With technology moving at the speed that it is, it’s hard for teachers to keep up with all the advances online. Classrooms have been structured and re-structured for years to perfect the teaching environment. Classes strategically place all the chairs and desks in a fashion that facilitates learning; either around the center of the podium where the teacher/professor stands, or in an auditorium-style arrangement of the classroom looking towards the corner of the room.
Now it stands that classrooms are physically no more. They are old, “non-traditional” learning spaces which require someone who has less time in their day than before to physically be present to participate in their learning. Virtual classrooms can be used to teach anyone, anywhere in the world, with little to no effort. Yes, students of this virtual environment need to essentially teach themselves as they progress through the course on their own time, in their pajamas, in the Bahamas. But of course, in my opinion, “traditional” is very….well, traditional. The idea of being present in the classroom, in front of the teacher/professor, learning is a lot better than looking at a computer screen. Seeing the lesson on the whiteboard facilitates my learning and enhances my personal interactions with my fellow peers while entangling the subject matter to be learned. Traditional classrooms not only help the student better, but enhance their interactions with the peers, allowing for more-developed “people skills”; something that cannot be learned while sitting in a chair half-naked.
In conclusion, traditional is the way to go. Yes, it is easier on one’s schedule to view a class online, but the connection between the teacher, student, and other peers is lost. Furthermore, I feel the subject matter is learned more adequately through physical courses versus through an online, “non-traditional” method.