Pros and Cons of distance learning (online classes).
What are the pros and cons of distant learning classes? That is really a good question. I've gone to regular school and I have done the whole online route so I do know a thing or two about the pros and cons of this method of schooling. First off, let me tell you that its not easy no matter what type of school you go to.
Cons
- Classes can be accelerated. Instead of having a sixteen week class you may have either four or eight weeks of class.
- Some instructors are hard to get ahold of even through email.
- You have to keep motivation up because if you fall behind, its rather hard to catch right back up.
Pros
- Usually you can go to your class at your leisure, but usually there is a requirement as to how often you have to be there each week. Some schools may have a set time that you have to go in, but not all of them.
- If you are a shy person in real life, but are more outspoken online, you may be heard better on this method as you do usually stay in contact with members of your class via message board or chat. Sometimes its even both.
- You may actually do better because typically the class size can be smaller.
- You can ask questions on the classes's messageboard and someone will answer it usually if they have the answers that is.
Some Other Things to Know
No matter what, you are in charge of your education. If you fall behind, you will have to work your tail off to get back on track. Both, you can get instructor's help but it also depends on how willing the instructor is. Some are willing to help and others are not even though its their job to direct you into the right direction.
You also need to know what you would benefit from. If you have done the whole physical classroom stint and had a hard time, try distant learning and see if it works for you. Some people do better online than they do when they have a physical classroom. Not everything is for everyone.
Comments
I took online courses when I obtained a Master's degree in education. One of the pluses was I could work at my own pace and most of the teachers were okay if you only posted a few times a week. However, during my last class in the program I basically had the professor sending me an email scolding me for not having introduced myself to the class during the first two days. To me I thought this was over the top because the other professors usually gave us a few days before interacting on the forums, but this one really did not seem very sympathetic. Another thing I would caution people about taking online courses is to take ones through public colleges and universities. I took my classes through and private school and regret having paid so much because I decided I was burned out of teaching after six years.
- Author
Right now I am doing the online thing with college. The very first day of our classes, there is a thread for everyone to introduce ourselves. Then we have a couple other threads that we must post in each week. We can't post three time in each thread to get our full points but we have to do it one each day and no later than wednesday.
That was the funny thing about my classes though was the professors usually gave us four or five days to post, and until I had that last class did I wait longer. Yes I should not have procrastinated, but I think I was tired of the program at that point. I just felt kind of silly because then I received an email scolding me for not posting right away. That was my last online class, so next time I suppose I will post right away so the professor does not scold me :).
- Author
I'd hate that. I was taking math last session and if I was behind my instructor would email me but I managed to get through barely and passed with a B which was the requirement to pass any math class there with.
Good hub for anyone considering the distance learning option. I haven't tried it but I could see doing it for a class I was taking just based on personal interest.
You definitely make this Hub easy to read, with the pros and cons pretty clear. Very nice :)
Yeah,
I guess you can add the lack of personal contact as a con in online lessons. Some people need face-to-face contact to motivate them to study. Somehow the sight of our classmates reading the textbooks in class can serve as a motivator.
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