Comparing home schooling vs.

traditional schooling
By Limon Capaceta Adolfo Javier
Universidad Autnoma de Sinaloa

Academic English
Professor Mariela vila

3 December 2016

Comparing homeschooling vs. traditional schooling

Accepting changes is difficult. Since the internet involved in our daily life, there has been
many changes that some people have been accepted well, but other simply do not. It seems
that everything is and will be online nowadays, including the education; a new sort of
education is facing the traditional education. It is true that both options promote the
importance of education for the improvement of ones life. Throughout this essay, online
education will be compared with traditional education by analysing similarities and
differences in both systems. This comparison can be helpful for people who do not know the
potential of online schooling and know some barriers that stop this sort of schooling.
Despite online classes are reaching a big simplicity as well a traditional education, the
student must have certain abilities. The most important reason why some people decide
traditional rather than online education are the digital skills. At least in the United Kingdoms,
according to ONS (2016), 12.6 million of adult lack basic digital skills and this is a big
barrier for the development and improvement of online education. Some may think that just
click a web page and register is easy, but there are several problems that a technologically
inexperienced person can face: technological devices can be quite unstable if clicking the
wrong options, a person lacked basic digital instructions may get worried about broke
damage them. On the other hand, in the traditional schooling, it is not completely necessary
to have digital skills optional, shall I say. This system has been working since 425 AD
and the requirements broadly are few basic materials like pencils and notebooks. The only
skill someone must have for traditional school is the previous knowledge from the past
grades. A study made by Ipsos Mori/Go ON UK (2015) found that 35% of people who
belongs to a lower socio-economic group, lacks basic digital skills; therefore, without digital
skills, they are basically obligated to choose traditional schooling. Overall, both systems

satisfy the needs of a student for acquiring knowledge and have more opportunities in this
competitive society.
However, they require some specific abilities or skills. As in traditional schooling, online
schooling requires previous knowledge and also, is important to have basic digital skills. In a
similar manner, both systems apart from academic skills, provide another sort of abilities that
may be suddenly are been developed.
Some people may believe that online teaching is cool so to speak, even though they
have the necessary skill for getting involved in online education, they still prefer traditional
schooling for the possible social skills that they possibly will develop. Peters (1993) criticised
the distance education, he said that it industrialised the education, and provoke a lack of
human group interaction. Brian Ray (1997) found that home-schooled children were involved
in an average of 5.2 activities each week. However, he found that 13% of home-schoolers did
not make outdoor activities outside their families. This suggests that home-schooled children
tend to be more socially isolated. Differently, traditional schooling offers us some big
opportunities to make friends and interact with other. Thus, once a student face the labour
world, have contacted is indispensable. Also, student exposed to new ideas, different ways of
thinking, other cultures, etcetera, are able to have more ideas or develop a strong emotional
intelligence. In this way, it seems that traditional education gives us more chances to improve
our social skills; however, home-schooling offer us less distraction and a more efficient
learning process. Likewise, efficiency and effectively are decisive when it comes to
education, and the results are important to expect which to choose.
A study conducted at Wichita State University focused on a pharmacology clinical course
(2005-2006) compared both systems. Both courses included the same instructor, text, course
notes, and learning objectives; using an identical grade system; and the same paper-pencil

exams. The instructor was allowed for both groups on office hours by email or mobile. The
traditional course had quizzes every week whilst online course used homework instead. The
traditional group received face-to-face format using PowerPoint and online course used
videotaped lectures. The withdrawal rate for the online courses was similar to the traditional
course courses 28% vs. 22%. The average course grades were similar, 83.5 10.6 vs.83.0
10.7, respectively. Overall, both courses had similar withdrawal rates and courses grades
suggesting similar learning gains. But, according to online students, they were highly
satisfied with the course.
It can be challenging to change the tradition. Traditional schooling has been replaced for
some people who are obligated to seek another alternative. Instead of it, some people are
taking classes in front of a computer where basically they do not see the professors face;
his/her reactions or emotions. It can be confusing for some people idealising themselves
receiving their certificate or studies without going to school. However, different studies
proved that both systems are equally efficient and the reason for choose one of them depends
on of the context and the needs of each student. Personally, I recommend the online course
for emotionally balanced people who do not tend to be depressive, because being isolated is
not good for them. I still prefer traditional school, because there are many people that you can
find there and many ideas that you can develop. I would choose online courses, those are
perfect for modern people who do not have time.

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