Essay Example on Traditional vs. Remote Learning: Impact on Performance and Efficiency

Introduction

Traditional education is typically referred to as the teaching method, where there exists a student-teacher interaction, and the teacher is the primary source of information, while the student is the central recipient. This form of learning was applied mostly in the 20th century before most learning technologies were invented or innovated to their current status. While using the traditional education model, Allen et al. (2002) stated that there must be a classroom where the teacher can meet the potential student(s). In contrast, Remote learning refers to the system of education where learning interaction is not necessarily physical, but online, using a range of media devices and online platforms. The dramatic enhancement of technological innovation has led to the introduction of various learning capabilities that allow learners to access their teachers or lectures at their respective locations. Depending on the targeted outcome and vital underlying conditions, both traditional and remote learning have a sequential impact when applied in practical settings. In other words, there is an exceptional causal relationship between each of these modes of delivery and outcome in relation to student performance, efficiency, and overall effectiveness. This cause-and-effect essay attempts to analyze the results or potential outputs when both teaching methods are applied: a crucial and informed decision is made based on the results of the claims from scholarly research articles.

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Effects of Traditional Education and Remote Learning on Performance, Efficiency, and Effectiveness

Academic Performance

Interactive Learning

The traditional education method allows learners to interact closely with their instructors. However, it is most often that classes of this type are usually time-limited. With that in mind, it will naturally be impossible, in most cases, for a teacher to handle the content of the lesson as specified in the outline and still find time to respond to questions and comments from the learners. Therefore, interaction is restricted because students' satisfaction is not guaranteed (Allen et al., 2002). In this case, remote learning is inarguably the best alternative because it offers every student the platform and ability to write their questions at the same to the teacher. The essential point is that remote learning allows every student to contribute their thoughts, opinions, and questions within the class's timeframe. The traditional education method does not support this because one student has to contribute at a specific time. For this reason, remote learning is the best form that promotes interactive education.

Competitiveness

Besides, the traditional education method may enhance the level of competitiveness among students in the class. According to Bettinger et al. (2002), learners are likely to get motivated when they see other students answering questions or just being active. To create that level of equality and build a positive reputation, everyone will be driven with the spirit of being active and standing out in the class. In this process, learners become competitive, and the results might lead to positive performance because of the high rate of attention. In contrast, remote learning may promote laziness among students because there is a lack of motivation. Going by the findings of Bettinger et al. (2014), the possibility of students performing well in such environments is minimal, as only 41% of the U.S. students passed via online teaching, compared to 47% of their counterparts undertaking traditional mode of delivery.

Keenness and Confidence

The level of keenness and confidence among students during the lesson sessions is another vital component when undertaking traditional education or remote learning. For the traditional technique, the level of sharpness is usually high due to the instructor's eye contact. In this model, a teacher can quickly pinpoint specific students who are not active, to ascertain that everyone remains alert throughout the lesson. However, this is possible with remote learning, where one teacher might be interacting with numerous students in the same learning platform. The ambiguity and large population could lead to system failure or a slow rate of disseminating information. Moreover, Sibirskaya et al. (2019) postulated that the most significant disadvantage of remote learning is that a teacher is not assured whether the student is alert about individual activities. Perhaps, it is unrealistically true to assume that there will be 100% keenness among students with such conditions, whereas this is possible with the traditional method of teaching.

Instinctively, learners who have been exposed to classroom settings may become confident because they can study the body movements and facial expressions of other peers, or that of the instructor. This is similar to remote learning, where learners secure confidence by actively participating in online discussions and forums (Sibirskaya et al., 2019). A high level of keenness and confidence is directly proportional to the extent of individual or class performance.

Efficiency and Effectiveness

Self-Control and Self-Discipline

When choosing between traditional education and remote learning, the level of efficiency and effectiveness should be determined. Self-control and self-discipline are two close but different parameters used to complete these analogies of the test. Although traditional learning is active and more proficient in terms of developing a learner's level of keenness, confidence, and competitiveness, it fails to promote the idea of self, as the method is solely controlled by one figure teacher (Sibirskaya et al., 2019). The teacher has all the authority because the information-sharing dissemination strategy is one-directional. This supports the assertion that with traditional education, interactive learning is limited. Therefore, traditional education is not efficient and effective, as it fails to allow the learner to interact and share ideas, opinions, and thoughts.

Meanwhile, remote learning is efficient in that it usually contains discussion forum platforms, which allow learners to interact in the presence or absence of the instructor. This quality of interaction enhances self-control and self-discipline. Bettinger and Loeb (2017) stated that when learners are compelled to get into their student portals at specific times and attend lessons or exams, they become self-driven and understand that they can manage most of their life duties and responsibilities by themselves. Besides, they can submit their queries and thoughts via messaging tools or electronic mail and wait for their instructor's response.

Conclusion

In a broad overview, both traditional education and remote learning are useful, because when applied, they have a specific influence or result on students' learning process. Nevertheless, remote learning is more effective because it acts as a cause, promotes an interactive class, and self-control, and creates self-discipline nature among students as the effects.

Otherwise, the topic has a substantial impact because it compares two different learning methods that cause various effects. The difference in the degree of effects caused has primarily been utilized to conclude that remote learning is a better solution. In one of the studies that found traditional education to affect competitiveness at a higher rate, it is visible that the range is close, and remote learning can be blended with other policies and tools to improve this to higher levels in the future.

References

Allen, M., Bourhis, J., Burrell, N., & Mabry, E. (2002). Comparing student satisfaction with distance education to traditional classrooms in higher education: A meta-analysis. The American Journal of Distance Education, 16(2), 83-97. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15389286AJDE1602_3

Bettinger, E. P., Loeb, S., & Taylor, E. S. (2014). Remote but influential: Peer effects and reflection in online higher education classrooms. http://repositorio.minedu.gob.pe/bitstream/handle/123456789/2990/Remote%20but%20Influential%20Peer%20Effects%20and%20Reflection%20in%20Online%20Higher%20Education%20Classrooms.pdf?sequence=1

Bettinger, E., & Loeb, S. (2017). Promises and pitfalls of online education. Evidence Speaks Reports, 2(15), 1-4. http://www.k12accountability.org/resources/Online-Education/Promises_and_Pitfalls_of_Online_Ed.pdf

Sibirskaya, E., Popkova, E., Oveshnikova, L., & Tarasova, I. (2019). Remote education vs. traditional education is based on effectiveness at the micro-level and its connection to the level of development of macro-economic systems. International journal of educational management. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJEM-08-2018-0248/full/html