Teach English in BAmencheng Zhen - Tianjin

online tefl courses versus Onsite TEFL coursesWhen I elected to study for my tefl certification online, I was unaware that I was about to embark on a completely new learning experience. Accustomed to classroom learning environment, with tutors, practical classes and other students, the world of online learning was new to me. Although both onsite and online tefl courses offer the same certification there are, like anything else, a number of advantages and disadvantages to both. One of the most apparent differences is cost, within online courses available at a considerably lower cost than some onsite courses. There is also savings on food and transit costs to and from site. Online courses offer increased flexibility, with students being about to work on units at a time that is suitable for them and fits with their current lives and schedules. Onsite courses can be much more costly and time consuming, with students having to attend classes, often for a month. With onsite courses, being taught in a classroom can give students a feel for what it would be like to be a teacher in a similar environment. They may gain ideas for teaching and insight into what works and what doesnt. Students get invaluable experience of observing lessons in action and planning, teaching and delivering lessons to students. Online courses focus mostly on theory whereas onsite courses offer more practical experience, and the opportunity to observe lesson. The online courses do provide videos, but often jobs require a certain amount of practise time or observation time that students may have to seek out independently when they have completed the course. In online courses, students can be assigned an online tutor, who is available to answer any questions they might have and guide them through, usually via email. Although this offers 1-1 attention, there may be a time gap between when the questions arise and when they are responded too. Onsite courses offer feedback from tutors immediately and can help students understand any issues. Courses in classrooms often provide access to a number of resources, such as course books, work sheets and exercises that trainees can use and get ideas from. Although these are available online, they may be harder to find. In addition to this, onsite courses will often have more developed job hunting resources to access at the end of the course, according to research. Although online courses do offer resources and support with job searching, it does not have the same resources, according to McNamara. Research from Eom et al, 2006, also suggests a number of factors that may affect students learning outcomes with online courses. These include learning style, self motivation, and tutor feedback. A sample of individuals who I have spoken to have said that they found it particularly harder to self-motivate when doing courses online. It is evident that there are both advantages and disadvantages to both online and on site courses. Individuals should look into all of their options before choosing what course may best suit their lifestyle, goals and needs. They should also take into account their own learning styles and ability to self-motivate. A TEFL/tesol certificate opens the door for many into the world of teaching english as a second language, and as long as the certificate is achieved, the method should not matter. Resources McNamara, M, accessed at http://www.teflcorp.com/articles/44-tefl-online-vs-onsite-courses/134-online-vs-onsite-tefl-certification.htm Donahue, N, accessed at http://www.tesolonline.com/articles/complete_articles.php?index=223&category=94 The Determinants of Students' Perceived Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction in University Online Education: An Empirical Investigation 1. Sean B. Eom1,*, 2. H. Joseph Wen1, 3. Nicholas Ashill2 Article first published online: 12 JUL 2006