What is the difference between online learning and face to face learning?

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Online learning has grown in popularity over the years, driven by technological advancement, the desire to access a global knowledge base, and even supported by the novel COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing rules. No matter if the driving force behind the online learning trend is a positive or negative one, there is no denying that eLearning is gaining traction and recognition with each passing year. Now that online course delivery is becoming more popular than ever before, though, teachers are faced with a unique new challenge – managing and handling the differences between traditional and digital learning.

From the challenges of engaging the online classroom, all the way to inspiring lifelong learning in students, to the ever-present challenge of maintaining high levels of motivation and discipline while effectively conveying knowledge – online learning has definitely created some new obstacles for modern teachers. With all of that in mind, today we’ll be examining the key differences between online and face-to-face learning while providing you with concrete solutions to overcome their challenges.

Challenges regarding student motivation and discipline

First things first, it’s important to note that engaging and motivating students in a traditional classroom setting is a difficult task regardless of the subject. Teachers in the STEM field might have an easier time with this, as STEM subjects and courses provide the opportunity to combine theoretical lectures with engaging practical demonstrations that capture the attention of the students. However, when it comes to online learning, this advantage is suddenly taken away.

Now that teachers and lecturers no longer have a lab to work with, they have to improvise and innovate in order to motivate their students and ensure discipline in and outside of class. To do this, you have to engage your students with practical course applications, demonstrations, interesting guests, interactive homework assignments and group projects, and more. Don’t try to reprimand online students when they misbehave or fail to turn in their homework, instead, focus on positive encouragement and strive to instill a sense of higher purpose for your class, focusing on the ways your students can use your lectures to achieve their goals.

Real-time interaction vs asynchronous learning

One of the major differences between traditional and eLearning is in the way students interact with the teacher and the subject matter, as well as how they consume information. Traditional learning is real-time or synchronous learning, while eLearning can be both synchronous and asynchronous. In a physical classroom, you are engaging with your students in real time, while in the online world you can deliver real-time lectures through streams and Zoom calls, or you can record your lectures for your students to check out at a later date.

Asynchronous learning brings unique benefits to the table and helps the student to consume information at their own pace, which can take the stress out of the process and help them advance through the curriculum without fear of missing out or developing knowledge gaps. The problem here is in the level interaction the student has with the teacher, so make sure that your lectures explore the matter in great detail, and make yourself available to your students to answer any questions they might have. 

Online learning is easier with interactive platforms

The online world has certainly revolutionized the way we convey information and deliver knowledge to our students, and it has facilitated the rise of numerous digital platforms that make learning more fun, engaging, and rewarding for the tech-savvy student. However, it’s not just the students that benefit from online learning, as established professionals have a chance to leverage eLearning to advance their careers and obtain the necessary certifications to move forward in their industries.

Having the ability to advance a career through online courses is even more important during the COVID-19 crisis, especially as essential medical personnel need to get PALS certified and recertified quickly to continue the struggle against the pandemic. As you might have guessed, this opens numerous opportunities for professionals in various industries as well, as online learning helps save time while delivering the materials and training they need to advance their careers in their respective fields.

Personal online courses vs group classroom lectures

Another major difference between traditional and online learning is that the latter allows you to take a more personalized approach to conveying knowledge and information. While you are forced to address the entire classroom or auditorium in an attempt to engage the whole village, online teaching allows you to address the individual and tackle their unique needs, knowledge gaps, and to put the learner in the centre. 

This is even true for group online classes, as they usually contain fewer participants and are broken down into groups. You can use this new format to allocate enough personal time and attention to each individual student. 

Online students depend heavily on guidance and communication

One of the biggest challenges of online learning is, unfortunately, the common lack of guidance, communication, and support from the tutors. The physical classroom allows you to interact with your students before and after class and answer any questions they might have, but online your students can feel like they are unable to reach your outside of the digital classroom. This is why you have to emphasize communication and make yourself available to your students via email and even direct messaging apps to answer all of their questions and concerns quickly.

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Online learning vs. face-to-face learning. What’s better? Is online learning as effective as face-to-face learning? One takes place online while the other takes place in person. But besides the obvious, there are several key differences to consider when choosing between both learning formats. Let’s compare face-to-face and online learning. We’ll take a closer and highlight the unique advantages of each.

By Alexandra Hemmer on Apr 26th

The meaning of online learning (or e-learning) is all in its name. It refers to any kind of learning that takes place digitally — whether it’s a corporate training program or a university degree. All you typically need is a stable internet connection and a device, like a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Apart from that, learners can log on from anywhere.

Online learning can happen either synchronously or asynchronously. Synchronous learning happens in real-time, like through a live training session on Zoom. An instructor is usually required to facilitate this type of learning environment. Asynchronous learning, on the other hand, doesn’t depend on the presence of an instructor, enabling learners to engage with their learning materials at their own pace, in their own time. This could be through recorded video lectures, an e-learning course, downloaded PDF resources.

Depending on your goals, you can tailor online learning to a wide range of learning styles.

What is face-to-face learning?

Face-to-face learning, by definition, takes place in person. This means both learners and instructors need to be in the same room at the same time to be able to engage with each other. As a result, face-to-face learning can only be facilitated synchronously.

The traditional classroom setup is probably the most familiar example of the benefits of face-to-face learning. This is where an instructor delivers a timed lesson as learners sit in the same room, taking in the content. Face-to-face learning could also involve group discussions or collaborative work with peers, so long as it takes place during the scheduled period at a set location.

The key differences between face-to-face learning and online learning

Besides where and how the courses take place, there are several important differences between face-to-face and online learning (or eLearning). They each come with unique advantages and challenges for learners. So, let’s compare face-to-face and online learning:

Get expert tips for a smooth transition from classroom training to digital learning.

Top 5 reasons why online learning is better

So, which style is better? Is online learning as good as face-to-face learning? Up until the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in 2020, most learning programs were occurring face-to-face. Since then, organizations around the world have had to move their classroom training programs online so learners could participate from home.

Now, the debate on comparing face-to-face and online learning seems more relevant than ever. Though each has benefits, we believe the flexible nature of online learning is more suitable for the future of corporate education. Of the several benefits of e-learning, here are our top five reasons why online training is better:

1. E-learning makes it possible for learners to access content anytime, anywhere. When it comes to corporate learning, this flexibility can be especially appealing to employees with busy schedules; people who have other pressing commitments outside work. Not having to show up to a specific room at a set time means learners can have more control over their schedules and learn at a comfortable pace.

2. We live in a world where knowledge is constantly evolving. When it comes to creating learning content, it’s important to keep it up to date so learners always have access to accurate information. Thankfully, online learning makes this process a lot simpler. For example, you could store your content in a Learning Management System where you can make changes or upload new content anytime without interrupting learner access. You could also use an authoring tool with LMS-light features. Easygenerator, for example, allows you to edit a course you’ve already shared with learners without having to share it all over again.

3. Many e-learning tools also provide analytical insight into your learners, like how long someone spent on a course or how many attempts they made at a quiz question. This can offer a more precise look at how much progress your learners have made. It can even help you decide whether you need to update your content or follow up with additional resources. Finally, it also allows you to share more meaningful feedback that resonates with your learners —something that’s harder to do just by glancing at their responses to a hard-copy quiz.

4. Face-to-face training requires a lot of resources, from the availability of a room to teaching utilities, and sometimes even refreshments. Opting for e-learning saves organizations time and money that would otherwise be spent on these resources.

   At the same time, e-learning enables a bottom-up approach to learning that isn’t possible with the formal style of face-to-face training: Employee Generated Learning (EGL). Under EGL, employees are empowered to create learning content themselves and for their peers. This saves the L&D department a significant amount of time, freeing them up to focus on other tasks that can’t be handed off to employees.

5. Finally, the online nature of e-learning better aligns with today’s predominant work-from-home culture. Though the Covid-19 pandemic will eventually come to an end, remote work is here to stay, and it’s important for organizations to be equipped to facilitate high-quality e-learning.

With the right strategy and tools, adjusting to online learning can be a seamless experience. Our authoring solution, Easygenerator, is a user-friendly tool that anyone can use to create engaging learning content – even if they aren’t a trained instructor. When combined with an Employee-Generated Learning approach, an easy-to-use tool like Easygenerator opens the door to creating a scalable digital learning strategy.

Ultimately, it’s important to assess your organization’s unique goals before determining what steps you should take. If you aren’t convinced of the right fit between online versus face-to-face learning, you can also consider a blended learning approach that allows you to combine elements from both.

Or let us help you get started. Book a personal onboarding program together with dedicated success managers to ensure your team gets the most out of Easygenerator.

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