5 Advantages of On-Campus Learning that Cannot be Replaced with Online Learning

Every day, there are changes—both big and small, that happen in the environment. Just like life, learning has been all about advancement and innovation. For so long, courses have only been taught inside the four walls of a classroom. Traditional learning, a long-standing learning model, is confined to the premises of a campus where students are required to physically attend their classes in order to gain proper knowledge of their enrolled subjects. But with the furtherance of technology, the scope of education broadened, opening up more opportunities for students so they can access programs much more easily and adapt to learning styles that are a better fit for them. These positive changes brought about by the ever-evolving society birthed various learning models that have since then impacted the world and its views on teaching positively.

On top of the traditional face-to-face classes which everyone knows have already stood the test of time, educators are now adopting learning models that are fresh and new yet also effective and efficient. Flipped classroom learning and online education both utilize online courses as one of their major learning resources. Flipped classroom learning is a blended type of learning model where the entire classroom situation is reversed.

Unlike in a traditional setup, what's new about the flipped classroom model is the approach to information consumption. Instead of in-person lectures, students are provided with the educational materials ahead of time so they can access them at home or at some other place beforehand, after which they can learn them at their own pace. This model encourages a more active learning environment for students since the time that is supposedly allotted for lectures is freed, allowing educators to engage the children in hands-on activities, relevant tasks, and other forms of interaction that can be done digitally through a computer or a mobile device.

Online learning or distance learning can be executed in a lot of ways. The advent of technology paved the way for the modernization of academics with only one goal in mind—so many students and professors alike could benefit from it. With these new models, learners are provided with more opportunities for skills development and future career advancement. For one, enrolling in an overseas college course is now made easier and attainable through online classes. An international trip wouldn't be at all necessary for the teaching person since online learning can bridge the gap between the student and the educator. Online education is indeed advantageous to many people; in fact, it can sometimes be the better choice for those students who function differently at school, requiring a more flexible set-up for education. Online courses also facilitate modification. Students can easily tap into key resources such as digital text materials, audio recordings, and the like anytime they need to.


The benefits that distance learning has imparted to students from across the globe is truly incredible. However, face-to-face classes still possess unique advantages that online learning could never fully replace.

Here are 5 advantages of on-campus learning that cannot be achieved remotely through online classes:

1. Fostering relationships with classmates and teachers
Communication, although achievable through an online platform, isn't exactly the same when done in person. The relationships that are built at school through social interactions are incomparable to virtual interplay. The social-emotional learning of students almost fully relies on actual genuine connections that only happen inside a physical school. Students, especially those who are still in the younger range, need to build their interpersonal skills this way because their self-development skills will play a crucial role in the success of their academic and social life.

With on-campus learning, there are no restrictions on the activities that students may participate in. Extracurriculars and other live events encourage collaborations between learners and educators. Although there are already virtual events that can somewhat replace physical occasions, the impact is undoubtedly very different. Activities that promote team building are great, as it allows workgroups to build strong bonds that can positively impact their academic and professional performance—the very reason why we at Invictus International School carry superlative extracurricular programs. With online learning, this can be tough to do. Coordinating for online projects, as well as active class participation, become harder when done online. With this, students may feel socially isolated over time and their academic performance may also be affected.

2. Appealing to certain learning styles
Some online students who are either kinesthetic, natural, or social learners, struggle with effectively retaining information. Kinesthetic learners are 'doers' so they prefer to engage in activities and in-person discussion as opposed to listening to online lectures. As natural learners, they excel more in a natural setting because they enjoy using their senses in an actual environment. Social learners on the other hand are highly sociable people. They are able to perform well if they collaborate with their schoolmates and teachers. Social learners work well in groups or pairs, and sometimes even alone as long as there are other students around them. These styles are heavily dependent on face-to-face education because it requires physical and social interaction with actual people on campus. Online learning appeals more to visual and aural learners so it's a limiting advantage that isn't applicable to every student.

These learning styles are not just mere preferences, these are in fact based on how students innately take in and process knowledge. We understand that each student is unique and that learning styles differ from person to person. That's why we modify our teaching approach according to the student's ability to comprehend and engage.

3. Restrictions in teaching certain subjects
Probably the toughest barrier that online learning wouldn't be able to take down is the restrictions in teaching subject-specific skills. Courses that require facilities and hands-on training can never be completely done remotely. Science subjects demand the use of laboratories, therefore an online learning setup isn't a workable option. Engineering, architecture, and arts-related subjects are also fully-reliant on physical class meetings because there are dedicated tools, workshops, and studios that are required to be utilized by the students who are enrolled in the said programs throughout the course of the school year.

Attending courses in an on-campus learning arrangement serves a bigger purpose for both the student and the community. Children should be able to gain access to state-of-the-art facilities that are functional and competitive. Invictus International School in Hong Kong exhibits such ultramodern spaces for its students to use—ensuring that each student is having the best learning experience at every touchpoint of their journey.

4. Fostering self-discipline
The on-campus school or university experience impacts the student's overall learning attitude. Online learning, although technology-wise is very advanced, still lacks some important management aspects. Inside the campus, educators are able to impart self-discipline into the students in various ways. In a classroom setting, the teacher can monitor everyone with their tasks. The hands-on supervision that students receive helps them value the essence of rigorous studying unlike when done virtually where the learners can easily skip lessons and lose attention during discussions. On-campus learning also forms positive habits like time management, rule abidance, and proper behaviour. The systems being implemented at school encourages them to deliberately make good decisions like being punctual, following strict schedules intended for study and leisure, as well as being responsible with school materials and dress codes.

5. Forging memories
Campus life brings out lasting memories that greatly impact a child's well-being. The moments spent with friends are irreplaceable; even the most futuristic gadget won't be able to mimic the exact learnings, both intellectual and emotional, that students were able to acquire during their stay in school. Even simple memories like their day-to-day routines on campus, their stay at the cafeteria, and their experience with sports and other facilities are all important. For milestones like graduation ceremonies, having to come to these events physically to celebrate their preparation for higher education makes all the difference, as compared to attending virtually through an online program.

Improving the quality of education

Traditional face-to-face learning and online learning both display distinctive benefits which is why we at Invictus International School adopt a blended learning arrangement. Merging both advantageous learning set-ups allows us to further improve the quality of education that we provide to our students; by balancing these two methods, we are able to tap into their every strength and hone it fully to the best possible extent. Typical classes that happen inside the campus resonate more with students in certain learning styles such as tactile, natural, and social. But on the other hand, online learning also provides the same leverage to those with visual and aural capacities. With this, we have combined both educational arrangements so varying students can come together to learn without boundaries. Our dedicated educators ensure a smooth relationship between the children so they can collaborate efficiently and make moments that are beyond price. For top-notch education that combines both online and face-to-face learning, you may visit https://invictus.edu.hk.