According to a study done by the University of the Potomac, almost 70 percent of students think online classes are as good or even better than traditional classrooms, while 77 percent of educators think of traditional and online classrooms as being equally good.

USI has 11 degree programs accessible to students via online learning and three other online learning offerings. But do USI students agree with the students of the University of the Potomac? Is online learning as good, and perhaps even better than traditional learning?

According to multiple USI students around campus, online classes prove to be more convenient.

With online classes, students can do homework and take notes on their own time from the comforts of their rooms or the library, and sometimes even finish the classes early in the semester.

Having classes online are more flexible and cheaper without the expenses put towards physical textbooks. However, online classrooms lack direct social interactions with teachers and other students and can be less engaging and less motivating.

Students have also implied that some online courses merely require students to read chapters out of textbooks and engage in weekly discussion boards, lacking in educational depth and interesting learning experiences.

Traditional style classrooms demand more attention and more interaction, which in turn provides more concentration and motivation that helps a student to commit more to memory. But one could say that online classes are easier to manage and therefore more pleasant to spend time on.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to which educational technique is grander. It honestly just depends on the student and what their style of learning is.

One student could fare better in face-to-face classroom situations where they can discuss assignments with classmates or raise a hand to ask a teacher a question.

Another student could have a better learning experience by managing their online class on their own time and privately studying and doing assignments from the comfort of their bedroom and emailing professors.

In this time of advanced technology, everything is about convenience and finding whatever technique is best for you.

Everyone is different, so isn’t it best to have various types of options accessible, especially when it comes to college and careers?

There may always be pros and cons to both online classes and traditional classes, but it’s undeniable that both seem to be dwelling very well in 2018, and as long as students use both methods, it seems both types of educational teachings will be around for a long time.