Online vs. F-2-F

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Online/ e-Learning Replacement

or

Complement to

Face-to-Face Education

Jason Schenzel

University of Wisconsin-Stout

TECH-532: Futures of Technology (2 credits)

B. Anderson

12/19/2010


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Online/ e-Learning vs. Face-to-Face

Traditional classrooms with the majority of instruction being face-to-face have

been in place for thousands of years. Steinbronn defines face-to-face (2007), The

face-to-face classroom environment was defined as instruction in a physical setting

where instructor and student are present (p. 267). In the past 20 years the concept of

e-Learning has started to take shape and has asserted a more prominent role in

education. Zhang defines e-Learning (2010), E-Learning can be defined as

technology-based learning in which learning materials are delivered electronically to

remote learners via a computer network (p. 76). The question now is what role does e-

Learning play in education for the future and will it overtakeorcoexistwith the traditional

classroom as a method of education?

Impacts of Online/ e-Learning on Society

Metz provides her view of online learnings impact on society (2010), Visionaries

believe this online learning movement is just the beginning of a transformation of the

school system for the first time in more than 50 years (p. 20) One of the biggest

differences with online education is that there is a shift in the center of the educational

process. In a traditional face-to-face environment the content is provided in an

instructor-centered method. The online environment provides the content in a learner-

centered method. While both are effective educational methods there is inherently less

ownership or control provided to the learner in face-to-face. Pitt (2006), For the past


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century or more, teachers have controlled classrooms by virtue of their monopoly on

information (p. 3). This can provide the need for a paradigm shift in the way that our

education systems and our society see how the education process should be

conducted. Until this shift happens there may never be a true openness to accept a

new way of educating with online learning as part of the process.

Challenges and Opportunities of Online/ e-Learning

Computers, servers, network infrastructure, internet access, learning

management systems and other technologies are needed for online education. Metz

highlights a potential challenge (2010), the cost of equipment and infrastructure has

been a burden to most districts over the last century (p.23) With constant local, state

and federal budget cuts for education a challenge that exists is the cost of online

education solutions and the equipment and infrastructure that is needed to provide it.

Maddux notes (2009)., The present poor state of the global economy makes the high

cost of technology especially troubling to lawmakers, administrators, teachers and the

general public (p. 183). This fact will make justification of the equipment and services

critical and will require more research to come up with the most cost effective solutions.

Wise suggests it will not get any better anytime soon (2010), The Great Recession of

2008-09 closed off the possibility of spending increases for education (p. 55).

Online education could present an opportunity to enhance the educational

system to help reach students in ways that were not possible in the face-to-face

classroom. Lehmann (2009), When a skilled online facilitator teaches a well-written


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online course, the opportunities for learning are incredible, even better that traditional

learning, also known as face-to-face (f2f) class (p.2). There isalso the opportunity to

utilize a blended (online and face-to-face) classroom environment that can allow both

worlds to work side by side. Metz (2010), Evidence suggests that blended courses

may be the most effective method of delivering online courses (p.20). One of the most

popular methods for delivering online courses is a learning management system. At the

center of the learning management system is a collaboration tool called discussion

boards. Discussion boards allow students to post a discussion topic and then respond

to other students posts.M

eloni (2010), a discussion board attached to a class that

meets face to face can provide opportunities for you to clarify or enhance content

discussed (p. 2).

Can Technology Provide Viable Solutions forOnline/ e-Learning

Since the 1990s learning management systems have started to hit the education

scene. These technologies have created the base for online education as we know it

today. The hurdle now is to find a more true to real life classroom technology that the

students can use with relative ease. Berk (2010), One approach is to understand the

Net Geners learner characteristics and then leverage the technologies with which

theyre already familiar in your teaching (p 4). Integration of learning management

systems with social networking systems could tap into a key line of communication that

saturates the culture today. Success of online education hinges on the ability to fully

connect with the learner and these two technologies together can accomplish this.


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In addition to social network enhancements learning management systems need

to go beyond discussion boards that are mainly asynchronous, or not real time,

communications and develop a more synchronousface-to-face type interaction among

students. Ng (2007), the use of synchronous conferencing techniques has unique

benefits to education. First, real-time interaction allows simulation of a real

classroom (p.1). These synchronous,real time, tools exist currently in systems like

GoToMeeting, Adobe Connect, WebEx and even free sources like Vyew, Dim Dim or

Yugma. However it will be advantageous to have this synchronous integration built right

into the learning management systems. Ng (2007), Some studies have indicated

greater improvement in the level of active participation, the quality of discussion and

group dynamics when synchronous collaborative systems are brought into teaching

(p.1) We would look to technology to find new ways to incorporate synchronous

communications into learning management systems.

Who Will Gain and Who will Lose withOnline/ e-Learning

Students will be a beneficiary of increased online learning as they could have

more educational opportunities at their fingertips. Metz (2010), Online courses provide

students with many advantages; alternatives to the traditional school, courses that they

cannot enroll in otherwise, opportunities for home schooling, ways to better meet the

needs of the new digital age student and a medium for receiving extra help (p. 20)

This can also work conversely as not all students may be afforded the same

luxury of having the technology needed to access online education readily available to


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them. Maddux writes (2010), Lives of many of todays students (the more affluent

ones, at least) have changed due to the ubiquity of information technology (p. 185).

The gap between the haves and the have nots could get larger in our society with the

students that are the haves getting additional educational opportunities and the have

nots being left behind.

In addition to some students not being able to have access to online education

sources there also is the issue that not all students may have the personality for online

education. There are certain individual characteristics, such as the need for constant

guidance and direct supervision, that may affect a persons ability to be productive at

home (p. 145). Students in online education must have the motivation necessary to

stay on task and if they do not then they may not be good candidates for the online

environment.

One hidden benefit of online education could be a positive impact on the

environment with decreased pollutants. Albrecht elaborates (n.d.), Online education

eliminates the campus commute, reducing carbon dioxide emissions dramatically.

Something that most may not think about is the fact that if you are taking an online

course you are not driving to get your education. Take my education for example, I

completed my undergraduate work at UW Stevens Point and commuted 70 miles round

trip every day from Wausau to Stevens Point and in the process burning about 3.5

gallons of gasoline. Now for my graduate work I am attending UW Stout, but am

attending online rather than commuting from Wausau to Menomonie which would have

been 234 miles round trip every day.


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The education system itself will be greatly impacted by the increase of online

education. Wise provides his commentary of the education system today (2010),

Thinking about how much the world has changed in the last 20 years, it becomes clear

that the education sector is like a massive mainframe computer trying to fit itself into a

smartphone world (p. 52). Changes will be more aligned with online education and will

have less of a demand for certified classroom teachers for the face-to-face environment

and more of a demand for instructional designers to build and support online education

courses.Hoang supports the need for people educated in instructional design (2010),

The ability to develop and deliver quality web-based education is critical to the success

of the students learning experiences (p. 6).

Conclusion

Online education will have a marketable impact on education in the years to

come. Some courses will be moved online and some will not, but is my opinion that it

will never fully supplant the face-to-face environment. Burkhardt outlines the results of

a study done by Michigan State University on online vs. face-to-face courses (2008),

They concluded that direct student-teacher interaction is important (p. 381).The

blended environment with the combination of online and face-to-face education can be

proven to benefit the students and should be encouraged. As educators we must take a

step back and realize that we are doing this for the students and if we have to change

the ways that we operate in order to better education.


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References

Albrecht, S. (n.d.).Nine Ways to Save the World with Your College

Degree.http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-advisor/indepth/save-world-

online.php. Date accessed: 18Dec. 2010

Berk, R. A. (2010). How do you leverage the latest technologies, including Web 2.0

tools, in your classroom? International Journal of Technology in Teaching and

Learning, 6(1), 1-13.

Burkhardt, J., Kinnie, J., &Cournoyer, C. (2008). Information Literacy Successes

Compared: Online vs. Face to Face. Journal of Library Administration, 48(3/4),

379-389. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.

Design Innovation Group. (2005). Towards Sustainable Higher Education:

Environmental impacts of campus-based and distance higher education systems.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/events/3/2005331_47403_o1.pdf. Date accessed:

18Dec. 2010

Hoang, T. (2010). Instructional Development Needsfor Web-based Education in Higher

Education. ASEAN Journal of Teaching & Learning in Higher Education

(AJTLHE) Vol. 2, No.2, 1-8

Lehmann, K., Lisa Chamberlin, L. (2009) Making the Move to eLearning: Putting Your

Course Online.Rowman& Littlefield Education

Maddux, C. D. (2009). Information technology in education: The need for skepticism.

International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 5(2), 182-190.


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Meloni, J. (2010). Technologies for Teaching: Strategies and Pitfalls. Chronicle of

Higher Education, 57(11), B22. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier database.

Metz, K. (2010). Benefits of online courses in Career and Technical Education.

Techniques: Connecting Education & Careers, 85(6), 20. Retrieved from

MasterFILE Premier database.

Ng, K. (2007).Replacing Face-to-Face Tutorials by Synchronous Online Technologies:

Challenges and pedagogical implications. The International Review of Research

in Open and Distance Learning, North America, 8, Feb. 2007. Available at:

http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/335/764. Date accessed: 1 Oct.

2010.

ONeill, T. (2009).Predicting teleworker success: an exploration of personality,

motivation, situational, and job characteristics. New Technology, Work and

Employment 24:2

Pitt, T., Clark, A. (2006).Creating Powerful Online Courses Using Multiple Instrutional

Strategies. Available at: http://www.emoderators.com/moderators/pitt.html. Date

accessed: 12 Nov. 2010.

Steinbronn, P., &Merideth, E. (2008).Perceived Utility ofMethods and Instructional

Strategies Used in Online and Face-to-face Teaching Environments. Innovative

Higher Education, 32(5), 265-278. doi:10.1007/s10755-007-9058-4.

Wise, B., & Rothman, R. (2010). The Online Learning Imperative: A Solution to Three

Looming Crises in Education. Education Digest, 76(3), 52. Retrieved from

MasterFILE Premier database.


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Zhang, D., Zhao, J., Lina, Z., &Nunamaker, J. (2004). Can E-Learning Replace

Classroom Learning?. Communications of the ACM, 47(5), 75-79. Retrieved from

Academic Search Complete database.

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