In this paper I will be discussing online learning opposed to the traditional classroom learning and how It affects social and peer relationships. Hearing people use the words COLLEGE or UNIVERSITY’S might at first. make you think of students and friends hanging out inside their dorm rooms or maybe getting together for their classes in large classrooms. Maybe on the weekend or days off from class the students are getting together for coffee or meeting up at a local club with friends they made during the semester.
But that picture is seemly becoming outdated as today’s technology provides for progressively many more ways to learn, making socialization much different. The fact is, online learning has no doubt been on the rise to being in top popularity. From Pre-kindergarten all the way to College, more and more parents and students are choosing online learning.
Both online education and its traditional classrooms have “pros and cons”, but what does that mean for Student Peer Relationships? It is very important for both parents and students to realize what to expect before they step foot or “log into” their classrooms. An important area to consider is the level of social interaction you’re hoping to have as you earn your degree. Do you need interaction from your peers and Professors to excel and stay driven? Or do you flourish in an independent study environment? Social interaction with instructors and other students, while not as common in online courses, still happens regularly. The difference is how it is happening.
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Many online student interactions are happening via webcams or through the online discussion board posts. Some courses may also offer “pre-recorded” and live seminars of the same lectures given to traditional, on campus students. If you’re a social learner who likes to ask questions and pick the brains of your instructors, these video lectures can help you earn a deeper understanding of assigned reading materials. It has been said that you only get out what you’re willing to put in, and making friends with your online schoolmates is no exception.
If you just sit back, relax and don’t passively participate in discussion boards (whether this is mandatory or obligatory), your classmates are not likely to get to know you, so participate! I take advantage of email, web cam meetings, Skype, and I also join Socialization groups that align with my degree plan so I can make friends with similar interests as myself in the same field. I even became close friends with prior Professors. Likewise, I am a member of The Human Services Club, Autism Awareness Club and I put an application in for Student Advisory Board to be apart of that team.
I think that is more than I ever did in traditional learning environments. The possibilities are different, but can be accomplished with the right mindset. Online peers and/or friends are people you don’t really really know but you met them once at a seminar, conference, on a social networking site, on Twitter, or maybe you added them to your Facebook because they’re friends with someone you know. Plus they’re hot, and you do enjoy collecting Facebook friends based on their hotness. Who knows.
An online peer/ friend is someone you know is available every time you see that little green dot next to their name, so you write them and say hello or ask them to be your study buddy to work together on a project. But sometimes it’s possible to have an online best friend who you’ve never met before in real life, but who keeps you company when you’re writing a long paper or bored at work. You talk to each other at least every other day. You even have inside jokes and think about going out to visit them wherever they live, you know, to take things to the next step. The possibility’s are endless just as traditional schools and relationships. Just different.
Despite most technical progresses, traditional education is still probably the better option for those who get ahead on face-to-face connection. Seeing and interacting with your Professors on a regular basis can be motivating for some, and it’s a little easier to go the extra mile if you know your instructor is likable and invested in your education. Traditional, in-class settings may also offer more opportunities for unprepared questioning or interesting tangents that may help a concept “click” in the minds of students.
For some students, the online format can feel very foreign and even a little awkward at first, especially if they are not used to communicating via writing so they prefer in classroom settings. Additionally, some students find the online format more strict since they have to think more carefully about what they write and can’t just put their hand up to reply to a question. Waiting and an email back is frustrating too sometimes where as in classrooms your instructor is right there.
In the case of online versus traditional instruction, there is no right or wrong answer. Much of it comes down to personal liking and knowing how you learn best as an individual, as everyone’s needs are different from the other.
