On-campus education vs. online education! Is one better than the other? Can one completely replace the other? Indeed it seems that online education is the way of the future. Educational institutions, corporations and government organizations alike already offer various forms of electronic teaching. However, can a computer truly replace a teacher and a blackboard?

How people learn

Each individual has a form of learning that suits them best. Some individuals achieve fantastic results in courses taught online, however most people drop out of 100% computer-led courses. Educational institutions, as well as companies in carrying out staff training, must recognize that there is no ideal way to carry out the teaching of a large group of individuals, and so must design programs that best suits the needs of the group as a whole.

People learn using multiple senses. This involves learning through both theoretical components of a course, as well as social interaction with both instructors and other students. Students learn from each other’s mistakes and successes, not just from what they are told by instructors.

Each individual student has an ideal learning pace. Instructors are therefore faced with the challenge of designing courses that move forward such that those students with a slower learning pace do not get left behind, while not moving so slowly that students with faster learning paces get bored.

Online education

In the age of high-speed information transfer, online education is becoming a popular and cheap means for delivering teaching to individuals outside the classroom, and in some cases all over the world. Teaching can be via CD, websites, or through real-time online facilities such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms. However, different methods of online education each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Online education is still a relatively new concept, and in many respects still in the teething stages. As such, various problems arrive across different online education environments. For example:

1. Lack of immediate feedback in asynchronous learning environments: While some online education environments such as webcasts, webinars and virtual classrooms operate live with the addition of an instructor, most do not. Teaching that is delivered through a CD or website, although having the advantage of being self-paced, provides no immediate feedback from a live instructor.

2. More preparation required on the part of the instructor: In an online education environment, an instructor can not simply stand in front of a whiteboard and deliver a class. Lessons in online education environments must be prepared ahead of time, along with any notes and instructions that may accompany the teaching.

In many cases it would also be necessary that the instructor not only understands the concepts being taught, but the technology used to deliver that teaching. This therefore increases the skill-levels needed of online education instructors, placing greater demand on educational institutions.

Staffing levels may also be higher for courses run in an online education environment, requiring for example:

The Instructor – able to teach both course content and be skilled in the use of technologies involved

The Facilitator – to assist the instructor in delivering content, but may do so remotely

Help Desk – to offer assistance to instructors, facilitators and students in the use of both software and hardware used to deliver the course.

3. Not all people are comfortable with online education: Education is no longer only sought by the world’s youth. With an increased trend towards adult and continuing education, there is a need to design courses suitable for students over a larger age-range, as well as students from different and varied backgrounds. It is difficult, however, to design online education environments suitable for everyone.

4. Increased potential for frustration, anxiety and confusion: In an online education environment, there are a greater number of parts making up the system that can fail. Server failures may prevent online courses from operating. Software based teaching applications may require other specific components to operate. Computer viruses may infect software necessary to run online education environments. If these systems are complex, students may choose the ease of On-campus education rather than taking the additional time and effort necessary to master the use of online education systems.

5. The Digital Divide: Many people who live in remote areas and developing countries do not have access to computers, making any form of online education virtually impossible. For this reason, online education is only able to be targeted at the people lucky enough to be able to take advantage of the technology involved. Similarly, offering live teaching across the world means that different time zones and nationalities increase the demand for multi-skilled instructors.

In addition to these, there are also several legal issues associated with maintaining an online education environment. For example, intellectual property laws, particularly those relating to copyright, may or may not fully cover electronically created intellectual property. For example, information on a website is not necessarily considered to be public domain, despite being available to everyone. However, the Australian Copyright Act was amended in 2001 to ensure that copyright owners of electronic materials, including online education environments, could continue to provide their works commercially.

On-Campus Education

Still the most common form of instruction is traditional classroom-style learning. These instructor-led environments are more personal than online education environments, and also have the advantage of allowing for immediate feedback both to and from student and teachers alike. However, the classroom allows for less flexibility than courses run in online education environments.

Instructors in modern classroom environments are still able to take advantage of several forms of electronic teaching tools while still maintaining the atmosphere associated with the traditional classroom environment. For example, PowerPoint slides can be utilized instead of a whiteboard or blackboard. Handouts can be distributed via course websites prior to the event. However, on the day, students are still able to actively participate in the lesson.

Like online education environments, On-campus education comes with certain drawbacks, the most common of which is the classroom itself. This requires a group of people which, in a university for example, could reach a few hundred people in size, to gather in the same place at the same time. This requires enormous time and financial commitment on behalf of both the students and the educational institution.

However, it is this sort of environment that is most familiar to students across the world. People of all ages can access a classroom environment feeling comfortable with the way that a classroom-run course is carried out. Older students who may not be comfortable with the use of information technology are not required to navigate their way through possibly complex online education environments, making On-campus education the most accessible form of teaching.

On-campus education has one advantage that 100% electronically delivered courses can not offer – social interaction. Learning comes from observing, not only what is written on a page or presented in a slideshow, but what is observed in others. Most students are naturally curious, and so will want to ask questions of their instructors. The classroom environment allows students to clarify what is being taught not only with their instructors, but with other students.

So, Which is Better?

There is no style of instruction that will best suit every student. Studies have shown (Can online education replace On-campus education) that courses where online education is used to complement On-campus education have proved more effective than courses delivered entirely using only one method. These courses take advantage of both online education materials and a live instructor, and have produced results higher than those of students in either 100% online education or classroom environment courses. Students have the advantage of the immediate feedback and social interaction that comes with the classroom environment, as well as the convenience of self-paced online education modules that can be undertaken when it best suits the student.

It would seem that online education environments will never completely replace On-campus education. There is no “one size fits all” method of teaching. Teaching styles will continue to adapt to find the method that best fits the learning group. Using a mix of online education environments and classroom sessions, educational institutions, corporations and government organizations can ensure that training is delivered that is convenient and effective for both instructors and students alike.

By: Mathew Simond

If you ask me what today’s way of the world is, I would undoubtedly come up with one word and that is -Internet. From chatting to shopping and banking almost everything is possible on the World Wide Web. The latest in this long list of things is, distance education. The concept has been there since several years, but not many people were familiar with it. Now it is gaining popularity as an internet connection, an e-mail account and a computer is all you need to earn an online vocational education training degree. From an initial degree to a complete AA degree, all are offered through distance education programs.

Various top accredited online schools offer online vocational education training programs. These are taught in random fragments in opposition to academic training which is typically progressive. Collaborating with union apprenticeship training programs, online vocational education training programs are developed. These career development distance education programs can be taken up by just about anyone. However there remains a serious point of concern and that is how a learner puts together such learning sessions together. Does an online learner gain both confidence in acquired skills and team-building expertise? Because for some of the online vocational education training programs, interaction is indispensable. To overcome this hitch, most of the top online schools have hired on-site trainers which are further supplemented by distance education courses.

By going for an online vocational education training program, you can learn a skill right from your desk. These extremely convenient online degree programs are beneficial to employees as well as employers. A growing number of employers appreciate the value of distance education and encourage their employees to acquire the required skills through such courses.

If you are working on your marketability or require specialized skills for your current position, going for distance education programs is the right course of action. Many organizations will readily, partly or completely pay for relevant courses.

When choosing an online vocational education training program, take into account its price, format and most importantly content. Your employer may allow you time to take lessons during work hours or otherwise. Work it out with your employer beforehand. The relevancy of the course to your present job will be a deciding factor for that. The concept of distance education is seeing new heights with training companies, businesses, schools and unions seeking and developing new online vocational education training courses.

By: Mary Solomon

As a professional music educator you strive to provide all your students with the best practical and theoretical program you can. Continuing your own education in music history and musicology will ensure you can do just that. You can continue to meet your professional obligations by receiving a doctorate online from any one of the many accredited universities that offer a doctorate of musical arts in music education.

As an online student you have the ability to decide where and when your best study times are. You can work towards your doctorate online confident that you will have at your disposal a faculty of professionals who are there to guide you every step of the way. Gain valuable knowledge and share your personal experiences with fellow online students in virtual classroom settings. Take advantage of a diverse faculty of experienced educators from around the world who are dedicated to the art and history of music.

If you are ready to take your professional and academic career to the next level then a doctorate online program of study is your first step in achieving those goals. You can use your doctorate as a portal to collaborating with other research specialists who share the same love and interest in the art of music education as you do. Rather than continuing to teach your students according to guidelines and methods established by others be part of an elite group of professionals who set the standards of how music education is delivered. Be recognized as an educator who is committed to their field of study that only a doctorate can provide.

Open the doors to new and exciting job opportunities in education and research by enrolling in a doctorate online course of study. The investment you make now in choosing one of the many accredited online universities that offers a doctorate of musical arts in music education will be one that will continue to pay personal and professional dividends throughout your life. It will certainly be one of the best investments you will ever make.

There is no higher academic achievement than a doctorate. Gain the respect and acknowledgment of music educators globally by being asked to speak at world symposiums or by contributing articles to leading music magazines. Use the knowledge and skills you acquire to share your love of music with future generations. Through furthering your research skills you will make a difference in how music education is delivered. Your online doctorate is a symbol that shows the world your commitment and passion within the field of music education. Join the global community of recognized scholar-practitioners and take your career to the next level.

Take a few minutes right now to investigate top accredited universities that offer doctorate online degrees and secure your future in a field that you have already proven your commitment to. Continue meeting your professional and personal obligations while you work towards achieving your academic goals. Online universities understand the challenges and pressures faced by the adult working student and have a faculty that is committed to helping you achieve your goals.

By: Matthew Bowes