Pros and Cons

Education online is constantly changing. From mastering a course management system to incorporating multi-media, an educator can create a online experience that rivals his or her face-to-face class.

There are certain realities that must be faced when teaching online. The most obvious and most important is who is at the center of the online class. Another way of putting it is, your students are in control of their learning, while you facilitate the course.

In a traditional classroom, the teacher is the center of the room. Usually, classrooms are physically set up this way, and it is difficult to move furniture into different arrangements. Additionally, most teachers were themselves students in situations where the teacher took center stage.

In the online environment, the instructor is not physically present with the student(s), so it is much easier to create a classroom where the focus is on the student and the learning process as opposed to the teacher and the subject.

Here are some pros and cons of Teacher-Centered Classrooms:

Pros:

  • large volume of information shared in a short amount of time 
  • teacher has total control of organization, pacing, and content
  • provides forum for expert experience and testimony
  • can inspire and stimulate students when done well
  • accommodates large numbers of students
  • quick and easy assessment methods generally can be employed

Cons:

  • knowledge controlled by the instructor
  • one-way communication 
  • not necessarily conducive to critical thinking
  • promotes passive learning
  • not an optimal way to learn for many students

Here are some pros and cons of Student-Centered Classrooms:

Pros:

  • engages students in the learning process
  • encourages student ownership of knowledge
  • provides real life connections
  • promotes active learning
  • fosters critical thinking
  • addresses multiple learning styles
  • attends to students’ needs and backgrounds
  • allows for multiple assessment strategies

Cons:

  • more difficult to implement with large numbers of students
  • can be more time consuming than lecturing
  • not effective for all curricula
  • students may be resistant to trying new approaches to learning