Traditional Learning versus Online Learning in Higher

Education

Adelia Delarosa
Annisa Nur Umatil Iqbal
Melisya Yunita Pratiwi

Abstract

This article presents a comparative study between Traditional and Online learning. The
authors intend to discuss online education and traditional education and their
advantages and disadvantages for higher education. Traditional learning involves a
physical place where students and teacher can interact whereas online learning is
pursued in an online space where a server and internet browsing interface is to be there.
Due to a constant trend of growing student numbers across the world traditional learning
will be expensive and rigid. The reason behind is the physical engagement of a teacher in
this method which involves payment to the teacher for his service and other required
support assets. Online learning can be a method which can ensure reduced cost while
enhancing the outcome in the learning system. It is based on wireless communication
networks which are widely and rapidly used due to the flexibility, freedom to use that it
promotes an effective learning system. The wireless communication allows learner to
receive the learning materials and lectures from anywhere as long as they are connected
to the internet. This is why online education seems to be more suitable for higher
education

Keywords: Traditional learning, Online learning, Higher education, Learning

methods

A. Introduction

Education can take place in many ways. It can be obtained through formal

learning, like school and training centre, and through informal learning which can

occur everywhere. Regardless of the way or the place, it will always result one

crucial thing, learning.

Nowadays, there are three ways to gain information through learning. The

first one is traditional class. It has already been used since centuries ago. This way

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of learning requires the tutor and the learners to meet face to face in order to start

learning activities. Because of the demand to a more flexible schedule of learning,

another way of teaching in which the tutor does not need to meet the learners face

to face is established. This way isknown as distance learning. The term changes

into online learning when it is supported by advancement of technology in

teaching-learning activities. The third way in which traditional and online learning

is being combined is called blended learning.

These days online courses/training have become extremely popular, as

more and more institutes and companies are offering courses online. Learners

prefer online class since it is more flexible than face to face class. At the same

time, despite the rising popularity of online courses, traditional classroom training

is fighting back and trying to adopt newer means of retaining learners' interest.

According to a 2018 report, over 6.3 million students were taking at least

one online course in 2016, representing 31,6% of all students. That was an

accumulation of 14,9% of students (3,003,080) taking exclusively online courses

and 16,7% of students taking a blended couses (Allen &Seamans, 2013). The

number had increased by 5,6% from fall 2015 to fall 2016. The total number of

students studying offline or on campus (without taking any online course or

blended course) dropped by over a million between 2012 and 2016. This trend has

left many to question what factors are driving this shift and how this shift will

ultimately affect institutions across the country.

However, despite the popularity of online education, vast groups of people

consciously stay away from such methods, mostly due to misconception.

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According to Johnston, Killion, and Oomen (2005), people tend to avoid online

learning because they think that online learning is easier and has lower quality

compared to traditional class. This misunderstanding leads people to avoid all

kinds of distance education which does not require the students meet the tutor.

There are always two sides of a coin. Everyone has their own preference

toward this topic. For some individuals, online training is more appropriate and

flexible, while for others classroom learning is the preferred delivery

method.However, if the focus is in higher education, online learning could be

better than regular face to face classroom learning.

B. The Comparison between Face to Face Learning and Online Learning

1. Traditional Learning

Traditional learning is defined as a learning process where learners and

experts are present physically in same place at same time (Sing, Yusoff, &Win,

2009). According to Ananga and Biney (2017), in traditional learning, the teacher

is the center of the learning process because the sole duty of the learning process

is to transfer the knowledge from the teacher to the students. Traditional learning

involves face to face interaction among the teacher and students. The

teacherteaches and talks more than students and the students listen to the teacher’s

explanation and take notes.

The learning process in traditional learning is also conducted with the

whole class participating. Therefore, all students have to participate in the learning

process. Furthermore, the teacher in face to face learning is the authority. She or

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he has authority to dictates the structure of the lesson and the division of time.

However, the lesson that she or he gives is according to the study program and the

existing curriculum. She or he also has authority to ask students to do what they

should do. For example, the teacher ask the students to read the material before

coming to the class, do the homework that has given by the teacher, do the quiz

about the material that has been explained by the teacher, and others.

There are several things that become the goals of this study. The first goal

is to make students understand about the material that have been explained by the

teacher. After the students understand about the lesson, the teacher will give

assignments or tests to make students have more understanding and memorize the

lesson. Furthermore, the students are expected to get high score on the

assignments or the test given. Then, the last goal is to make students get high

score on the final exam. If the students can achieve all of those goals it means that

the learning process is done well by the teacher and the students.

2. Online Learning

Online learning has to be the greatest revolution in contemporary

education. As it is known, in recent years, it has exponentially increased in

popularity. Technological innovations have enabled people of all ages to learn

from a distance and by utilizing a variety of different mediums; from video

tutorials to info graphics and slideshows. It is staggering how online much

learning has evolved over the years, and how it continues to revolutionize modern

educational practices. It made a huge change in the system and opened great

opportunities for everyone who wants to learn something.

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 Online learning can be defined as the use of computer and Internet

technologies to deliver a broad array of solutions to enable learning and improve

performance. Therefore, online learning is possible because the Internet has made

it. Many researchers and educators are interested in online learning to enhance and

improve student learning outcomes while combating the reduction in resources,

particularly in higher education (Farinella, Hobbs, & Weeks, 2000; Kim & Bonk,

20 06; Pape, 2010 in Nguyen, 2015).

History of Online Learning in Indonesia

Based on elearningindustry.com (2017), Indonesia is the 8th country with

great demand on online learning. Based on its market demand on online learning,

Indonesia has 17,3% bigger rate of online learning demanding than the average

rate of other country in South-east Asia. In 2017, Indonesia was categorized as

worldwide top 5 buyers of mobile learning products and service along with China,

USA, India, and Brazil. These facts show that online learning is quite popular in

Indonesia since Indonesia is a developing country which cares enough with the

improvement of technology in education

Indonesian began to utilize online learning since the establishment of the

national electronic communication system called ‘Nusantara-21’ in 1997 which

brought in the internet to Indonesia. This advance in electronic communication

system has accelerated various models of distance learning designed by

universities. Actually, online learning is the development of distance learning

(Yaumi, 2007).

Long way before online learning became established, distance learning

had become popular even though it did not conduct in online way. It was

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introduced in early 1950s through school of broadcasting in west Java. This type

of learning was designed in order to provide education for people who could not

afford to get to school due to geographical barrier or economic problem which

was the impact of independence war of Indonesia. In 1995, the postal system for

upgrading teachers’ quality for higher education called correspondence study was

established. That time, the focus of the country was politics rather than education.

Therefore, the distance education ran slowly and was hard to be implemented in

Indonesia (Yaumi, 2007)

In 1970s, after the New Order took over Old Order, the focus of the

country was developing human resource. This change brought a bright shine to

the improvement of distance learning. The institution of a sufficient financial

budget is given to education sector from selling domestic oil. Consequently, the

wide spread of distance education supported instructional practice well in that

period. It was a successful model of independent learning which was

characterized by developing a broadcasting program through radio at the primary

school level (Yaumi, 2007)

The large amount of government support, students’ enthusiasm, and the

acceptance of the society indicated that the distance learning was quite successful

though it was a new way of learning that had only entered its introduction phase

in Indonesia. Even though it had to go through many problems, the newly

applicable process of it could be considered as a success since it was impacted in

many parts of life. However, the practice of distance learning that time was

motivated from western distance education which was a great success. By doing

this way, the distance education designers adopted entirely all model and concept

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of western distance learning without considering the culture, custom, economic,

and social background of the learners themselves as well as the psychological

preparedness of the tutors. Because of this factor, Indonesia tried to join world of

communication by launching Palapa satellite on August 16 th, 1976. For educators,

this advance in mass communication is a big opportunity to contribute more in

making strategies for distance education development. (Yaumi, 2007)

In 1980, US agency for international development initiated the AID Rural

Satellite Program (RSP) in order to explore potential of communication system as

an effort for extending the educational resource for rural and remote areas.

Nevertheless, this progressive change was not fully implemented by Indonesian

government until the formal establishment of Universitas Terbuka (UT). (Yaumi,

2007)

In 1984, distance learning became more popular because of its two

programs, the development of distance learning model for higher education and

the introduction of distance learning model in high school. The development of

distance learning model for higher education was reflected through the role of UT

which was the answer for newly graduated high school students to continue their

study without worrying about the economic and region barriers. The second

programs was the program for high school students who could not go to school

because they had to work for support the family or help their parents during

school hours. This program eased them to get educated without attending the

school regularly. (Yaumi, 2007)

Until 1990, the materials for learning were still broadcasted through radio

communication system. The broadcasted subjects include mathematics, natural

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science, social science, Indonesia and foreign languages, Pancasila moral

education, religion, general education, and teaching methods. Next, in 1991, THE

Minister of Culture and Education recommended a guideline for both

conventional universities and UT to implemented distance learning models. This

change provided the opportunity for both institutions to build their commitment in

doing integrated productivity improvement, providing quality education, and

identifying the professional outcomes in all areas. (Yaumi, 2007)

Since the establishment of electronic communication system called

‘Nusantara-21’ in 1997, distance learning improved significantly. The

improvement was supported by the access of internet. Some universities in

Indonesia improved their own electronic communication networks by involving

other institutions to build the support for distance education. As the result, many

tools supporting distance communication such as videoconferencing technologies,

web-based courses and e-learning are developed. These tools used internet

network to work and it was where the name of online learning came from.

(Yaumi, 2007)

After many improvements, distance learning is not only for learners in

rural or remote areas, but also for all learners who look for alternative way to

study without coming regularly to the classroom. Online learning not only is a

trend, but also has remarkable role in bringing forward the mission of educational

equity for whole people of Indonesia.

C. Discussion

Advantages of Traditional Learning

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 Traditional learning has many advantages both for teacher and students.

Ziguras in Miliszewska (2007) states that teachers in face to face learning can

achieve a balance in the use of various types of material according to students’

level, interest, language skills, and so on. As it is known, traditional learning

involves face to face interaction between student and other students or students

and teacher. Chen in Miliszewska (2007) states “Face to face interaction not only

allows students to assess their learning but also to develop a sense of community

with other students; this sense of community can alleviate the problem of isolation

often reported by distance students”. In addition, Sing (2009) states that in face to

face learning students are able to know the problems arising out of the learning

system and develop skill of fixing it through the guidance of the teacher. Teacher

in traditional learning also can be easier to know her or his students so that they

can evaluate their students’ strength and weaknesses better.

The other advantages of traditional learning is that students is not only

getting a qualification but also acquiring experience and skill which is very

helpful in all aspects of life especially in today’s globalize world (Sing, Yusoff,

&Win, 2009). For example, when they are interacting with their teacher and

friends that have different backgrounds, cultures, and religions, they can develop

verbal communication skill. When they have group discussion, they can develop

their ideas and become more courageous in expressing opinion and respecting

other opinion that is different with their ideas.

Sing, Yusoff, &Win(2009) also states that the teacher in traditional learning

may use contact hours to motivate students while sharing life experience. Students

9
are not only study about the materials in the class. Their teacher also guides the

students in every aspects of life. For example, their teacher guides how to choose

a career, and how to solve their problem in their study and their life. Therefore,

teacher can be their role model beside their parents and there is a good

relationship between the teacher and students.

Moreover, students of traditional learning can have many experiences in

other activities besides studying in the class. For example, they can join in some

activities which are match with their interest such as sports, clubs, volunteer

activities, and many more. If they are join those activities they can meet new

people and become friends. Thus, they can develop their social character and have

network which is very useful for career building.

Traditional learning can help them to be more discipline person. It is

because they must obey all rules in traditional learning. For example, they must

follow regular schedule of studying, they must do what their teacher asks them,

they must come to the class on time, and they must do their homework. Therefore,

they have to manage their time so that they can be a discipline person.

Disadvantages of Traditional Learning

Despite the advantages that traditional learning has, it also has some issues

that reduce its adoption over the time. Odhaib (2018) states that traditional

learning has some disadvantages such as requires physical availability of the

learners at the learning place, less flexibility, low engagement level, limited to

instructor generated concept, not much effective learning material, and no option

of learning the lecture repeatedly.

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 According to Sing, Yusoff, & Win (2009), the disadvantages of traditional

learning are class room size, student teacher ratio, accessibility, expensive cost,

instructor centered, and time and location constrains. Sing, Yusoff& Win states

that those things are the disadvantage of traditional learning because in traditional

learning sometimes there are too many students, so the teacher cannot focus on

the learning progress of each students. Then, students who have graduated from

senior high school should have enough money if they want to continue their study

to the college because the cost to study in the college is expensive. Because of

that, the accessibility of traditional learning is low. Traditional learning only can

be accessed by students who have enough money to go to college. Meanwhile,

other students who do not have enough money cannot continue their study in the

collage that usually implements face to face learning.

Other disadvantage of traditional learning is students’ dependence on the

teacher. Students are always dependent on their teachers in every study related

matter. This makes them dependent on teachers. If it is happen, students will be

difficult to know their strengths. Then, some teachers show favoritism sometimes.

They tend to demonstrate favoritism that can have a negative effect on the left out

students, who may feel incompetent. Because of the teachers’ attitude, other

students start experiencing inferior feelings.

Advantages of Using Online Learning for College Students

The adoption of E-learning in education, especially for higher educational

institutions has several benefits, and given its several advantages and benefits, e-

11
learning is considered among the best methods of education (Arkoful and

Abaidoo, 2014).

As Marc (2000) stated in his book review that one of the advantages of e-

learning in education is its focus on the needs of individual learners as an

important factor in the process of education rather than on the instructors or

educational institutions’ needs. E-learning plays an important role in education,

and tends to be much beneficial.

E-learning is flexible. Its content can be done in sections to fit around busy

schedules. Unlike traditional training, students do not have a structured schedule

to dictate when they access the content. It gives the students full flexibility to

accomplish their development in their own time, so learning can take place

anytime, anywhere and at any pace. Then they are able to receive only as much as

they need.According to Smedley (2010), the adoption of e-learning provides the

institutions as well as their students or learners the much flexibility of time and

place of delivery or receipt of according to learning information. In other words,

“just in time andjust enough."

Since there is not using a trainer’s time or equipment, online learning

becomes a much more affordable option. The primary driver for most e-learning

decisions involves an overall reduction of cost, including reduced instructor costs,

travel expenses because they can use it anytime, room rentals, lodging and meals.

The amount of time spent away from work for classroom training can be

significant and should be factored in the overall learning time compared to e-

learning. With the exception of the main materials such as students own computer

12
or mobile device and internet connection, they generally do not have many other

expenses.

Furthermore, online learning is able to provide opportunities for relations

between learners by the use of discussion forums. Through this, e-learning helps

eliminate barriers that have the potential of hindering participation including the

fear of talking to other learners. E-learning motivates students to interact with

other, as well as exchange and respect different point of views.

Arkorful&Abaidoo (2014) defined: “E-learning eases communication and also

improves the relationships that sustain learning”. Also, Wagner et al (2008) note

that e-Learning makes available extra prospects for interactivity between students

and teachers during content delivery.

By using e-learning content, it will give “up-to-date” learning materials.

The study materials in e-learning systems can be updated more frequently than in

the classroom-based education systems (Guragain, 2016). Once the study

materials are placed in the system, they can be updated without changing the

whole materials and the materials can be available and reused for longer times.

With e-learning, students can advance at their own pace. Adapting is one

of the hardest things about face-to-face instruction, because not all of the students

can interact as fast as others. They have their own capability. Therefore, this is the

best methods to comformstudentsabilty in learning by their own way. As

Guragain (2016) mentions that the students can even build different learning paths

into their course, and this contennt also providing them with a more personalized

experience.

Potential Challenges of E-Learning

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 Beside the advantages of e-learningwhy people prefer to use, it gives the

challenges in implement it. Soliman (2014) argued that making learning materials

available online only results in improved learning for specific forms of collective

assessment. The challenges, identified in various studies, include the feeling of

isolated, technology dependent, laziness, low self-motivation, lack of supervising,

and time management.

Students might feel socially isolated at times due to lack of real people

around while learning that means if there is no real classroom or classmates might

not be good for all students. This is strengthened by Arkorful&Abaidoo (2014)

that argued, “e-learning as a method of education makes the learners undergo

contemplation, remoteness, as well as lack of interaction or relation”. Therefore,

very strong inspirations are needed as well as skills, to the management of time in

order to reduce such effects.

While this is the online learning content, technology-dependency cannot

be except. For learners need to have devices that are compatible with the E

Learning software; the study materials in e-learning are delivered using computer

applications, it is important to ensure the computer which are using meets the

technological requirements for their course. There is always the additional risk of

having technology issues when using computers such as weak internet connection

and machine malfunction, which may make the learning process tedious and time

consuming.

As a method providing the instant way, the laziness and lackadaisical

attitude of students will be the big problems. Students prefer to pay a lot of

attention to unimportant and trivial online details; such as social media, instead of

14
focusing solely on their academic pursuit. This is one of the evident that influents

students’ performance in public examination. Also not all fields or discipline can

employ the e-learning technique in education. For instance, the purely scientific

fields that include practical cannot be properly studies through e-learning

(Arkorful&Abaidoo, 2014).

Self-motivation is an e-learning essential requirement. E-learning as

particularly asynchronous training requires students to take the initiative to start

and complete the training. However, several students may not be motivated to

allocate the time to learn. They will fall behind due to a variety of reasons

including: lack of appropriate support, technical or software issues, conflicting

pressures on their time. Guragain (2014) in her thesis stated that students with low

motivation may not achieve the set goals most of the time, as there is none to look

over. Lack of a fixed schedule and deadlines may lead to students dropping out of

the course prematurely. Students need to find the motivation to adapt to new

educational methods and also properly equip themselves for future challenges in

their education and careers.

Unlike the traditional learning, online learning does not have a teacher as

supervisor. This situation might establish the students relatively easy to cheat with

others on-line particularly when the quiz began or browsing in website to answer

the questions without trying to think critical. Arkorful&Abaidoo (2014) have the

same idea about it. they argued that since tests for assessments in e-learning are

possibly done with the use of proxy, it will be difficult, if not impossible to

control or regulate bad activities like cheating. In additional, even when they

15
receive a certificate of achievement there is no guarantee that the course has not

been completed by someone on their behalf.

Time management can be a difficult task for E Learners as online courses

require time and periods of intensive work which require concentration. Many do

not complete their courses due to their various everyday commitments both at

work or at home. A regular schedule planner and discussions discussion at

supervision could help to these learners.

Research examining the challenges associated with e-learning is based on

a review of factual program; therefore the challenges noted provide an important

foundation for addressing the problems and creating a better system for e-

learning. Cook (2009) considered problems facing while creating an environment

in which e-learning is viewed as a complementary tool to traditional classroom

instruction. Virtual learning has benefits and also challenges to obtain the decision

of using these methods.

Recommendation

Traditional learning is good because students study face to face with the

teacher, so the teacher can pay attention to the learning process and the

development of the students. However, in the current situation, the impact of

traditional learning is not so good because the students’ life is now very closely

related to technology. In general, traditional learning is given by lecture method.

Therefore, it makes students feel bored when they are studying. It means that even

though the learning process of traditional learning is by face to face among the

teacher and the students, it should do some improvement. For example, include

technology in the learning process, asks students to be more active in the class,

16
asks students to find the material in the internet, or students’ assignment is

designed by ICT so that the students can be more interested in learning.

Online learning is believed to be more effective than traditional learning.

This opinion is supported by the facts that can be seen in real life situation. In this

technology-dependent era, online learning provide more affordable, flexible, and

advance than face to face classroom learning. Online education is simply the

perfect way to strike a balance between work, family and studies. It is better to

take online learning for college students since it can help them in arranging their

time for school and other things, such as working, looking for experience,

socializing with others, etc. Furthermore, for higher education, the students still

learn effectively even without the compulsion to attend the class.

D. Conclusion

This article discussed about face to face learning versus online learning

and which one is the best one to be applied for higher education. There are

comparisons between both system learnings. Traditional learning involves tutors

and students in the process of study and the tutor is the center of the learning

process (Ananga and Biney, 2017). Meanwhile, online learning is self-learning

that utilized technology innovation, so make all ages enable to learn.

In traditional learning, it provides some advantanges and disadvantanges.

The advantanges can take from two sides; (1) tutors can achieve a balance in the

use of materials and sharing life experience as motivation and (2) students can

have many experiences in other activities besides studying in the class and can be

more discipline persons. In contrary, the disadvantanges areless flexibility, low

17
engagement level, the limited to instructor generated concept, not much effective

learning material, etc.

Meanwhile, online learning is flexible, becomes a much more affordable

option, use of discussion forums, will give “up-to-date” learning materials, and

students can advance at their own pace. In contrary, it can have the challenges of

applying this way; like socially isolated, need to have devices that are compatible

with the E Learning software, the laziness, lack of self-motivation, and no tutor as

supervisor, even difficulty to manage time. However, these disadvantages can

easily avoid by the students themselves since the college students have been

mature enough to manage themselves.

As the result of this discussion, online learning is more needed in higher

education traditional learning because the main focus is how the students have the

balance between their work, family and education. The balance is compulsory

because they are in higher education where they have many things to be

considered besides their education.

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