Traditional vs. Online Classes

Although the material taught is the same in both, traditional and online courses differ in several key respects. Read on to learn how Florida education online classes are different from campus-based classes.

Teaching Methods

One of the most salient differences between Florida education online and traditional education is the method of instruction. The instructors of traditional courses tend to rely primarily on the lecture format to convey the course material. Students listen passively, absorb the material, and supplement it with what they read in their texts. By contrast, the instructors of Florida online classes tend to take a much more interactive, dynamic approach. Online instructors shy away from lectures in favor of thought-provoking discussion, questions, and assignments. Students learn predominantly from their textbooks and each other. In this way, online students have a much larger role in and responsibility for their own learning.

Nature of Classroom Interactions

Traditional Florida college classes have the advantage of fostering face-to-face interaction among students and instructors. Students discuss course topics and assignments in person with their professors and peers. Likewise, group work is either conducted face to face during class time or on the students' own time.

Online Florida education programs usually have little or no face-to-face interaction, on the other hand. However, online Florida schools use a variety of techniques and communication tools to recreate this dynamic online. For instance, online instructors and students interact considerably though discussion posts, email, and chat rooms. The level of interaction is the same, but with online classes, the interaction is not face to face.

Demonstrating Mastery of the Material

In typical Florida college classes, students demonstrate their mastery of the material by taking periodic exams throughout the academic term. These exams may involve written and/or multiple-choice questions. Because the online medium makes traditional testing difficult, online Florida education programs rely on other metrics to test students' mastery of the course material. Written assignments are very popular in Florida online courses, as are graded class discussions. Students are typically graded on their ability to synthesize and apply the material they learn in their classes.

Group work is also a major part of Florida online education, which comes as a surprise to many students. In most Florida education classes, students are assigned to groups or learning teams to complete a specific project or assignment together. The group members then communicate via group discussion boards, chats, emails, and telephone when necessary in order to finish the task. Students are graded on the final product of their group work as well as their contribution to and collaboration with the other students on the team.