Distance Learning Vs Traditional Learning Analysis

There has long been a debate about the importance of college in a person 's life and many scholars weighed in to provide different perspectives on the matter. Some, like Professor Johann N. Neem, author of "Online Higher Education 's Individualist Fallacy, argue that college is essential and most beneficial to a traditional college student versus the distance learner. While others such as Jacques Steinberg, author of Plan B: Skip College, offer very different insight on the value that college has in America in consideration of the economic struggles a student must face. I happen to find both of the author 's points of view to be informative, and I agree with both points of view. The most important takeaway and the correlation between the …show more content…
online learning. My experience with online learning has been beneficial. Despite the fact that much of online learning is self-directed, the instruction provided by my professors has stimulated and challenged their students intellectually. Distance learning entails more than extracting information from the internet while sitting at home in your pajamas. Distance learning, in some cases, is the only way that a student with full-time obligations or with distance limitations can take advantage of an opportunity for betterment. The online classes are not presented by a series of computer generated algorithms but rather by professors that are actively teaching at a college campus and have real world experience in the areas that they teach. Therefore, the professors that head the learning experience for online students are among the best and know what is required to help a student advance in any setting. Additionally, Professor Neem and I have different viewpoints concerning the outcomes for students that attend traditional college vs. the distance learner because Neem contends that the future of the traditional student will be more advantageous because they will reap the benefits of having fostered relationships with peers and professors. I, on the other hand, believe that the student with the advantage is the student that is prepared, ready, willing, and able to put …show more content…
According to Douglas A. Webber, author of “Are college costs worth it? How ability, major, and debt affect the returns to schooling” college is a sound investment for most individuals and cost scenarios, however, in some cases there is the possibility that it will not pay off financially until late in life, if ever. As it stands, the personal debt resulting from student loans has increased steadily over the years. The national total for outstanding student loan debt currently exceeds $1.2 trillion with the average college graduate having approximately $30,000 of personal debt as a result of student loans. There are several factors to consider when weighing one 's options for entering into colleges such as the student 's age when entering college, the type of degree, the costs of tuition and associated expenses, the student 's aptitude and commitment, etc. For these reasons, alternatives to college will be beneficial to society and our economy as they will enable members of society to make the best financial and academic decision to suit their situations at a point-in-time and future goals. I reason that implementing credible alternatives will be effective because it will allow those that are looking to enter directly into the workforce the option to do so without incurring debt that is beyond their financial ability to repay. Additionally, college