Example Of Case Study On Differences Between Online And On-Ground Classes And How They Impact On Success

Introduction

Currently, most universities around the globe are trying their best to accommodate the growing numbers of students. Because of this, universities have established both "e-institutions" (online classrooms) and traditional classroom education. This paper focuses on the differences and similarities between the two systems and how the two systems can impact on the students’ success. The paper also describes how to manage levels of commitments and offers solutions to the problems that may arise from the two systems.

Online education in most cases is used with the nontraditional learners. Nontraditional learners are in most cases the adults who mostly show that students who attend to online classes are more committed as compared to those who attend to on ground classes. It is because those on ground classes are usually attended to by the tutors and they become reluctant as compared to those having online classes (Cabrera, 137). The success of students who learn online is more dependent on personal commitment, they mostly do everything by themselves. By comparing it to the ground classes, it comes out that on ground students have an advantage over those that study online and they are most likely to succeed in the course.

It becomes very hard for science courses particularly those pursuing the course online.

Most sciences course require practical for one to understand the concepts fully. Those having on ground classes have an advantage over those who pursue the course online. It is this way because the students having on ground classes can access the laboratories any time. On ground learner are able to do more practical where the concepts are not clear. Those of online classes have limited access to these laboratories and can only access them when their instructors have directed. In most cases, the students pursuing their course online are overworked when it comes to practical since they are given two days to finish all the lab work entirely (Cabrera, 140). It becomes disadvantageous to these students and it can have a negative effect on their performance.
Access to the library is limited to students doing their courses online. Student doing their course on ground class can access all reading material related to the course in the library. The students can use books available on both the shelves or books and online sources. In most cases, the students doing their course online can only access the books that are on the E-library and there are only a few books that have been in this libraries. Some books that are online requires one to pay in order to access the pages hence if one does not have enough money in most cases they are unable to obtain this information. The online learners mostly are limited to the kind of research they conduct and in other instances when examination comes they may be disadvantaged. It is not because they never prepared but because the type of information they could access was limited.
Unlike on ground students who interact daily with their facilitators and in case they have a problem they can easily consult their facilitators. This approach gives the on-ground students an upper hand when it comes to knowledge and exam performance. In most cases, the forums organized for online student to interact with the facilitators are short many many question remain unanswered. By the time the student finishes the course, he/she might still be having some problem that requires to be addressed by facilitator. Online learners do not have the confidence to face the exams as compared to the on-ground classes that build their confidences through the interaction with their facilitators.
In terms of group studies, it is very difficult for the online learners to establish groups where they can do their discussion in preparation for their examination. Online students are from different states or even countries and it becomes difficult for them to meet up and organize discussion. In comparison to the on ground learners who can form groups anytime since they are always together (Cabrera, 144). Online students may fail in their exam because they accessed the wrong information and presented them as answers to the examination. If they only access group discussion they could not fail in that in the group discuss there are brainstorming, and the wrong answers are corrected. Another advantage of group discussion is that one does not get bored when it comes to studying. Online learner-s at times may be bored when they study on their own hence this interferes with grasping everything that they have learned.

Steps Team Take To Increase Student Usage of On-Campus Or Online Self-Help Resources

For science courses, the learning institutions should ensure that the online students can access the laboratories more often to enhance their skills in practical activities. Some concepts are more understood when done practically hence this improves exam performance. Most of the online learners fail to understand and interpret some concepts because of inadequacy in lab practical. Organizing practical for online students, will help them to grasp concepts fast and hence these students will improve their examination performance. Research conducted show that student doing science courses and are exposed to more lab practical perform better compared to those who are not exposed in performance. Those student that are not exposed to the practical and are taking the same course do not perform well in most cases. Students on ground classes perform more, and this can be attributed to the lab practical.
Group study is crucial when it comes to understanding concepts well. It also builds the confidence of the student as they argue points and come up with new ideas. Group discussion also gives chances to other students to explain what may not be well understood by others during class time. Colleges and universities should ensure that they create a website where they schedule hours for students doing the same course to have a discussion. On ground students have time to interact with each other through group discussion. They exchange ideas and hence this can be one of the attributes why they perform more as compared to those who study their courses online. Establishing the platform, will help online learners’ c to exchange ideas, correct wrong understanding of concepts and also build their character to prepare them ready for the job market. The group discussions will also help the students to work toward their objectives and in return improve their performance.
Learning institutions should create the campaign to inform the student of the learning materials that are available on the campuses disposal. Most students do not use the learning material available in the education institution because they do not have knowledge of their existence. Research conducted at many colleges and universities show that most of the students in these institutions do not have the knowledge of the existence of online libraries (Avramidis, 190). They are unable to access this material that can be very useful when it comes to conducting research. The campaigns will ensure that most of the students are aware of the existence of this resources hence they can be able to use them when conducting their personal studies.
Facilitators should always be on the forefront and try to explaining to their student the importance of forming study groups because study group help students to improve their grades. Through this initiative, students will be forced to be members of a group study and as a result they will utilize this resource hence boosting their performance.
The lab technicians should be willing to help the student particularly the online learners who have limited access to this facilities. Through this initiative of the technician, students will feel free to go for help where they feel there are some inadequacies and in turn help the learners to fully utilize the available resources (Avramidis, 192).

Work Cited

Cabrera, Alberto F., et al. "Campus racial climate and the adjustment of students to college: A comparison between White students and African-American students." Journal of Higher Education (1999): 134-160.
Avramidis, Elias, Phil Bayliss, and Robert Burden. "A survey into mainstream teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of children with special educational needs in the ordinary school in one local education authority." Educational Psychology 20.2 (2000): 191-211.