Stellenbosch Graduate Institute offering versus that of physical business schools

BY: Dr Riaan Steenberg|11 December 2018
BLOG| Deciding to study online

Wondering whether to study online or at a physical institution? Here is quick comparison between the two ways to study – and yes, we are somewhat biased towards online but have a read and I’m sure you’ll see why…

Consistency

ONLINE: In online learning, every student gets the same information and consumes it at their own pace.

PHYSICAL: Lecturers aim to bring every student to the same level of understanding, but the pace does not always suit students who learn faster or slower than the lecturer’s pace.

Well designed

ONLINE: Online learning is designed by expert instructional designers. Content is short, focused and communicates only essential points. It is updated frequently and easily.

PHYSICAL: While there are some excellent lecturers out there, they often have outdated study materials because it takes physical institutions longer to update content. As a result, the content is often less relevant to today’s workplace and environment.

Earn while you learn

ONLINE: It is much easier to work and study when you are doing it online because times are very flexible and can fit into your lifestyle and routine.

PHYSICAL: When you are studying at a physical institution, you have to be in class at set times, usually during the day, so having a job at the same time is more of a challenge. If you do need to work, it often has to be the evening or at weekends which is exhausting and can cut into study time.

Cost effective

ONLINE: Course fees are often (but not always) lower than those of traditional institutions and, in addition, there are cost savings associated with not needing to travel to campus and pay for accommodation. There are also no added fees for textbooks.

PHYSICAL: Course prices don’t tell the full story. Additional costs include the cost of textbooks and, if studying away from home, the cost of travel, accommodation and meals. So while it can feel affordable, the extras can make it costly.

Repeatability

ONLINE: Online learning can be repeated multiple times, and although this may come at an additional cost, there is no limit to the number of people that can be served.

PHYSICAL: Classroom-based learning can only be produced once and is dependent on expensive infrastructure to produce it. Readmission to repeat a course is never a guarantee.

Mobile learning

ONLINE: Online learning can happen anywhere, anytime and typically on any device.

PHYSICAL: Classroom-based learning is limited to the venues and times set by the institution.

Better learning

ONLINE: Studies increasingly show that students who have studied online do better or at least the same on assessments as their in-class counterparts.

PHYSICAL: Research is showing that exams and high stakes assessment lead to temporary retention rather than long-term retention.