Are on-line college classes as good as classroom classes.?

Question

I have read about some online schools being very bad and a financial ripoff for when it comes to educational value.

Answer 1

Hi! I'm a student at Davenport University where we have both in-seat and on-line classes. Our on-line classes are typically 7 weeks for a 3 credit hour class and most in-seat classes are either 7 or 15 week classes. Our school is accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and our school website is www.davenport.edu

Some on-line schools may not be that good, depending upon the college and the degree you choose.

In the case of my school, we have a major and specific classes we have to take. When we take them and how many classes per semester is up to us. We also have the option to take either in-seat or on-line classes, the credits and the textbook are the same.

As far as the on-line classes being as good or worse, it all depends on your learning style.

For instance, I would not take either math, finance or accounting classes on-line as I feel I need that instruction right on the board in front of me. In an on-line class, we currently don't have the technology to do that. Our lectures are non-audio and we read the lectures just like our textbooks.

But where the on-line classes excel is the discussion boards. We use Blackboard learning system for our classes. Most of my classes typically have 2 to 4 discussion questions that we have to answer each week (based on our chapters) and they are put on to a discussion board where we comment on each other's postings. I learn a lot more from the interaction than any other function of the school. Especially in a school like mine where many of the students are already working in the field. We also may have group projects and one or more papers per session. I have to log onto the discussion board 5 days per week to receive credit. The assignments are posted at the beginning of the week and we have until Midnight on specific days to get the work done. I typically take 2 classes per 7 week session and spend between 15-30 hours per week on an average for my classes (between reading, research, writing papers, and posting to the discussion boards). But I typically do more work than the average student, because I figure if I'm going to pay for the classes I want my money's worth in learning that topic. Other students may only spend 3 or 4 hours per week on the study time, but their grades will reflect it as well.

I'd check for the following issues in determining whether the school is a valid one.

1) Is the degree a "canned" degree where they put you in a program and you take class A, then class B, then Class C in a specific sequence, or do you have some flexibility in the schedule?
2) Will the instructors be available via e-mail, or by phone for questions.
3) Are there alumni you can talk with about the degrees?
4) Are there career advisors at the school to help you with preparing to enter the job market afterwards.
5) Do you have the option of taking the classes either in-seat or on-line. At my school I take a combination. I live 35 miles from one of the campuses and 58 miles from another campus and depending on the class I want to take, I may take the class on-line, or at one of the other campuses.

Good luck to you on your decision!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

Yes, they can be great, I've taken 5 online courses myself. You are not physically in the classroom, so you have to work a little harder to learn the material. By doing this, you are forcing yourself to learn more than you would if you sat in a classroom with other students. Also, by being in an online classroom, you can be more open than you would by physically being in a regular classoom. A lot of people are too shy or feel awkward about asking questions or giving their opinions. However, in an online classroom, you can say what you feel, and the participation can be fun, believe it or not. I look forward to getting and giving feedback, and even the debates which go on.

Participation is very important, but it should be no problem to spend at least a few minutes a day, posting a comment or question.

If you are thinking about taking an online course, you need to research it, and just be careful. You don't want any of these schools that say you can "earn your degree in one year". It doesn't work like that, it still takes time and effort to earn a degree, but if you have a busy lifestyle, then online is definitely the way to go.

Also, online colleges are not always as "impersonal" as some may think. I go to a state college, I meet with an advisor, we have a dean, financial aid, and if I ever have a question, there is always someone I can talk to. An online course doesn't always mean that there is no one to interact face-to-face with.
I could give you some good schools too!

Answer 5

I wouldn't necessarily use those specific words. I took one online class when I was getting my degree (the class I needed wasn't offered at a local campus and I couldn't commute the 2 hours to the campus it was offered at) and it was horrible. You lose soooo much by not being in the classroom. I would never do online classes. When I go back for my masters degree, I will definitely not take ANY online classes! But experiences will vary for each individdual so you should probably just thoroughly research the college you will be attending and get the online info and research that as well. Maybe see if there's someone you can actually speak to as a representative of the school. Good luck!!!

Answer 6

Hi everyone,

in my opinion, online classes aren't a bad thing per se. They can provide you with a much higher flexibility when studying and if you have less time (for example because you're a mom or are working already) this can be a great thing.
Of course, there are some really expensive "for profit" schools that are not as good. But on the other side, community colleges offer online courses and degrees too and there are a few reputable and great online universities out there. You might want to check out this site for more information:

http://universityhelpsite.com/reviews/

Make sure to check out all options and compare tuition, fees, reviews and recommendations. Also it should be a regionally accredited school. :)

Greetings,
Tom

Answer 7

Short answer is yes. Long answer is that it depends on the application being used by the school to deliver the class. If you take an online class from a trusted ground school, you are more likely to have a positive online classroom experience. The other important item with taking an online class/getting an online degree from a traditional school is that your degree is from the traditional school and does not state "online" anywhere on the degree certificate. Some schools offering online classes include Boston University, South University, Argosy University, Penn State University, Art Institutes and Drexel to name a few. Just do your research and you'll be fine.

Answer 8

You definitely need to be careful. When you think about it, how hard is it to set up a Web site, advertise as an "online college" and rake in people's money. In metro areas like Chicago, especially, there are a TON of private, for-profit "technical colleges". Some, obviously, are more legit and credible than others.

The biggest thing you lose in online classes is not just direct face-to-face with the instructor, but the interaction with other students as well. Sometimes another student will ask a question you hadn't considered.

But if your situation is such that it's the only way you'll be able to attain a degree, go for it. But to ensure you'll be intellectually richer for it, just check it out as best you can.

Answer 9

Definitely not. There are even some where you don't have to ever do any work....just pay your money and they'll make up a phony transcript for whatever major you choose, print you a diploma and even provide you with letters of recommendation. All that expensive paper makes good emergency toilet paper since most employers know what these outfits are.

While some courses can be taken on-line from legitimate schools, there's nothing like the old-fashioned method of instruction where you get to know the teacher as a person and not just someone on a computer and where you get to know your fellow classmates in an interpersonal setting.

In addition, in a real classroom, your critical thinking skills are sharpened considerably more than they are on-line and employers are becoming more and more aware of the importance of these skills.

Also, a survey a few years ago showed that the one thing which concerned potential employers the most about college graduates was their inability to communicate with others since they spent all their time on-line. You can't beat face-to-face interactions for sharpening those interpersonal skills which are extremely important in the real world. (Remember, college isn't the real world!)

Another benefit of attending classes at a brick-and-mortar (physical) school is your participation in activities outside of the classroom which shows a potential employer you are able to work with others in such areas as a group setting. And small groups make the world go round - you will find yourself on a committee of some kind at some point during your working career. And having those activities on a resume looks good. The value of networking through these activities can't be overlooked as well.

All-in-all if you're thinking of going to a college or university remember, today's Bachelor's Degree is yesterday's Associates Degree, so you'll probably want to spend an additional year in obtaining a Master's Degree. This will help you greatly.

So, steer clear of the mail-order diploma mills you find on-line and save your money and spend that money on getting a real degree at a real school. Good Luck!!!! And remember to have some fun while you're there!

Answer 10

Dear,

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As you asked; "I have read about some online schools being very bad and a financial ripoff for when it comes to educational value." I hope it may help you.

Best of Luck :)

Answer 11

They can never be as good because there is no physical interaction and we all know that human beings need that sort of thing, its just a part of us. I think they both work out to the same results, it is your dedication that determines your success. And if you decide to succeed in an online environment then you can, and the same applies for the classroom. Also, at the same time there are some people who do better in an actual classroom environment and some who prefer being around a computer all day initiating their own learning. So it is up to the individuals and maybe those on-line colleges that you read about, their students were not really tech-savy and so just didn't learn 100%. Maybe the teachers just sucked! You never know.

There are many factors that contribute to how bad the online colleges are, so we cannot put the blame on the college administration itself, we have to consider students and teachers as well.

My view about online colleges is simply this, NEVER TRUST THEM, because you never know who is planning to rip your financial heart out. But as usual, there are some online colleges that are good and others that are not so good. So even though we may have heard of some bad ones we still can't use that as the general standard of rating. There are still the few that do really really well.