Is traditional teaching or in-class training remains relevant amidst today’s technology trends?
There is no doubt that technological advancements offer a lot of conveniences and advantages for different fields, from business to entertainment, and education. The rise of the internet is one form of these technological advancements that is commonly used today. Of course, the benefits of the internet is felt, experienced, and enjoyed by everyone today, from businesspeople, to housewives, workers, and students.
But, despite all these advantages, these technological advancements also have their own set of shortcomings. This is the reason why face-to-face or offline learning remains to be in demand right now and is still considered to be better than online learning.
1. Direct Interaction with Other People
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One of the benefits of learning offline is the fact that you can directly socialize with other people. This is something that you can never do if you just learn online. For kids who are in growth learning phase, offline system should be the top priority. Parents should remember that interaction with others can help improve their kids’ EQ and overall personality.
For adults, direct interaction can improve the confidence and openness of those with introverted personality. When you learn offline, you will also be able to create more relationships and grow your social circle. This can come in handy if you want to have your own business in the future that you need to promote.
2. Direct Interaction with the Teachers
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As far as the learning theory is concerned, this can be done whether offline or online. However, this tends to be different in practice. Practice needs the instructor’s direct guidance and this is something that can only be fulfilled through face to face learning. When you are guided directly, you can ask questions and correct any mistakes right away because expert hands will be there to help.
Offline learning will also help you increase your knowledge by asking questions. Through direct learning, you will be able to exchange and discuss ideas with your teacher who will guide you in an easier and more effective way. Due to the consolidation of the materials, understanding will be better and faster as well since the information delivered will not have to encounter problems such as poor video and audio quality or bad internet connection.
3. No Language Barrier
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When it comes to online learning, there are times when you cannot choose the teacher or there are only foreign teachers on the specific class you wish to take. You might have some difficulties in this case if you are not familiar with foreign languages. Re-translating and interpreting the materials taught can be very troublesome if you ask for it.
Of course, you can avoid these problems offline since you are free to choose the class that has a local teacher. Since you will not be hindered by any language during the communication process, this will let you understand the things being taught better.
4. No Constraints in Communication with Teachers or Other Participants
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When there is no internet connection, there will also be no study sessions. This is why it is not enough to just learn online alone, particularly for people who need more skills either to raise career levels or do business.
Learning offline can improve your confidence in exploring different materials since you will have direct involvement and there will be no obstacles in communications. Learning will not be hampered by poor internet connection. Offline learning will also make it easier to raise your questions or express your opinions in class with your instructor or fellow participants.
5. Obtain Practical and Local Materials Easily
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This applies to people who wish to learn things that require practice such as crafting or cooking. Classes that need lots of practice means lots of materials are also needed. When you study online, there are instances when the materials that are prepared are not appropriate to the situation. This especially happens when classes are taught by foreign teachers.
Studying in classes with foreign instructors require you to prepare the materials for them but not for yourself. This means that it will not be local and you might find it hard to get some materials.
Through learning offline, the conditions are going to be more cyclical with the instructor likely suggesting materials that are hard to obtain. In fact, the teachers may even provide the materials themselves and all you need to do is either buy them or get them for free.
6. Continuous Supports from Teachers Even After the Class Ended
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There are instances when classes with a specific duration are not really enough to make you understand the things you want to learn. This makes you need some extra time in understanding the materials you studied. In online learning, if the set time is just one hour, you will only be learning for just that one hour. However, this doesn’t happen in offline classes.
With offline learning, you are allowed to have special consultations with the teachers during the free time before they teach another class. This further strengthens your learning materials. If it is impossible for you to go directly to your teacher, you can just ask for help from other participants whom you assume have understood the lessons.
It then increases the solidarity between you, the instructor, and other participants. This also comes in handy if you wish to use your free time to study in groups with other participants even outside class hours.
Learning something both online and offline are both positive and good but they still have their own pros and cons. Online offers convenience while offline offers direct interaction. However, for better results, it would be better if you can balance these two systems to take advantage of both.
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