Face to Face vs. Online Instruction: An Analysis

Abstract

The role of instructors in face to face and online instruction has few things in common but many things in contrast. Other than the strong foundation of knowledge, traditional classroom teachers have more responsibilities like adaptability, motivating and encouraging active participation, listening to students, enhance collaboration with other students, etc. Traditional classroom teachers create a new society and an active learning environment for the students inside the classroom whereas the role of online instructors is contravening and never-ending. In online instruction designing a course, content delivery, activities, assignments, and examination are done in the absence of students. The flexibility in online learning, though communication is done through electronic media to an extent, considerably reduces the interaction between the teachers and learners and makes either of them to work in isolation. This paper discusses the advantages, disadvantages, and other aspects of face to face and online learning