I have been in the online learning environment for the better part of six years. I can say that, for me anyway, online learning is more work. Not only must I manage the coursework, but I must spend a considerable amount of time navigating each instructor's setup in the LMS to get a sense and feel for the way each course is structured. In face to face courses, again from my experience, this is often done by the end of the first class meeting with syllabus in hand. It just seems to me that working in the online learning environment is more labor intensive; I have to work a little harder to stay on top of assignments and readings. In short, online learning requires a greater degree of discipline in order to be a successful student.
Beyond what was stated above, the obvious differences are also the strengths of online learning. The F2F classroom exists in a definite temporal and spacial environment. Students attend at an appointed time and place each week. In the online environment, there is the option of offering instruction both synchronously (as in the F2F format) or asynchronously. The latter provides students with the ability to manage coursework on their own time; there is not a preappointed time and place to meet; the structure is looser, being determined more by the student than by the instructor or institution.
In the online environment, discussion boards are the hub of the classroom. These take the place of the (hoped-for) lively discussions of the F2F classroom. The latter is often spontaneous, flowing with the immediate energy of debate and discussion. I think this is harder to replicate with online discussion boards. Granted, online students have more time to generate thoughtful responses, but the spontaneity of the F2F classroom is often lost.
