Most students who decide to pursue an online education degree think it’s all going to be a walk in the park. If the classes are online, they should be easy and care-free, right? Not so. As online classes become more and more popular across the country, they also become more rigorous and require more effort than some students would expect. Really, though, this shouldn’t be surprising.
Now that we’re entering the digital age, it’s a no brainer that online education degrees and online courses for credit should gain a lot of momentum. Online classes make education accessible to millions of people across the globe. You don’t have to live near a specific campus and pay to travel in order to sit in on top quality lectures and receive a stellar education. Online students get to save money on books, commutes, tuition, room and board, and so much more. It’s convenience that makes online classes all the more popular these days, not ease.
Understanding online education pros and cons before signing up for an online course will help students get oriented to the online process and figure out whether or not pursuing an online education degree is right for them. After all, a large number of online students are not only full-time students. Many have to work part or full-time jobs on the side. Rraise families, care for parents. And participate in competitive athletics, serve in the armed forces, or any number of other time-consuming responsibilities. With all their time being used up, it’s only going to help them to plan ahead, that way their semester is balanced and healthy.
Balancing an Online Education Degree
If you are an online student balancing work and online classes, you could probably use a bit of assistance to get by. It’s perfectly fair to ask for help. In fact, we think that not enough students do so. While there is opportunity in online classes to communicate with your peers and your professors, you are not going to get the same chance to interact with others as you might in traditional in-person classes. That comes down to the basic difference between online education and campus-based education.
Online discussion boards are available for students to share their ideas and post information on their assignments. But most students would agree that these spaces are limited and not everyone participates to the same degree. Same goes for your professor. He or she might post the original assignment on the discussion board, but they may not be checking it daily to see whether or not you have any questions and need any assistance. As talented as most professors are, they’re not all tech-savvy!
We think it’s a great idea to post on the discussion forum about starting an online study group. If you don’t get a response on the forum itself, you may want to send out an email to your classmates recommending the idea. You might be surprised to find out that many of your fellow online classmates are in a similar position to you. They’re schedules are likely also busy with work and family, and they could lean on fellow students for help. If that doesn’t work, try reaching out to your professor personally with questions and comments on the readings and assignments. In all likelihood they will be impressed by your effort and lend a helping hand.
Choosing Online Courses for Credit
If you’re thinking of signing up for an online class! We recommend scanning the available curriculum carefully and choosing a course that you’re going to be able to handle. All too often, students sign up for more than they can handle and end up dropping out of their classes halfway or even before halfway. Picking the right online courses for credit is going to lend itself to a healthy semester.
Ask yourself what your educational goals are. If you’re trying to attain an Accounting degree, for example, maybe pick one basic course alongside a complex one. It might not be to your benefit to choose three or four complex classes whose material is going to consistently challenge you when you’re already strapped for time.
You should also ask yourself what your genuine interests are. Sometimes choosing an interesting elective alongside a course within your major area of study is a great idea. It might seem like you’re distracting yourself by taking on disparate subject material, but in fact, you’re cultivating an educational spirit. Developing this sort of mindset is character-building and will lead to balanced and committed schedules.
Online Education Pros and Cons
Before you dive in to this next semester, back up for a moment and make a list of online education pros and cons. Simply clarifying your understanding of what the experience is going to be like is going to help you moving forward. For example, you know you are going to be, primarily, on your own for this online course. But have you taken that for granted? Have you considered the possibility that your classmates and professor not be very responsive? When it comes to posting on the discussion board and asking for help?
This sort of thing varies from online class to online class, and it’s helpful to keep in mind. The longer and more involved your list of online education pros and cons becomes, the deeper your understanding is going to be, and the more prepared you’ll be when something comes up.
It’s important to remember that, despite the cons on your list. An online education degree is an amazing pursuit and is worthy of your intelligence and attention. The best things in life come with their fair share of challenges. And you should not give up on attaining an online degree simply because it’s going to be difficult. Even if your time is limited and you can only take one class this semester instead of the two or three you would have liked to take. And you can still bring yourself closer to your goal by dedicating yourself fully to the work on your plate.
Like Al Pacino tells us in the film “Any Given Sunday,” life is a game of inches. There are a number of measures we can take to tackle our commitments, and devising study strategies to complete our online classes is one among them. Do some research and find out how other online students with similar circumstances as yours succeeded in their classes. Read through blogs like ours and discover a range of study and brainstorming techniques. So that you can ace your tests and papers this coming semester. And if you need additional assistance, reach out to our team of tutors and find out how we can help. We have experts in more than 100 academic subjects ready to help you with your online classes.
What’s Next?
Are you going to pursue an online education degree this year? We want to know how you plan to balance your semester with work and family on the side. Share your ideas and strategies with us, so we can continue spreading the word. Reach out to us today!