Online Classes and Some Advantages

“Online learning can enable learning to happen in a variety of contexts, locations, and times; it allows for a transformation of curriculum and learning.” – From “Disrupting College; How Disruptive Innovation Can Deliver Quality and Affordability to Post Secondary Education”, a report by The Center for American Progress and the Insight Institute, February 2011. As we have seen, with the development of digital and wireless technologies in the modern world, more and more people are capable of using computers. Hence, that means there are variety of choices in teaching and learning. Instructors are more likely to make it easier for students to get access to resources in many different ways. And online classes with its advantages have become more popular for students in many colleges and universities throughout the United States and internationally as well. More and more students are taking online classes because of what it offers, in term of the convenience, flexibility, lower costs, and better interaction for students. Taking online classes is so convenient for many students who have jobs out of campus or those who would rather study at home on their own time.

For instance, students do not have to come to class every day to their respective classes; they don’t have to be at their classroom at a specific time early in the morning or even late at night, and they can easily space out their study time. Since everything is available to students as all lectures, assignments, and quizzes are online, students can easily get access to those materials anytime and anywhere as long as they have computer access and reliable internet connection. This flexibility helps students learn at their own pace and have more freedom to do extra-curricular activities, such as spending time with family and friends. For those students who have jobs out of campus, online classes have become indispensible. In short, they are able to choose what works best for themselves and go to work without worrying about time conflict. Working adults have the opportunity to return to college and continue their study. These conveniences are attracting more and more students to take online classes. Online classes also offer the flexibility of class schedule.

Attending regular class means you have to follow a specific class schedule, which sometimes does not work out for you. Some instructors might penalize students by reducing their scores for being late or absent. However, students need to attend all classes in which they are enrolled to be successful. If you skip or miss one class in college, you will most likely miss something important such as a required lecture or even a required assignment. Attending class regularly could be a challenge for students who have families to take care of, jobs, non-reliable transportation, etc… With online classes, you can choose when to access to lecture notes, assignments, email and spend one hour to four hours a day working on your assignments. Furthermore, choosing classes at the beginning of quarters can be very stressful for students. It is not easy to choose the regular classes that you need due to conflicting schedules. With online classes, students are more likely to have more options to choose from, they can easily take as many classes as they want and do not have to worry about conflicting class schedules which usually make many college students frustrated.

As a result, online classes have become a reliable option for college students to take. Another benefit to taking online classes versus on campus classes is the lower costs that it provides. One of the reasons for these savings is that you do not have to spend money on gas or transportation. With the ability of studying and doing homework from the convenience of your own home, you don’t have to commute everyday to and from campus. Besides, finding parking on campus in the morning can be extremely stressful for students who drive to schools. With the price of gas these days and the cost of car insurance, it is really hard for those students who do not have jobs to afford to spend more money due to their already high cost to even enroll in college classes. In addition, students who take online classes might not have to worry about textbook prices because most of online classes offer online materials which are possible to download online. The savings can really add up and help college students pay their tuition, bills, and rent. These savings is a reason why students might choose an online class rather than a regular classroom.

Furthermore, online classes might be more interactive than the traditional classrooms where many students are not quite comfortable in raising their hands and asking questions due to the fact that they are so shy or even might be afraid of being stupid. Asking questions via emails might help students reduce that fear and feel more confident in their learning; especially for those students who are international students or because English is not a primary language to them. However, people who choose to take online classes are sometimes required to attend chat rooms which are designed to share thoughts, ideas among their classmates and their instructor as well. Some people might have a hard time expressing themselves in a traditional classroom, but they can do much better when they participate in a chat room. It is really beneficial to get helpful feedback from other classmates and the instructor, which you can actually learn a lot from throughout the quarter. As a result, taking online classes could be a good idea for those students who have trouble communicating like previously mentioned. Lastly, online classes really help students develop their ability of self control and time management, which is very important for a college student’s success in the long run.

With online classes, students can study at their own pace and have more freedom to do extra-curricular activities; however, they must have the responsibility for themselves in what they do outside of class and must learn how to manage their time in order to complete assignments on time, and in order to receive credit. From time to time, students will become better and better at time management as their class narrows to the end, and they try to finish their assignments by the deadline rather than late with points being reduced. They are more likely to succeed because they will get to know the importance of doing things on time or ahead of time which is very beneficial towards their success in class. By taking online classes, students could excel in the class and get good result as a reward for being in charge of their lives. In conclusion, there are many advantages of taking online classes rather than inside a regular classroom, so that college students can benefit from in terms of the convenience, flexibility, lower costs, and better interaction. This type of learning might not be for everyone; however, it does help many students learn better, and it also creates a new method of learning, which is a very necessary component to a student’s success in college. Online classes should be developed more in the future to help more and more students achieve their dreams.

Work cited

“10 Advantages to Taking Online Classes” oedb.org Tuesday 10th January 2012 “What are 5 advantages of online college courses?” onlinecollegecourses.com “Why Do Students Like Online Learning”- by Stephanie Coleman worldwidelearn.com