In an ever-evolving educational landscape, the debate between online learning and traditional higher education has gained unprecedented significance. As technology continues to transform the way we acquire knowledge, learners and institutions alike face a critical choice: online learning vs face to face learning? From flexibility and convenience to the nuances of social interaction and engagement, this blog post will dissect these approaches to help you understand the benefits of online learning and make an informed decision about your own educational journey.
The CHLOE 8 report, released earlier in 2023, found that online or hybrid learning is the favourable option for most learners. In fact, their participants (Chief Online Officers in the US) reported either growth (36%) or strong growth (20%) for fully online or hybrid programs at their institution. The report also found that there has been a decrease in demand for face-to-face (F2F) courses and programs: 57% noticed a stagnant enrollment of traditional undergraduates in these programs, and another 24% noticed their numbers either declining or sharply declining. This highlights that one of the benefits of online learning is that it's the education method of choice for many learners.
Likely due to this increasing demand, online learning is justly receiving more focus from institutions in terms of strategies and resource allocations. The same CHLOE 8 report shows that among US institutions, strategic priorities are becoming more aligned with digital courses as opposed to in-person programs. 50% of the survey’s participants responded that their present strategic plans and resource allocations aim to support a stronger emphasis on online or multimodal learning. Among those that aren’t currently aligned, 36% are currently reevaluating their strategic priorities.
One of the starkest contrasts of online learning vs. face-to-face learning is the flexibility found with online courses. Digital learning programs are often more flexible in terms of structure and geographical location. This means online programs are typically more accessible for all learners and their specific needs, such as disabilities or managing studies around other responsibilities, as well as allowing institutions to expand their courses' reach and attract students from around the world. The natural flexibility of online learning is likely one of the main reasons why learners favour online programs over traditional settings and could be a deciding factor when committing to a higher education course.
Another example of the benefits of online learning is that it more effectively supports the use of multimedia resources, such as videos, quizzes, and other interactive activities. Not only that, but embedding multimodal supports into digital programs actually increases the quality of the course, can increase engagement, and helps learners retain new information. In fact, research shows that learners studying via digital platforms perform slightly better than those learning in person (Allen et al., 2004). While multimedia activities can of course be used in traditional classrooms, online learning allows them to be more personalised to each student and better integrated into lesson plans.
A commonly-discussed disadvantage of online learning is the lack of F2F socialising. But while F2F learning does facilitate social interactions more effortlessly, socialising such as groupwork and class discussions can also easily be encouraged via an online program. To reduce the chances of learners feeling isolated and lonely, Learning Designers and other faculty members must make concerted efforts to promote opportunities for social interaction as much as possible. These could include online message boards, promotion of teamwork, and encouraging learners to get to know each other online outside of their program too. A good digital learning environment facilitates these opportunities throughout each module.
The more online a program is, the more reliance there is on technology. When classes take place in person there are fewer tech requirements for learners, such as their need for a strong internet connection, their own up-to-date computer, and so on. This is not only important to note from an accessibility perspective, but also from a knowledge perspective. The CHLOE 8 Report found that around 50% of institutions surveyed still do not require faculty members to undergo formal training in order to teach online. Furthermore, less than 25% of COOs claimed that “the majority of their faculty have experience designing online courses”. So while there are plenty of benefits to online learning, these would be reduced dramatically if the instructor or course designer had either low technical skills or no experience designing digital courses. For institutions concerned about their faculty’s lack of digital learning experience, they can enlist the help of digital learning experts to guide skill development and provide a platform that makes online teaching easier and more effective.
With advantages and disadvantages for both online and F2F learning, blended programs often seem like a great way to harness the strengths of both. And sometimes, whether a program takes place in person or online should actually depend on the nature of the course itself. As Brian Galvin, Chief Academic Officer at Varsity Tutors, puts it, the question “is online learning better than face-to-face learning?” is similar to “is a hammer as effective as a screwdriver?”. He explained that:
While ultimately the choice between delivering a program in-person, fully online, or hybrid, remains a decision best tailored to the program being taught, there are key benefits and drawbacks to each option. On the one hand, the benefits of online learning include increased flexibility, more integrated multimedia resources, and fewer typical classroom distractions. On the other hand, the benefits of in-person learning include more natural opportunities for F2F social interactions and less reliance on internet connectivity. However, don’t be put off by the potential setbacks of online learning - with the help of an expert team, you can get guidance every step of the way to make sure your digital program is delivering the best experience to its learners.