What is the Difference Between Online Education and Traditional Education

The key difference between online education and traditional education is that online education refers to learning that takes place in electronically supported learning environments whereas traditional education refers to the conventional learning process that takes place physically in classrooms.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made online education more popular all over the world. However, both education methods have their own advantages and disadvantages.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Online Education
3. What is Traditional Education
4. Online Education vs Traditional Education in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Online Education vs Traditional Education

What is Online Education?

Online education happens over the internet, and it comes under the category of distance learning. In online education, the interaction between teacher and students take place in a virtual environment. Different types of online platforms are used around the world for the online teaching and learning process. Some of these online platforms include Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Moodle. Although education takes place in a virtual environment, both the teacher and students can see and hear each other since most of these platforms provide the facility of video conferencing.

In online education, all the learning materials are also provided virtually, and the teacher can share what she or he teaches using screen sharing. At the same time, students can also engage in group work using various options. Therefore, online education can give students an experience similar to that of a physical learning environment. With the emergence of the COVID 19 pandemic in 2019, online teaching and learning have been promoted all around the world. Not only teaching and learning but also the evaluation process happens virtually in many educational institutes around the world.

What is Traditional Education?

Traditional education refers to the basic conventional teaching-learning process that takes place physically in a classroom environment. The teacher and students meet physically and do face-to-face teaching and learning. The learning materials are provided physically, and students get live feedback. Moreover, the teacher can supervise and assist students’ work.

Often, traditional education mainly practices teacher-centered learning. Traditional education emphasizes direct instruction and learning for students. Students mainly learn by listening and observation in a physical learning environment. However, they get the opportunity to discuss the details of the work and clear any doubts they have. This will help improve the performance and competence of the students more effectively. With new educational reforms, student-centered learning is also encouraged in physical learning environments.

What is the Difference Between Online Education and Traditional Education?

The key difference between online education and traditional education is that online education takes place in a virtual environment while traditional education takes place in a physical classroom environment. In traditional education, students directly engage with teachers while whereas in online education the students do not get to interact with the teacher and other students directly. Moreover, traditional education provides hands-on experience for students in their learning processes, whereas online education does not provide hands-on experience. Although textbooks and printed materials are provided in a traditional classroom environment, the materials needed for online education are provided virtually, usually in the form of digital files (PFDs, audios, videos, etc.).

In addition, online education tends to be more convenient than traditional education since students do not need to travel. They only need a device to connect to the internet and a stable internet connection. However, some online courses may be expensive, whereas traditional education is inexpensive, letting anyone take up a course.

The below infographic presents the differences between online education and traditional education in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Online Education vs Traditional Education

The key difference between online education and traditional education is that online education takes place in a virtual environment while traditional education takes place in a physical classroom environment. Therefore, online education does not involve face-to-face interactions between students and teachers, while traditional education involves face-to-face interactions.