PHP Training: Classroom or Online?
In today’s world, the Internet is ubiquitous; it allows us to video-conference, work on a document simultaneously, or log in and update records on a remote database half a world away. With this power comes another advantage as well: we can hold virtual training classes online for languages like PHP, in an environment that almost seamlessly replicates the real, brick-and-mortar classrooms that have been so long a staple of computer training courses.
At first glance, this seems like a no-brainer now that WebEx, GoToMeeting, and other similar screen-sharing software have made a video-conference virtually indistinguishable from a real-life, flesh-and-blood classroom. With that in mind, the option to teach PHP over the Internet becomes a very attractive option, since it offers the ability to cut out physical locations, it opens the classes to people who would not normally be able to attend due to geographic reasons, and, best of all, it affords no distinct disadvantage compared to the normal physical classroom; teachers can view the screens of their students and help them along when they get stuck or otherwise require aid in the comprehension of the material.
The question, however, does deserve a second look: is online training really the next step in evolution? The answer is, as always, not so cut and dry; online training really depends on your needs and whether or not it’s a good alternative to physical tutelage in your situation. The major pros of online PHP learning have been addressed above, and all of them are related to the fact that PHP training is virtual and lacks a physical location. That same flexibility and mobility can also be the source of its weaknesses; for example, it has been shown that participants in a virtual training course have found it lacking a certain personal touch. Instructors who are friendly and engaging in front of a group of real people sometimes cannot get that same charisma broadcast over a webcam. Read more
