Classroom vs. Virtual vs. Home School Learning - BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS & EDUCATION FOUNDDATION

The Options for Education 2021-22

Pro and Cons

In-Classroom Learning

Classroom Learning

Experts agree that some of the advantages include:
• Classroom learning is essential to promote and stimulate collaborative learning which increases a student’s environment.
• They can collaborate with other students, and it tends to make learning more easily and effectively, thus enhances students’ critical thinking skills.
Being in a classroom gives students a chance to engage in live discussions and get one to one instruction. It also encourages them to use their critical thinking skills to create opinions or arguments in an open forum.

Develop & Improve Social Skills

• Students interact and establish rapport with their peers and teachers. This is an important part of their academic education.
• Students learn to develop organizational skills and prioritize their time, and learn accountability to be better prepared manage schoolwork, extracurricular and volunteer activities. In essence, students’ efficiency in time management and prioritizing their assignments lead to an all-around wholesome school experience.
• For most students, it is incumbent to have the physical presence of a teacher who they can relate to as they make progress through their interactive and interesting activities. It also tends to enable a student’s retention about what they learn during a session.
• Individual attention may be necessary and rewarding as they can get help with issues they may struggle with.
• Since there are different levels of learners in a classroom, teachers can identify and address those considered for example who are visual learners, and help those who are auditory learners, etc.
• Students can be monitored to see if they are grasping the details of a lesson, or they require further explanation.
• Students can get the reinforcements they need for clarification before moving ahead in a topic. Since being in a classroom offers a communal learning environment, it essentially helps develop personality and career building skills. Such areas as learning conflict resolution skills – how to deescalate and resolve issues, presentation skills – learning how to present their ideas confidently in front of peers and develop team spirit and cultural harmony.
• Last, such experiences are valuable in shaping communication and listening skills, as well as growing and maturing emotionally.
These points show that though a large portion of school districts are moving towards online education in large numbers due to the advent of the digital age, classroom teaching has certain plus points that online teaching simply cannot replace.

Higher Attendance

Peer Interaction

• Peer interaction can play a significant role during the learning process.
• In-class education provides the perfect setting for this type of interaction, which can be missing from or difficult to achieve through online education.
• Face-to-face interaction with peers and in-class group work has been proven to offer many benefits in a learning environment, as well as helping to prepare students for this type of interaction after they have graduated from their trade school program.

Other Positives

Instant Clarification
• Traditional classes offer students the opportunity to instantly clarify any questions they may have about the material.
• This venue allows individuals to approach peers and instructors before, during, or after classes to clear up misunderstandings, rather than allowing them to persist or forcing students to wait for email replies in a virtual classroom setting. • Classroom learning encourages and facilitates questions and in-class discussions, while online education opportunities may miss this aspect of learning altogether.
Improved Information Retention
• When taking classes online, students can choose their surroundings during class. While this is a benefit for some, many others may find that their choice of location is distracting or otherwise detrimental to the learning process. Taking part in traditional classes means students will always enjoy a setting that is specifically geared toward learning and maximum information retention.
• In-class learning guarantees a place free of distractions and other potential disruptions that could impact overall information retention.
Enhanced Campus Experience
• In-class education comes part and parcel with attending classes in a larger educational setting, such as a trade school campus.
• Visiting campus regularly offers students many benefits, including the opportunity to network with peers and professors, find educational assistance when it is needed, and even explore extracurricular opportunities that are not available to students taking online classes from home.
The overall experience of spending time on campus thus helps to round out students’ learning experience and can improve performance as well as satisfaction with their chosen career program.

Disadvantages

Interruptions of Learning and Activities
The Covid-19 virus has caused erratic in- class participation and extracurricular activities that require close contact.
Lack of Consistent Guidelines and Information
• The inconsistencies of school districts to manage the process makes the learning process harder for some students, and even harder to take part in traditional activities.
• The day to day permissive cannot guarantees a place free of distractions and other potential disruptions that could impact overall information retention.
The absence of the overall experience of spending time on campus affects students’ learning and performance and puts undue stress especially on those who are trying to close out their high school experience.

Virtual Learning

Efficiency

A virtual classroom is only as good as the technology behind it. If the learning software doesn’t work well with your computer, or your internet connection fails during a lesson, you may end up spending more time working with the software or repairing your connection than learning the material.
So, here are some helpful tips:
Efficiency
• Online learning offers teachers an efficient way to deliver lessons to students.
• Teachers can use online learning tools such as videos, PDFs and podcasts. By extending the lesson plan beyond traditional textbooks to include online resources, teachers can become more efficient educators.

Accessibility

Time and Place
Making virtual learning accessible to anyone who has a computer, tablet or smartphone is a priority. Another advantage of online education is that it allows students to attend classes from any location if they can get a Wi-Fi signal. It also allows schools to reach out to a more extensive network of students, instead of being restricted by geographical boundaries. Additionally, online lectures can be recorded, archived, and shared for future reference. This allows students to access the learning material at a time of their comfort.

Affordability

• Because you can learn from the comfort of your own home it means that there are no travel costs involved in virtual learning.
• Another advantage of online learning is reduced financial costs. Online education is far more affordable as compared to physical learning. This is because online learning eliminates the cost points of student transportation, student meals, and most importantly, real estate.
• Additionally, all the course or study materials are available online, thus creating a paperless learning environment which is more affordable, while also being beneficial to the environment.

Improved Student Attendance

Since online classes can be taken from home or any location, virtual learning can take place at a time that is convenient for the student. There is no longer any need to be in a classroom at a specific time on a specific day.

A Variety of Learning Styles

• Every student has a different learning experience.
• Some students are visual learners, while some students prefer to learn through audio.
• Similarly, some students thrive in the classroom, and other students are solo learners who get distracted by large groups.
The online learning system, with its range of options and resources, can be personalized in many ways. It is the best way to create a perfect learning environment suited to the needs of each student.

Disadvantages

It can feel impersonal because there is no actual human interaction. The virtual environment can feel a little lonely.

Solo Learning

• If you need clarification on a topic, it might not be instantly available as it would be if a teacher were present.
• You can still ask for clarification in a virtual learning situation, but the answer may be delayed due to online availability.

Inabiity to Focus

Inability To Focus on Screens
• For many students, one of the biggest challenges of online learning is the struggle with focusing on the screen for long periods of time.
• With online learning, there is also a greater chance for students to be easily distracted by social media or other sites. Therefore, it is imperative for the teachers to keep their online classes crisp, engaging, and interactive to help students stay focused on the lesson.
Self-Discipline
It’s essential that you have the motivation necessary to sit and do the course. This type of learning is more difficult for those who are prone to procrastination.

Technology Issues

Technology Issues
Online internet connectivity may be a challenge for students.
Some areas still experience inadequate hi-speed internet connections which puts some students at a disadvantage.
This can be detrimental to the education process.
Technology problems are always frustrating, but if they take place when you’re in the middle of attending a virtual class, they can be extremely disruptive.
A virtual classroom is only as good as the technology behind it.

Manage Screen Time

Isolation
• There are no other students with whom to discuss the course so the type of classroom discussions that can lead to understanding of the subject do not happen.
• Students can learn a lot from being in the company of their peers. However, in an online class, there are minimal physical interactions between students and teachers. This often results in a sense of isolation for the students.
• In this situation, it is imperative that the school allow for other forms of communication between the students, peers, and teachers. This can include online messages, emails and video conferencing that will allow for face-to-face interaction and reduce the sense of isolation.
Manage Screen Time
• Many parents are concerned about the health hazards of having their children spend so many hours staring at a screen.
• This increase in screen time is one of the biggest concerns and disadvantages of online learning.
• Sometimes students develop bad posture and other physical problems due to staying hunched in front of a screen.
A good solution to this would be to give the students plenty of breaks from the screen to refresh their mind and their body.

Teacher Training

Teacher Training
• Online learning requires teachers to have a basic understanding of using digital forms of learning. • However, this is not the case always. Very often, teachers have a very basic understanding of technology. Sometimes, they don’t even have the necessary resources and tools to conducts online classes.
• To combat this, it is important for schools to invest in training teachers with the latest technology updates so that they can conduct their online classes seamlessly.

Home Schooling

Advantages

Accessibility

Academic flexibility.
Flexibility.
The timing can be adjusted to suit the student’s needs.
• Freedom. You are free to choose the entire teaching and learning experience.
• Personalized Education.
• Minimum Restrictions related to COVID-19.
• Parent choice of pace and approach.
• Efficient learning.
• Meaningful learning.
• Time for stuff many schools cannot accommodate.
• Homeschool might offer more specialized educational attention for special needs children.
• Children may progress faster in a homeschool setting than in public school.
• Many parents find that they enjoy spending extra time with their kids in homeschool.

Disadvantages

• Too Much Work.
• Possibly fewer resources such as technology that may be available in a public school.
• Parents must teach a broad range of subjects. Greater freedom and flexibility requires more time and responsibility from the parent.
• Potentially less structure when compared to public school.

Is it Worth It?

• Research suggests homeschooled children tend to do better on standardized tests, stick around longer in college, and do better once they’re enrolled.
• A 2009 study showed that the proportion of homeschoolers who graduated from college was about 67%, while among public school students it was 59%.
• Teens who are homeschooled may become isolated especially when they don’t have any siblings at home. They may miss out on the friendships in school which could make them know the concept of helping out each other and sharing. They may also not get enough exposure which a traditional school might give them.
Homeschooling puts a lot of weight on the shoulders of the parents. Any teacher will tell you that being a first-year teacher is incredibly difficult. That first year is when you have to come up with all of your lesson plans, compile reading lists, dream up great science experiments and field trips, etc.

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