I believe the difference between the two is mostly dependent upon the student's commitment and perspective. As an undergraduate student, I went to the traditional school and lived in dormitories. I enjoyed the experience and for me, at that time, it was the best solution as I was a traditional, 17-year old student. However, as a graaduate student, with different priorities, I appreciated the flexibility and convenience of the online platform. The difference to me is related to individual preferences, commitment level, motivation, and individual student goals. From the perspective of the teacher, I think that after teaching in a traditional environment versus online...the relationship building is perhaps the biggest difference for me. As an online instructor, I often miss the interactions of seeing the student face to face, particularly when it is a struggling student. The quality of instruction is not compromised, but honestly, the ability to "see" the need in the eyes of the student is what I miss most. But, I like the idea that an education is made available to many more students and there are many students who can thrive more in the online platform...it is really the student's needs that determines the best platform.
