Gone are the times when you could only study while being admitted to the school, attending classes regularly on time decided and scheduled by school, limited course options, the fixed time table for each course and the necessity of being taught from the teachers only that school had hired. Those times were good, but in this fast pace era, you might be working while studying and the course you want to opt for is only available in your work hours. You might be enrolled in an evening class, but that is the only time you get to spend with the rest of your family, the school you might be admitted is very far from where you reside. All of these problems are being taken care of without hindering your learning through online classes available. This era of technology has made learning easier, available on your fingertips. From online high school classes to Ph.D. courses, all are present for you to choose from.
Just like any other ease of technology, the online class also has both; pros and cons which you must know before getting into this so that you know if you can commit to learning this way or not. Here are a few important mentions.
Pros of online classes
Here are a few top advantages of getting your education through online classes. These are the ones which can make your life easier.
It is flexible!
One of the best pros of online classes is flexibility. Your learning squeezes in easily in the schedule you want. If you have a regular job while studying, you can easily give the best time to your job and take your classes online, when the job hours end. If you are traveling or have family commitments, you can take your classes anywhere in the world you are at any time without the hassle of attending it at a fixed hour scheduled by somebody else without your will. Math Workbooks for Distance Learning is beneficial to understand better.
This flexibility gives you the freedom to enjoy studying and learning when you want. You can submit your assignments according to your ease, meeting the deadlines without compromising your other commitments. If you love one course more than others and are competent in that one, it allows you to study in advance without waiting for the schedule of the next class. This way, you can spend the rest of your study hours on other subjects you have taken signed up for.
Your Location is Your Campus!
A lot of times the program you want to opt for does not offer in the town or state you reside. So moving to a new place to study that particular course is too much of an expense. Because it is not just you shifting to another place, it is a completely new lifestyle, more expense of your rentals and bills, living away from family and sacrifice of your existing work. This has been made easy by online courses. You can study the course of your choice from any university in any state without actually moving there.
It Saves You Money!
It is one of the cost-saving methods. Online classes give you the flexibility of studying from anywhere you want. This saves your expense of attending a class at a particular place. The daily commute to one place often gets too expensive. On top of it, when you step out, you are more likely to eat out, which means a daily dent in your pocket. Alongside this, fuel and parking charges or if you go for a pick and drop service for this, you got to pay the driver. All of it sums up into too much money besides your course tuition fee.
By taking a course online, you do not only just save money but also get a chance to earn more money by continuing your work there, attending work fulltime instead of being a part-time person due to your college classes.
You Get Skill Set Similar to Your Job!
Life at college at times does not let you grow up into a professional person. You remain a chirpy student roaming around college campuses instead of taking real-life skills that you need in your job. You often miss on basic skills that you might require in your future workplace. However, in this era of technology, online classes, manage your time, email back on forth for your assignments, get your hands on much new software, remote learning and meeting deadlines. All of this is somewhat similarly needed in the office job as well.
Cons of online classes
While there are so many benefits that attract you in getting yourself enrolled in online programs only, there are a few disadvantages as well, which one must consider before flowing into excitement.
Procrastination Kicks in!
If you are somebody like me who procrastinate a lot and just cannot manage time properly, these online classes can be a problem for you. These courses need you to be self-accountable because nobody is marking your attendance on being not present on the scheduled date and scolding you for being a late-comer in the class. Only you have to look out on your timings strictly, not to procrastinate, prioritize your work and study accordingly, making you dedicate your course the amount of time it needs, else you are doomed. Plan and be focused on what you plan. Studying online also takes in the same amount of your time and often more just like studying in a classroom.
You Feel Social Loneliness!
Studying in a class with your peers, talking to them before the lecture begins makes your mind quite stress free. Otherwise, studying alone, online can sometimes make you feel social loneliness and isolation. To be connected with other humans is the need for a human being. One just cannot spend time studying a course online on a computer without knowing the fellow learners. This might be dealt with an initial icebreaker through a video con at the beginning of the course so that fellows know each other and can discuss the course, be comfortable working if they are asked to work on projects together.
You Hardly Get Networking Opportunities!
In-person relationships with other classmates and teachers often turn out to be helpful later in professional lives. People make good networks in college, which helps them to create more opportunities for themselves. Instructors at campuses knowing their students in person often refer them to good workplaces, students are offered jobs at their campuses because of good performance and attitude. Get supporting documents or recommendations from campus and faculties, which help you step on the next levels of your successes. All of this is missed out while studying online.
In a nutshell
As every opportunity and advancement has a few good things to offer with a few backlashes, online classes also offer you a lot of flexibility, skillset, and opportunities alongside some missing social connections and a chance of procrastination. It all depends on what and how do you prioritize your learning and balance your interaction while studying on a screen.