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I wanted to ask people on this board how they feel about on-campus learning vs. online college learning. I've noticed that many more colleges/universities are offering online degree programs for students. I think there are pros and cons for each of these types of learning experiences, but I wanted to ask how they feel about it and what'd they choose if they were to go back to school. I think online college helps people who have many responsibilities, such as full-time work and children, and have never completed the last of their college credits. While on the other hand it doesn't offer the same amount of emotional and social experience being in a on-campus environment. Also networking does help a ton in terms of internships & job offers in some cases. But I wanted to hear peoples' thoughts on the matter because so far I'm enjoying my online college experience vs. on-campus learning experience.
Personally, I learn much better on-campus, face to face with the teacher than behind a screen. Not everyone is the same though. The online experience is much better for some people. Different learning styles.
For someone coming directly out of high school, the on-campus experience is probably better. They get to be surrounded by people their own age and can make good friends and connections.
I agree with you that online is good for non-traditional students with busy lives.
Online-only schools don't really have a good reputation though. Many of them are for-profit and non-accredited. Taking classes through a normal university online looks better and is probably of higher quality.
Personally, I learn much better on-campus, face to face with the teacher than behind a screen. Not everyone is the same though. The online experience is much better for some people. Different learning styles.
For someone coming directly out of high school, the on-campus experience is probably better. They get to be surrounded by people their own age and can make good friends and connections.
I agree with you that online is good for non-traditional students with busy lives.
Online-only schools don't really have a good reputation though. Many of them are for-profit and non-accredited. Taking classes through a normal university online looks better and is probably of higher quality.
I agree 100%, I'm lucky my school is an accredited institution and a recognized state college. I think the best thing about online colleges is that it's impossible to go to online college immediately after high school. For example, you'll have to have all your gen-eds completed before applying to school. I think in terms of social and maturing environments, especially for young people, on-campus is the way to go.
I didn't like the online stuff. There was no interaction, didn't feel there was any real learning, the tests were 10x easier than on campus ones.
I feel in general, schools are becoming increasingly simply degree mills, and as a result you see the levels of actually educating declining.
Yeah that's one of the issues some people bring up. I'm completely different, I had a hard time learning in an actual college environment. Mostly because I had a hard time concentrating, it didn't help that many of my professors weren't very helpful and looked like they didn't want to be there. There is a bit of interaction between my classmates and I. Even though I understand one of the main parts of college is the socialization with others, I couldn't socialize with my classmates and did not like the ones I usually shared classes with.
Totally depends on the institution. Online classes at UCLA or USC will be much different and much more rigorous than online classes at the "University" of Phoenix.
Agree with the previous poster - if you're just getting out of high school the on campus experience is better. If funds are tight do an associates through a community college and then complete the last two years (sometimes a tad longer if you don't have all the general classes covered through that associates) of a bachelors.
If you're a working professional, have a family, have an awkward schedule - AND have a lot of self discipline - the online option can be a good route, just look for an accredited program, preferably in a non-profit with a good physical campus reputation. The for-profits may be a degree but most serious employers see them as buying a degree, not earning an education.
Just as physical campus experiences vary greatly so do the distance learning/online options. Some distance learning are primarily online but also require some on-campus classes. Some online degrees are take the classes as you like, others have the entire degree as a commitment you sign up for when registering (i.e. you take these classes in this cohort in this order and if you can't complete it in that planned order and time frame then you cannot finish the degree) usually with those you are with the same group through your degree so you develop better networks than other options.
So my suggestion is if you are seriously considering an online degree - try a course in one of the free MOOC options to make sure you can handle the style of education, then make sure you know what you want to get your degree in, and what the actual prospects for that field are once you have the degree, make sure the degrees/schools are accredited (and preferably non-profit), then search for reviews by students who have already attended the distance education options at those schools, then make your decision.
I 'lecture' both face-to-face and fully online - the content, assessments & activities are identical (as per government/accreditation requirements) for both modes of study, but I also understand USA has a very different system - and there's a lot of mistrust due to for-profit online institutions in USA.
Typically, fully online students are older, have children, work longer hours, and are more self-regulated than face-to-face students (as per my PhD research which looks at comparing online and face-to-face students).
I have completed a bachelor degree face-to-face, a masters degree blended (some online and some face-to-face) and some of my doctoral study has been fully online and it doesn't actually bother me what mode it is in. I like online because it saves me the drive, and if I cannot be bothered one day, I'll put it off until tomorrow - the risk being tomorrow often never comes.
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