Passing Down Knowledge: The Evolution of Education Through Time - Essay Sample

Introduction

Over the years, the human race has continued to innovate and invent several methods to ensure that knowledge continuously flows from one generation to another. The traditional form of education or the in-class learning dates the origin back to the oral teaching technique; the technique greatly influenced the development of the writing skills like the knowledge needed to be preserved for future references (Allen et al., 30). Consequently, the massive production of written materials resulted in the concept of the in-class education system. However, the rapid advancement in technology and computer systems has much driven the development of a new concept of education, the online education system. The online learning system tends to provide solutions to the major drawbacks of in-class learning. However, a great debate still exists as to whether the online learning system is better than the in-class system. This paper aims to show that the online system is better than the in-class system by comparing the two education systems.

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The Concept of Online Learning

The online learning system is rapidly developing all over the world. The learning system is highly flexible and comprehensive and takes place through numerous internet platforms. Thus, a learner requires an internet-enabled computer to participate in a given online learning program (Devlin et al., 151). Nonetheless, the online learning concept is considerably associated with the drastic implementation of distance learning programs in numerous learning institutions. As a result, online degrees have widely gained acceptance by the general public and potential employers.

The primary rationale for preferring online learning is anchored on the fact that it is flexible and easily accessible. The fast advancement in both computer and internet technologies have created a conducive environment for the online learning system to thrive (Gowda et al., 97). Moreover, several research investigations have supported the claim that the online learning system is significantly convenient and effective than the in-class learning system.

Comparison Between In-Class Learning and Online Learning

The in-class learning and the online learning systems are both designed to attain one goal, to facilitate the acquisition of both the new and old concepts in numerous disciplines and pass them from one generation to another successfully. However, the operating rationale of the two learning systems renders them sharply comparable (Ebrahimi 521). For instance, the breakthroughs in the world wide web have enabled learners to attend virtually every learning session without their physical presence in class. As a result, many expenses incurred in the process of acquiring education, such as transportation costs, have been substantially reduced, rendering the online learning cheaper and affordable (Devlin et al., 160). Contrastingly, in-class learning can not take place without the physical presence of both the tutor and the students. This translates to tutors and learners residing from considerably far locality from their learning institution, incurring several costs like transport costs. Collectively, the expenses make the in-class learning costly and physically demanding.

Nonetheless, online learning is useful in shaping the organizing skills of a student. Generally, the students who prefer online classes are either undertaking a work-study program or practicing long-distance learning. As such, the student involved has to be perfect in specifically planning and managing his or her time, formulating a reasonable balance of time between her online classes and other errands (Gowda et al., 57). In direct contrast, the in-class learning system greatly suppresses the organizational skills of the students. This is mainly due to the management of the respective learning institutions planning and managing time on behalf of the students by implementing time-tables and other schedules. Consequently, students have limited options and follow the formulated timelines.

Many learners perceive online learning as a stress-free learning system. For instance, the students can smoothly perform quick references from several search engines like google during the online tests; this is due to the lack of strict monitoring of the process as the students are not in direct contact with the examiner. Consequently, most online learners often acquire immoral and undesired behaviors (Joseph et al., 45). Contrarily, the in-class learning system significantly contributes to instilling a sense of self-reliance in the learners. For example, the writing of the in-class learning examinations is often done under strict supervision, in many instances, the monitoring of the process is performed by well-trained invigilators (Allen et al., 100). As a result, students are not permitted to make any reference or ask for help from either a tutor or fellow student. Such actions always expose the learner to dire consequences like cancellation of the results or expulsion from the learning institution.

ConclusionIn conclusion, it is undoubted that education is rapidly integrating with the fast-evolving computer technology. The development of the online-learning system has considerably addressed some of the challenges experienced in in-class learning, such as issues on flexibility. However, online education has its shortcomings, many of which are concerned with the authenticity of the academic credentials obtained via online learning. Based on several studies on the effectiveness of online learning, it is inevitable that the method of learning is as effective as in-class learning and even more affordable. As such, the advantages of online learning outways the disadvantages, justifying it is better than in-class learning.

Works Cited

Allen, I. Elaine, and Jeff Seaman. Online Report Card: Tracking Online Education in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group. Babson College, 231 Forest Street, Babson Park, MA 02457, 2016.

Devlin, Marcia, and Jade McKay. "Teaching inclusively online in a massified university system." Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning 20.1 (2018): 146-166. https://doi.org/10.5456/WPLL.20.1.146

Ebrahimi, Tahereh. "Effect of Technology on Education in the Middle East: Traditional Education Versus Digital Education." Digital Transformation in Journalism and News Media. Springer, Cham, 2017. 519-531. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27786-8_38

Gowda, Ramya S., and V. Suma. "A comparative analysis of the traditional education system vs. e-Learning." 2017 International Conference on Innovative Mechanisms for Industry Applications (ICIMIA). IEEE, 2017. DOI: 10.1109/ICIMIA.2017.7975524

Joseph, Yvonne, and Shoba Kanagamani. "Catalytic Converter: Transforming a Traditional Education Into Hybrid Learning Model." (2019). Retrieved from https://sigma.nursingrepository.org/