2018 Education Magazine

COLLEGE: Are online classes effective?
By Angela Reiners

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[March 15, 2018]  Online learning has become a popular option for taking college courses. Multiple course options, great flexibility, convenience, and cost effectiveness are just a few reasons online learning has become a wildly popular option for many students.

Will Erstad compares online learning to traditional education in his article, "Online vs. Traditional Education: What You Need to Know." Erstad says, "The word “college” might make you think of students hanging out in dorm rooms or gathering for classes in enormous lecture halls. But that depiction is becoming increasingly out-of-date as technology provides for more and more ways to learn."

Erstad says learning online "has steadily grown in popularity among college students" and says you should compare it with traditional learning to decide whether it is right for you.

Some benefits of online learning
One benefit of online learning is its flexibility as you can log in to classes at times that fit in with your schedule.

As an article on the open education database says, “Online courses give students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day, instead of the other way around. Students can study and work when they are at their peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night. Course material is always accessible online, so there’s no need to schedule special trips to a library either. All of this makes online learning a good option for students who need to balance their work and family commitments.”

Another benefit of online learning is the convenience of being able to access the information anywhere and anytime. In online courses, you can pause lessons to come back to later and review discussions and lectures as needed, giving you more time to absorb information.

The courses tend to be more cost effective. Though the tuition may be same as that of a traditional course, you will save money on transportation and other expenses over that of students who live on campus.

Factors to consider

Though online courses allow for more flexibility, motivation and self-discipline are factors students need to consider. Students in these courses must make sure to schedule enough time to work on required readings and assignments. That can be a challenge when you are trying to fit everything in on your own schedule, so time management is essential. Listing due dates on a calendar and even a planner can help keep you on track.

Though you are not in a classroom, having a specific study space that is quiet, organized, and free from distractions is important.

Lack of face-to-face interaction is another factor to consider. If the lack of interaction is a concern, though, it is important to note that you have interaction in online courses through other means.

Virtual orientation sessions, group discussion posting, feedback from the instructor, web conferences, and chat rooms - all provide some form of interaction. In addition, some courses have video feeds and use skype to communicate.

With so many different resources for interaction, even the usually shy or introverted student who feels intimidated in a classroom setting may be more likely to engage in discussions.

Course design is another consideration. A well-designed course may include several things. It accommodates various learning styles and needs. It is relatively easy to navigate from topic to topic. It may have PowerPoints as well as video clips.

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The content must be appropriate for an online course. Certain courses may work better when taught in the classroom. For instance, courses such as math may not work as well online since students are used to seeing a professor do math problems on the board and then being able to ask questions about the problems. Though students can watch videos showing someone work out math problems, students who struggle with math may not be able to get the help they need.

In any type of online course, it is important to ask for help when you need it. Contact your instructor when you need to ask a question about something you do not understand. If you do not ask for help, the instructor will not know anything is wrong.

For those who may wonder how well students do in online courses, many studies have examined how taking online classes affects performance in courses and found that scores for online learners were often just as high and sometimes even higher than those in traditional courses.

As Kristin DeAngelis and J. Garvey Pyke say in their article, Online Learning: Is it Effective?, "The data and research show that students learn just as effectively in an online environment as in a traditional classroom. Various studies have shown that online students not only match the performance of traditional students, but surpass them."

Once you know the advantages and disadvantages of online learning, it is up to you to decided whether it fits your needs.

Erstad, Will.  “Online vs. Traditional Education: What You Need to Know." Rasmussen College. August 16, 2017.  http://www.rasmussen.edu/student-life/blogs/college-life/online-vs-traditional-education-answer-never-expected/

DeAngelis, Kristin, and J. Garvey Pike.  “Online Learning: Is it Effective?”  University of North Carolina at CharlotteCenter for Teaching and Learning. 2006.  https://teaching.uncc.edu/learning-resources/articles-books/tip-sheets/it-effective

 

Read all the articles in our new
2018 Education Magazine

Title
CLICK ON TITLES TO GO TO PAGES
Page
Blending grade levels and finding success 4
Empowering students using a "growth mindset" 9
The benefits of a private school education 12
Adam's School emphasizes the importance of breakfast 18
Rewarding good student behavior and adding a touch of class 21
Kids need to live a healthy active lifestyle too! 24
"I EXCEL" yard signs a conversation starter 26
Dual-credit classes at LCHS prepare students for college 27
Are our children safe in school? 30
LCHS adopts IloveUguys Standard Response Protocol 35
Traditional college not for everyone 38
Are online classes effective 42
A bright future for Lincoln College, its students, and the community 45

 

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