Is Online Education Better Than Classroom Education?

Chances are good that you have either taken an online course, or that you know someone who has. The National Center for Education Statistics found that as of 2014, one in four undergraduate students took at least one online course, and that number is expected to more than double in the coming years. In fact, from 2012 to 2013, online courses accounted for nearly three-quarters of the increase in enrollment for colleges in the United States. Given these facts, some educators wonder if students in online courses are getting what they pay for. Is online instruction as effective as meeting regularly on campus?

The appeal of online education is clear. For students, online education offers flexible scheduling, more time for work or family, and extra money, because online courses eliminate the need to commute to and from school. For colleges and universities, online education programs are cost-effective and profitable because they enable schools to reach new student populations, both nationally and internationally, without the expense of classrooms, offices, libraries, and bookstores.

But despite the advantages of online education, questions remain about its efficacy. For example, some educators ask if virtual classrooms are able to duplicate the dynamic educational atmosphere of face-to-face instruction. Others question whether students learn as well from education delivered by technology as they do from classroom instruction. Still others point out that because online instruction requires more self-discipline than on-campus classes, students find it easy to procrastinate and fall behind on their work.

Later in this chapter, you will be asked to think more about this issue. You will be given several sources to consider and asked to write an argument—using one of the three approaches discussed in this chapter—that takes a position on whether online education is better than classroom instruction.