record the session if they are taking it in person because it would be illegal in some educational institutions. Briefly, virtual learning shows flexibility more than face-to-face learning.
In conclusion, time-saving, engaging socially, and being flexible are examples of differences between e-learning and face-to-face learning. Although it is important to know that these two methods are different, people should also be aware of how similar these learning machines can be in other respects. After all, education aims to serve the purpose of ensuring a person's overall development, teaching the person how to accomplish great things, and knowing the real value of education.
Works Cited
Einstein, Albert. “Einstein - I Never Teach My Pupils; I Only Attempt to Provide the Conditions in Which They Can Learn.” LinkedIn, 17 May 2020, www.linkedin.com/pulse/einstein-i-never-teach-my-pupils-only-attempt-which-lois-letchford.
