Learning the Online Way
Online Versus Face-to-Face Learning
Background
Is online learning the answer to educational questions, or is the tried and true, traditional instructional method the only acceptable learning realm that exists? How we choose to learn and how we learn best are factors that are based on individual preferences and learning styles. A solid education builds a foundation for lifetime success. Yet many students of today struggle to stay on track. All students are different, just as are all teachers. Learning and teaching styles vary, and success can be realized through a variety of methods. Online education has grown tremendously over the past ten years. The increased accessibility of the internet and the World Wide Web has created vast opportunities for non-traditional education through this medium (Karber, 2003). The explosion of technology has also made teaching outside the traditional classroom possible for teachers and has provided learners with easy access to course material. This paper reviews literature related to online education. Its attractiveness, benefits, and challenges are addressed.
Elearning Online is based out of Baltimore, Maryland, but the more than 1,000 certified teachers and the technical support staff work online from their homes anywhere in the United States. Elearning Online is a leading provider of online educational instruction. The program is designed to help students learn key concepts, fill learning gaps, and get back on track for academic success. The program is committed to being the preferred partner of schools, school districts, and families by delivering unmatched quality and engaging online educational services that improve student achievement. It is a rapidly growing company dedicated toward meeting the needs of at-risk students across America. The company is America’s leading provider of live at-home tutoring for at-risk students in grades 3-12. Free services are offered to students attending schools and struggling to meet adequate yearly progress goals through the Supplemental Educational Services program of the No Child Left Behind Act and online instructional programs in math and reading.
Elearning Online’s school services include enhanced reporting to help teachers monitor their students’ progress. The company provides individualized matching of students with special needs to the appropriate resources, such as ensuring English Language Learners will be working with ELL certified teachers or that special education students will be taught by certified teachers. English Language Learners (ELL) are students who have a different language other than English, and are learning English as a new language to be added to their native language.
The more than 5,000 students in the online program have seen great results, realizing an average grade-level growth of one year or more. Parents and teachers have noticed a change in the children’s confidence levels in school and at home. Students in the program are from all states throughout the nation as well as from other countries around the world.
The learning program designed by Elearning Online is highly interactive and engaging, and more than 1.4 million sessions have been delivered in the past seven years. The program is aligned with state standards, and gains for students in grades 3-12 have been evident. The program can be offered at a student’s home or as part of an in-school program.
All Elearning Online students start on their path to success by taking an online assessment. The assessment identifies a student’s skill gaps in math, reading, or algebra and determines the specific concepts the student needs to learn. An individualized program is then developed for each student and delivered online by a state-certified teacher. The teacher works with the student one-on-one, accelerating learning and providing encouragement and support as the learner reaches key learning milestones. A student can also be matched with a targeted tutor based on special learning needs, such as English as a Second Language (ESL) or learning disabilities. Research dictates that students completing Elearning Online’s instructional program achieve academic gains of more than one grade level and approach school with renewed confidence.
My Present Position
Currently and for the past year and a half I have taught English As A Second Language, reading and math with Elearning Online. Although my past endeavors with teaching have consisted of face-to-face positions, my current work has proven that I am a different kind of teacher than what you might find in the traditional public or private school systems. In my experience working with Elearning Online I have had the opportunity to teach students from my home with the use of only a computer and a headset. I have a master’s degree in reading and teaching certifications in English, reading and English As A Second Language (ESL). In addition to teaching online, I also have experience teaching ESL and literacy with children and adults. This experience has offered me an insider perspective as I have conducted this study.
All Elearning Online students start on their path to success by taking an online assessment that identifies a student’s skill gaps in math and reading and designates the specific concepts the student needs to learn. An individualized program is then developed for each student and delivered online by a state-certified teacher. The teacher works with the student one-on-one, accelerating learning and providing encouragement and support as the student reaches key learning milestones. A student can also be matched with a targeted tutor based on special learning needs, such as English as a Second Language (ESL) or learning disabilities. Research proves that students who complete Elearning Online’s instructional program achieve academic gains of more than one grade level and approach school with renewed confidence.
This action research consists of a qualitative study that provides a glimpse toward a comparison of online versus offline learning. Participants in this study were asked to explain their feelings toward online and offline learning. For the purposes of this study I interviewed sixty online students in order to obtain a clear stance on their views toward online versus offline instruction. The students also completed surveys and questionnaires pertaining to their thoughts about online learning compared to learning in the offline, traditional method. Student participants represented a range of male and female learners aged five to twenty-two from all parts of the United States as well as other countries such as France, Canada and Thailand. Random.org was used to select these students from the list of all online attendees of the Elearning Online program. In order to prevent bias students were targeted according to a range of numbers that were kept sealed in an envelope in a locked safe. Each student was assigned a number and thereafter random.org was used to determine the three students who were chosen for the case study portion of this research.
More focus was given to three students in a case student in order to discover more detail for this research. In addition, three online teachers who work for the program were chosen at random from the random.org site. All study participants were informed in advance of the study of their rights to forfeit their participation at any time and also of the fact that they would receive a copy of the resulting data. Parents and all participants were contacted and informed, and permission slips were signed and obtained. Questionnaires and surveys were also given to the teachers. Both the teachers and the students were also given personal interviews.
The teachers selected for the purposes of this study possess varied educational experiences and backgrounds. Miss Carson holds a masters degree in mathematics and has had twenty-two years of public school teaching experience. She has taught with Elearning Online for five years. Mrs. Heyes has her teaching certification in reading with five years of teaching experience in a private school. She has taught for Elearning for two years. Mr. Brown has his masters degree and certification in reading and has taught with the program for one year and two months.
There are three students who were interviewed with more intensity than the other students during this action research project. Two girls and one boy were interviewed. Their names are James, Karen and Laura. All students were enrolled in either math or reading for their online classes.
Rationale
As I have become more comfortable with teaching students online, I have often wondered why some students learn well online while others do not, and why some students choose to learn online, while others do not.
The results of this study will be posted on a web site and will be made known and available to all research participants for their review prior to posting, and after that, to the general public. All names were changed for this study in order to maintain confidentiality. It is my hope that through conducting this study on the preferences of online instruction compared to offline learning students will be better equipped to determine the type of instruction and learning that best meet their needs and styles, and that as a result they will obtain the greatest benefit in whatever type of education they choose. If this research helps instructors and other staff members who work with Elearning Online as well as other educators, my purpose will be fulfilled for conducting this study. It is also my wish that I will, as a result of this research, become a more effective and informed teacher, regardless of whether the instruction in which I am involved is online or offline, and that I will continue to improve, learn, grow, and evolve in my knowledge of learning and teaching as I allow my newly obtain knowledge gained through this action research to guide and drive my instruction.
My Research Question
What do students prefer, online instruction or face-to-face learning? By online instruction I am referring to any type of learning that occurs when a student uses a computer solely for learning and where the instruction is connected to a teacher who meets with the student on the Internet. Such instruction may entail use of audio, video, or both types of computer media, but encompasses learning with technology rather than face-to-face education. Also in online instruction the teacher is not typically physically present or located at the same place of learning as is the student, although some exceptions do exist. Normally also in online instruction the student does not meet directly with the teacher. By face-to-face instruction I refer to such learning that takes place where the teacher and the student physically meet together, interacting in the learning process as is found in most public and private school systems and is thought of as the traditional learning method.
My Assumptions
Since Elearning Online students and all online learners are enrolled in classes online it is fair to assume that is what they prefer, but one must also consider the fact that such students made be influenced to do so by parents, school staff, or others in their lives. I expect to find the results of such students to be positive toward online learning and negative toward the traditional methods of instruction. It is my assumption that students who enjoy or do well with online learning are those who either will enroll in classes that partake in such instruction, or that they will stay in these types of learning environments as part or for all of their educational endeavors. By the same token, those students, I assume, who do not do well learning in the online atmosphere will most likely avoid such learning paths. An additional assumption is that those who are computer illiterate will not be as likely to participate in online learning. It is my thought that just as students have varied learning styles, so too do they have their own preferences with the way in which that learning is presented, whether it be online or off.
Literature Review
Much research has been done in the university academic world, but little work exists for the Kindergarten through 12 learning arena regarding online instruction. More work needs to be done concerning the teaching and learning of those eighteen and younger online. Liebowitz, in his article, Teach people skills totally online? (2003), conducted a study comparing instruction of his college course for an MBA program offline and online. The results were that communication seemed to be an issue with online students and that clarification and the manner in which directions were stated was crucial. When teaching my students online I too have noticed that students sometimes misconstrue things, as is often found when using chat or email. This is especially true with students whose native language is not English. Liebowitz previously thought that teaching his course effectively to his students online would be an impossibility, and later found out it that he was wrong. When considering the preferences of students concerning whether or not they like online or offline instruction it is important to remember that things are not always what they seem and that what works for some students at one time may change in the future as they become more comfortable with technology, for example, such as in the case of online instruction, as Liebowitz discovered.
Montanez, M; Ooms, A. & Rodriguez, M. (2008) take a look at the views of 700 online learners and how they felt the quality of their instruction online could be improved. According to Montanez, M; Ooms, A. & Rodriguez, M. et al, online success is often dictated by student technological success and computer ability. Regarding online learners, most students either already know how to operate computers better than adults, or will learn to work with such technology eventually in school. The authors of this article state the inevitability of the growth of online instruction and the fact that online learning success will depend upon the ability of teachers and staff members to understand and provide for the needs of the students. The quality of online programs, they say, determines program and student success. Perhaps the students who favor online learning have this outlook because they feel their program is successful, or maybe it is successful due to the fact that students who attend classes online have an interest in or a passion for computers, technology or online learning.
Teacher Interviews
Three Elearning Online instructors were interviewed for the purposes of this research. Two of the three teachers preferred online instruction, while one liked both online and offline courses equally (Table 1). None of the teachers chose offline learning for their preferences.
Table 1
Teacher Preferences Toward Online and Offline Instruction
Online Learning | Offline Learning | Combination of Online and Offline Learning |
2 | ||
Teachers were asked what they felt the advantages and the disadvantages were of online versus offline teaching (Table 2). The teachers felt that the advantages of online teaching consisted of convenience, a safer environment, the lack of a need to commute to work, the ability to have more one-on-one time with their students, the opportunity for a greater variety of pupils to be taught, and anonymity, where they would not have to be seen in the community by their students. For disadvantages the three teachers listed the lack of staff support, difficulty of providing students with explanations, technical issues, including video and audio issues, a lack of a feeling of community with their students, a lack of traditional equipment that teachers are able to access, and physical limitations such as not being able to see what the student is doing if there is no video used in the classroom, and the inability to easily teach students new concepts.
Table 2
Teacher Results for Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Compared to Offline Instruction
Advantages |
No commute |
More one-on-one time with students |
Safer |
Convenience |
More variety of students |
Will not see students in public situations, such as grocery store, gas station, etc. |
Student Interviews
Online Learning Experience
Table 3 indicates the responses of the participants towards factors regarding online instruction and their experiences with Elearning Online. The statistics reveal some interesting points.
Table 3
Questionnaire Results: Advantages and Disadvantages to Online Learning
Advantages |
Saves commute time |
Learn faster, better |
Individualized help/individualized instruction |
|
No need to get dressed up |
No travel necessary |
Table 3 seems to indicate that while students favor saving time, travel and having to get dressed to go to school, they also realize that online instruction has its limits. They bring up the fact that online education can be impersonal and lacking in social opportunities. Since students were asked in this capacity to list advantages along with disadvantages, the results are skewed. When asked which type of learning they preferred, all students indicated (Table 3) that they favored online instruction, although one student noted liking both options the same. Of the three students questioned, all liked online learning, and one also liked offline learning. This student had selected both choices, online and offline learning. None of the students asked chose offline learning alone as an option. The same was true when sixty students were questioned at random (Table 5). Each student was assigned a pseudonym for the purpose of the research.
Table 4
Preferences of Three Case Study Students Concerning Online Versus Offline Instruction
Online Learning |
James |
Karen |
0 |
Table 5 shows the results of sixty students who were randomly questioned over the semester regarding their views toward online and offline instruction. The results reveal that there is a strong preference toward learning online, with a combination of online and offline learning as a secondary choice, and with offline learning showing less interest and preference. Numbers for Table 5 represent a count of students and their choices. Students for this questioning were chosen by randomly assigning each student attending online classes at Elearning Online with a number. The numbers then were put on random.org in order to avoid contamination or bias of the results.
Table 5
Preference of Sixty Randomly Chosen Elearning Online Students Concerning Online Versus Offline Instruction
Online Learning |
58 |
Case Studies
Three online learners to whom I have assigned different names for the purposes of this study were chosen randomly through random.org. There were two girls and one boy selected. The assigned names given to these students were Karen, James and Laura. Each student is described below.
Karen is twelve years old and is enrolled in math classes with Elearning Online. She struggled with fractions in school and signed up for the course in order to brush up on some skills. She has been reluctant to learn and master her multiplication facts, and by doing so she is hindering her ability to move forward with fractions. I worked with Karen during the duration of this study. We worked on math facts as well as on the addition and subtraction of fractions. Karen was asked about her thoughts toward online learning and she noted that she preferred this type of instruction over learning offline in the traditional educational environment. She expressed her thoughts, which are listed below.
“I like learning online because it makes me not as afraid when other students cannot laugh at me making mistakes. Learning online is more fun for me and I get to sit at home and don’t have to go anywhere.”Karen also attended school in the offline environment, but felt that she did not do as well in that type of school. She said that she was a quiet person, and that her shyness made online learning a good option for her. She knew that socially learning online was not the best thing for her, but felt that it offered her a way to learn faster and to learn more than she could in a classroom full of students who were being constantly disciplined for poor behavior. Karen seemed to thrive in her online situation, and she continued to become less shy and apprehensive about her math. She still needs to have more review with her multiplication tables and the addition and subtraction of fractions, but she also knows that the online tools work well for her and that eventually she will be able to grasp the concepts she needs to learn. She has determined to stick with learning online, but she also will continue learning in the face-to-face setting, although not by choice. Karen expressed that she would prefer to conduct all of her learning online, but finances do not allow for this. She is happy that she can at least do some of her learning online, and hopes one day to go to college where the entire program is offered online.
Laura is fifteen years old and enrolled in the reading program with Elearning Online. She is an English Language Learner and Spanish is her first language. Since moving to the United States five years ago, she has struggled in her classes where she has been mainstreamed into regular native English speaking classrooms. She has been working on and still needs more practice with comprehension and vocabulary skills. When questioned Laura expressed that she liked online and offline learning the same. She felt that the variety offered her the best of both worlds and that online learning helped her to feel more comfortable with technology and computers. Additionally, she reported that the one-on-one concept of her online classroom provided her with the additional assistance she needed to work on her language abilities and that the offline classroom offered her the opportunity to hone in on her verbal and social skills.
Laura said that online learning helped her with her English and she explained that she did not feel comfortable working on that in the face-to-face class she took because she felt that other kids would laugh at her lack of knowledge in the new language. She also expressed that she liked to type and that she was highly capable with computers. Also, Laura said that offline learning worked well for her in those situations where her friends could help her with concepts she did not understand. She said that she looked forward to going to a place and to a school where she could see her friends, but that she also made many new friends in the online setting.
Online learning helped Laura progress quickly with vocabulary and comprehension skills, and she was able to transfer such knowledge into the offline learning environment that she also liked and did well with. She plans to continue learning in this way, because it works for her, and would like to do so until she has learned enough English to function well in her new country.
James is eighteen years old and takes reading and math classes in his online program at Elearning Online. He relayed that he preferred the online situation over the traditional classroom and expressed that all of his learning was done via this method. He did not ever attend classes offline since he was home schooled all of his life. He said he liked home schooling, but that online learning gave him the chance to meet and learn from a lot of different kinds of people, something he previously did not experience. He did know from what he heard from friends that offline learning offered the opportunity to meet and interact with more people, but otherwise, from what he could tell, there was not much difference between the two learning types. Since it was evident that James did not have anything to compare online and offline instruction with other than home schooling, his situation provided a different outlook than that of the other two students in this case study.
Summary of Case Studies
Karen, Laura and James all had a preference to learning online, but Laura liked both options just as much. Online learning kept Karen from overcoming her lack of social skills, but she also was involved in offline instruction where she could work on these matters. Learning online for her offered the chance to avoid ridicule that prevented her from moving forward with her mathematical concepts. Educational areas that were not easy for the students studied in this case study or subjects where students did not excel were often given as reasons why the students liked and benefited from classes on the computer. These students said that online learning gave them a way to get more individualized instruction along with the attention their needs demanded, and they did not feel the pressure to perform or be perfect in this setting.
Laura was able to overcome apprehension regarding learning a new language by taking online classes, but she also liked the social outlet found in learning offline. She knew that both styles were beneficial for her and her education, and was therefore willing to participate in both situations. She did well at school and her friends were there to help her, but she also seemed to need and thrive on the discipline and privacy that computer learning provided her.
James had been previously home schooled and as a result was not able to compare online instruction to the traditional school setting offline. He did, however, express that he liked learning online and that it gave him the chance to meet new teachers and experience other students he might not otherwise meet. In working on math and reading, he felt that online learning made things more convenient for him than if he were to attend a public or a private school.
The three students in this case study all were pleased with online learning and one student liked both online and offline instruction equally. Each student seemed to have his or her own personal reasons for their preferences, and they were strong in their convictions when asked for their reasoning. From the findings of this case study, it may be concluded that students take online classes for different reasons, and it also should be considered that some students may not have the opportunity to involve themselves in such learning situations.
The following is the link to one of the online surveys utilized in this study:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=rg_2biJbH82Wz_2flw7CYuFtVg_3d_3d
The Benefits of Online Learning
For teachers, teaching online can have its advantages. The three teachers interviewed in this study indicated that teaching online brought them a sense of independence, and allowed them the freedom from commuting and preparing for students to see them physically. Although many online learning situations do offer video access, Elearning Online does not have this option. Further, the teachers questioned felt that online learning had advantages for students in that they could have more one-on-one time with their instructors and that they also did not have to worry about commutes and preparation for being seen in the classroom. The teachers felt online instruction was safer for teachers as well as for students, and that the quiet environment, free from distractions was more conducive to learning than the traditional educational setting.
Students, too, had a preference for receiving their education online. They liked the idea of not having to get up as early to get ready for school and to either ride the bus or travel in a car all the way to class. They, like the teachers, felt that when participating in the online option they learned faster and were free from unnecessary interruptions that often hinder their learning. In addition, students cited the fact that they were able to receive more individualized help and attention when learning on the computer. Traditional classrooms, they said, often consisted of students who did not want to learn, and they felt much time was wasted with teachers disciplining students.
The Challenges of Online Learning
The three teachers questioned during this research study admitted that teaching and learning online were not without challenges. Not being able to see students could sometimes be an obstacle for those teachers not using video as a tool in their classrooms. Furthermore, the teachers insisted that they, like the students, missed the social aspect and feeling of community often found in the offline setting.
When asked about the challenges of learning on the computer, the students interviewed said that they felt there was not enough of a social outlet in the online environment when compared to learning offline, and that when learning offline in collaborative environments, they can learn from other students more easily. They said also that in the traditional school setting equipment such as gyms, swimming pools, libraries, films and other materials were available, while such amenities were usually not possible online. Students learning English expressed difficulty learning skills such as pronunciation and other verbal communication techniques online because of the lack of a physical teacher and a video camera whereby they could obtain easy access to viewing how words were sounded out and how facial muscles moved during speech.
Conclusions
According to the results of this study, it is evident that as far as education is concerned, both teachers and students prefer the online method. It must be taken into consideration though that for the purposes of this study, all participants were at the time involved in either taking or teaching an online course. No teachers or students preferred offline to online learning or instruction, although a small minority (1%) liked both learning types. As online learning becomes more popular, innovations most likely will compensate for the disadvantages of this type of education, and then, hopefully, the benefits can outweigh the limitations concerning this type of instruction. As I continue to teach my online students, I know, as do the teachers and students who participated in this study, that the challenges are many. In spite of the problems involved such as with technical issues and social limitations, the online classroom continues to grow daily, and may eventually be the only classroom.
Through this study I merely brushed on some aspects of why online learning works for some students and not for others, as well as what the advantages and disadvantages of such educational situations are. My plans are to continue to collect data and to learn even more about the preferences and discrepancies having to do with online learning. This study did not look into types of learners who choose to learn online, nor did it delve much into the reason for students preferring offline learning. It would be beneficial for the online sector to compare offline student opinions with online attendees, and there would be similar gains for those involved in face-to-face instruction as well.
This study barely skims the surface regarding the comparisons of online versus offline instruction and learning, and much more needs to be done. From the evidence based on this study my assumptions appear to be true. Most students questioned who engage in and prefer learning online seem to prefer this type of instruction over offline learning. A few students liked both learning methods, but none of the online learners chose offline learning as their favorite way to learn. Perhaps this was because they were already involved in online classes, or maybe it had something to do with the fact that they had strong computer abilities and therefore enjoyed such educational stimulation. One limitation to this study includes the fact that my workplace, Elearning Online does not involve itself in video presentations for its instruction. Other limitations concern the fact that I questioned the students and teachers online and not in person, but for the purposes of an online study, that in itself might prove to be an advantage. This study represents only one online program and therefore cannot speak for the results of all online classrooms.
More study needs to be carried out in this area, as online learning is a concept that is new and limited as far as research that has been conducted is concerned. Further study may provide more answers that delve into the psychology of student preferences and are critical as the popularity of online learning continues to expand.
This research offers a glimpse into the minds of online students, along with their teachers as to why online learning works and why it does not. It also provides answers as to what it is about learning offline in the typical traditional school settings that works and also what does not. Additional study directed toward finding such answers must be imminent in order to move our students forward into new and unknown learning explorations of the future. Students questioned in the case study expressed that online learning provided for them a safety net and a sanctuary away from those who might otherwise ridicule their academic shortcomings. Online learning, it seems, is the answer for some students, but not for all. Just as learning styles vary with some students, so too must it be realized that there are and probably will always be those students who do well online and those who fare better in the offline instructional arena. Ensuring that both options are available to students leaves them with the choice of what works best for them because when it comes right down to it, does it really matter how they learn, as long as they do, in fact, learn?
Resources
Karber, D. J. (2003). Comparisons and contrasts in traditional versus on-line teaching in management. Higher Education in Europe, 26: 533-536.
Liebowitz, J. (2003). Teach people skills totally online? College Teaching, 51: 82-85.
Mishra, S. (2005). Learning from the online learners. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36: 569-574.
Montanez, M; Ooms, A. & Rodriguez, M. (2008). Student perceptions of online-learning quality given comfort, motivation, satisfaction and experience. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 7: 105-125.