Chapter 2: You and Your Education

11 In Person and Online Classes

In-Person

In-person or face-to-face instruction is the traditional mode of learning in the college environment. This means that classes are typically taught in-person. Some benefits of face-to-face learning are that individuals may find having the instructor/professor in the room with them more engaging, they can ask questions directly to the instructor/professor and peers, and there is a scheduled time for the course each week. This is one of the main ways that classes are taught here at Cambrian.

Pros: Cons:
  • In-person connections with instructors and peers can be easier to make
  • Students are often familiar and comfortable with this delivery
  • In the moment questions can easily be addressed quickly
  • Accessible to students without access to and/or knowledge of technology
  • Set class times typically help motivate students to attend class, which is beneficial for staying on track with their learning
  • In-class time commitment and requirement to engage may be too much for some students
  • Allows for less flexibility in scheduling work, other classes, homework, family/friends time
  • Travelling to/from class may take extra time and money

Online

Online learning, sometimes also called remote or virtual learning, means that the course is run on the internet. There is no time when you will be in the same geographical space as your instructor for classroom instruction.

There are two types of online learning: asynchronous and synchronous:

Asynchronous means that everything for the course is done on your time (you will still have deadlines to meet) and there is no specific date and time that you are required to meet with your professor and peers.

Synchronous means that you have a scheduled day and time that you will log in to a learning platform (Zoom, Teams, Adobe Connect, etc.) and learn and discuss with your instructor and peers.

Online learning can be a wonderful option for students because it allows for flexibility in location and schedule.

Pros: Cons:
  • No travel time or costs
  • Flexibility in schedule and location
  • Students can move at their own pace
  • Level playing field – discriminating circumstances (age, race, disability, etc.) are not known
  • Requires consistent access to a device with internet
  • Access to the instructor can feel slow and ineffective (depending on the instructor)
  • Students may forget about the class(es) because they don’t have to be somewhere specific at a particular time
  • Requires a lot more self-motivation, time management, and organization skills

Hybrid

Hybrid instruction includes elements from remote learning and face-to-face learning. The course may include in-person labs with lectures online, some in-person lectures and some online, and/or predominantly self-directed learning with periodic in-person workshops, lectures, or learning events. Essentially, hybrid is a blend of online and face-to-face learning.

Here at Cambrian, there are several additional types of hybrid delivery including HyFlex and Flex learning. These can be good options to explore if you are unable to attend scheduled classes and prefer more independent learning.

Pros: Cons:
  • Allows for some flexibility in scheduling.
  • No consistency between hybrid classes – hybrid can mean different things to different instructors.
Here are the course delivery options at Cambrian College. 

 

Advice for Success from Fellow Students

Read the article “What I Wish Someone Told Me BEFORE Taking Online Classes” from Hannah Meinke of Rasmussen University on what she wishes someone had told her before taking an online class.

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EYES AT Cambrian Copyright © 2023 by kkcambrian and Rafiq Rahemtulla is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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