More Pros and Cons re: Online classes

Let’s dig a little deeper into the pros and cons of online classes today.

Pros:

Flexibility—Online classes give you the flexibility to learn on your own time, not in the lock-step schedule of campus-based classes. Are you a night owl? An early bird? Learn when you are at your best. Online classes can better accommodate the needs of parents with young children better, allowing Mom or Dad to work while baby is sleeping or after the kids are safely tucked in the beds at night. Not needing daycare is another definite bonus, although don’t think you’re not being a good parent if you need to hire a sitter occasionally when you’re nearing major exam time.

No commute, no parking fees—Imagine not having to jump into your car early in the morning to get to class on time. Imagine not having to rush to try to get kids dressed and fed for school or daycare, barely having time to comb your own hair before flying out the door. As well as the luxury of not having to face rush-hour traffic, you will save on both gasoline and stress. Not to mention expensive parking fees at many colleges. Not commuting saves the environment and your pocketbook too.

Time for you and your family—No worries about missing classes if you need to take a child to the dentist, or even have an appointment yourself. Kids want to go visit Grandma after school? Want to go on vacation in the middle of the semester? No problem, as long as you have an internet connection, you can study anywhere, at any time.

Work at your own pace—Does this mean that online classes don’t have any deadlines? No, far from it. But if you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can accelerate your study and finish the course in much less time than it takes to complete a traditional class.

Cons:

Employers Might Not Accept Your Degree as Being Legitimate--The acceptance of online degrees by employers can be a touchy thing. In the recent past, many employers steered clear of potential employees possessing online degrees. This was fuelled by the explosion of online degree mills that let people buy worthless degrees online from fictitious colleges by filling out a form and having a credit card number. This perception of online colleges is rapidly disappearing now that reputable colleges have developed their own online programs in response to student demand. But before you enrol, ensure that the educational institution you are thinking of enrolling in is an accredited college. The U.S Department of Education has a database which can be found at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html that lists accredited U.S. schools. Colleges must be accredited in order for students to receive financial aid from the federal government.

It can never hurt to check with potential employers on how they view online degrees before you take the plunge.

No real social interaction—If you’re the kind of student who thrives on peer discussions and listening to professors enamoured of the sound of their own mellifluous voices, online study is probably not for you. Most online courses will definitely have you interacting with your peers via discussion boards, but it just isn’t the same as face-to-face discussion. It can be lonely as an online student.

It’s easy to fall into the procrastination trap—If you find it difficult to get motivated without someone standing in front of you prodding you to get going on a major assignment, online classes are not for you. You have to be completely self-motivated and able to keep to an online study routine. If you are a generally unorganized, somewhat lazy student (please be honest with yourself), online courses are full of potential landmines for you.

Both online and face-to-face delivery have many good features for us back-to-school moms. The question  to ask yourself is can you be independent enough to succeed in an online class and be able to work around distractions. If the answer is no, traditional classes may meet your needs better.

We’d love to hear your comments about which type of study, online or traditional, works for you best. It would be great for students considering going back to school hearing from others who have already taken the plunge.