Classroom Learning – The Pros and Cons

Classroom learning: Classroom learning is a traditional mode of learning in which the learning environment is created within the physical walls of a classroom. As the name suggests, in-classroom learning, both the teacher and student need to be present physically inside the classroom.

Examples: The entire educational system right from the time a student gets into academics is based on the Classroom learning method. From nursery, schools to senior schools, college, and universities – most of it are based on traditional learning space, which is in the classroom.

Advantages: Classroom learning is advantageous for multiple reasons, some of which are:

– Fosters establishing a relationship between teacher or facilitator and the student. This is especially useful for developing it further into a more fulfilling mentor-mentee relationship.

– Classroom training can employ all types of learning methods – auditory, visual, tactical, etc. This caters to all kinds of learner’s

– At a higher level, classroom training also promotes networking among the learners or participants

– In Classroom training, the interaction between participants, teachers, and other participants is more direct and real-time.

Disadvantages: Until recent times, there were no major flaws found with the traditional method of teaching in the classroom. However, with the recent pandemic situation, some major flaws with the classroom method have been identified. They are:

– In the event of a pandemic that is spread through social contact (direct and indirect), classrooms become a potential zone of risk.

– Travel time, to and from the center of learning to the home of the participants and the facilitator, when added up, forms too many man-hours wasted unproductively. If each participant spends 30 minutes in reaching the venue and there are 30 students and one teacher, then a total of 31 hours are wasted in total (which is over a day’s worth of other productive work not done).

– Classrooms can become the breeding ground for unnecessary conversations, grapevines, politics, debates, which can be easily avoided with the help of technology in an online course. “Sticking to the point” cannot always be ensured in-classroom training.

– Classrooms also become a center for exhibiting power-distance between two individuals, especially teachers and students, at times, which can impede knowledge transfer.