When I first started college, I was extremely hesitant to take online classes. I was unsure if I could maintain the same grades with the decreased interaction with a professor. Ironically, the degree I desired to pursue after I was finished with my Associates degree was a degree solely online. As you can imagine, I was pretty terrified
of the foreign online environment. But now, having done two years solely in live classes and two years solely in online classes, I’ve made some observations about the pros and cons of each in regards to several areas.
Time
The biggest benefit of online classes is the amount of time you can potentially save. With online classes you can, for the most part, set your own schedule. This is incredibly beneficial for those of us who have to juggle other priorities. Also, with online classes there is no commuting to classes (for me, this saved roughly 1-2 hours a day) or any waiting around for class to start. Plus, without the distraction of other people you can get a lot more work done fast. Bonus for introverts- no more forced faced-to-face socializing.
For people who need a lot of social interaction though, this can be a hard transition. Another downside of an online class is that you’re relying on the internet and a website (sometimes two) working to get all your work done. A professor might not care that your internet was down when it comes to that major essay being late. You have to (or at least should) plan accordingly to get assignments done about a day in advance just in case of technical difficulties. It’s your job to get your assignments in on time. Period. In fact, it will say this in nearly all of your syllabuses in online classes. No more waiting until the last second to turn assignments in, guys. When taking online classes, it’s time to grow up and get organized.
Self-discipline and Self-awareness
While the extra gained free time is a huge bonus of the online class, it also can be a huge flaw for some. For those of us who don’t have good time management skills, this has the potential to get us into a lot of trouble. Let’s be honest, setting our own schedules has a tendency to lead to procrastination. And it’s no secret that procrastination can (and often does) lead to mediocre work. If you’re not highly self-motivated and self-aware of your time management skills, online classes might not be for you. However, if you’re great at managing your time and giving your work your all without the reminders from professors, online classes seem to be a good fit. Plus, if you’re good at a subject and are passionate about it, online classes tend to be pretty easy and a great way to get more time to fully study the subject.
Learning style
For those of you used to the visual aspects of a live class (video’s, illustrations on the board, a teacher’s funny way of describing a concept, etc.), it can be difficult to transition to the online class (where most of the work feels more like homework without the lecture). In a live class you get to ask the professor those little clarifying questions that can make or break comprehension on a topic. But in an online class a lot of the time the only way to do this is through discussion boards, more thorough reading of the textbook, emailing the professor, or additional research. And let’s be real, a lot of the time on the discussion boards you only get a response from someone just as confused as you. However, if you’re an independent learner who has a tendency to find lectures to be a pointless summarization of the text book than an online class may be a great option for you. Personally, I found the discussion boards to be a better way of delving into a topic and actually to enhance my comprehension. But I also had classmates who used them as a way to slack off (it all depends on your personal learning style).
Expenses- do your research
When deciding if you want to take the online route, it’s important to research how much each option will cost. Depending on your major, available cash flow, and your time restrictions; your financial needs need to be considered before committing. For example, some online classes require you to purchase your textbook brand new with a website access code to do assignments (this tends to make your books way more expensive) and sometimes there is an “online fee” added to your tuition bill. You also need to calculate how much money you’d spend or save on gas. It’s important to weigh the financial aspects with whether or not you need the flexibility online classes offer in order to maintain any outside commitments.
Flexibility- consider a hybrid class
If you’re still unsure about the online environment, try taking a hybrid class (a class that does have in class meetings/lectures, but generally less than normal and mostly deals with matters online). I took a handful of hybrid classes while I was getting my Associates degree and found them to be a great way to balance everything. Plus, they’re a great way to start learning about the electronic learning world while you still have a teacher to ask questions.
In the long run, it all depends on what works best for you.
