Whether students are entering college fresh out of high school or after a break from school, they will be faced with many decisions. One of those decisions will be not only what classes to take, but in what format they wish to take them. As one of the core classes of most degree plans, English 1301 is not only a commonly required course but also an integral building block for other college-level courses. Students have the option of taking a traditional lecture style course or experiencing the course in an online environment. While most people are familiar with the traditional lecture style course, there are quite a few who may have never experienced an online learning atmosphere. In order to be a successful student in an online class, students should consider whether they have the necessary skills to be able to thrive as well as the advantages of online classes. Many students may not realize that online classes are often times more involved than a traditional classroom style course.
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Because there is a total lack of lectures and in person instruction, students should ask themselves whether they can learn independently. The student’s commitment is the driving force to the class, and a lackluster drive can drastically effect their experience. Online courses also typically have more homework requirements to help ensure that all of the students are appropriately engaged in the learning process, so organization and time management are crucial elements to achieving success. As the entirety of the course will be online, there is a certain level of computer skill and reading comprehension that is also necessary for a positive experience. Once the student has determined whether they can thrive in an independent learning environment, it is then that they can focus on the benefits of taking online courses. …show more content…
Because the entire course is online, these types of classes work well with any schedule. Traditional lecture style classes are bound by the college hours of operation, and this may severely limit what courses students can take. The convenience of setting one’s own study and class-time schedule as well as the flexibility of being able to work whenever and wherever is extremely beneficial to a lot of people. Whether they are working a full-time job, are a full-time parent, or just a night owl, as long as the student works within the confines of the course deadlines they can succeed. Being completely in charge of how and when they study directly effects student’s study skills as it will help hone their time management and organizational skills. Developing these skills will not only help students succeed in other classes, both online and traditional, but in other aspects of their life as well. Strong time management and organizational skills will be beneficial across all educational, professional and personal planes. The online atmosphere also allows students of all types and personalities to break free and shine. Whether for personal reasons or due to personality traits, there are students who tend to not speak up or interact much in the traditional classroom setting. An online forum allows these students to open up and experience the coursework in ways they might not feel comfortable with otherwise. The message board system allows students to interact with each other, and gain feedback in a very straight forward and simple way. For students who struggle in social settings, this kind of interaction will not only help them understand the topic at hand, but also become more
Because there is a total lack of lectures and in person instruction, students should ask themselves whether they can learn independently. The student’s commitment is the driving force to the class, and a lackluster drive can drastically effect their experience. Online courses also typically have more homework requirements to help ensure that all of the students are appropriately engaged in the learning process, so organization and time management are crucial elements to achieving success. As the entirety of the course will be online, there is a certain level of computer skill and reading comprehension that is also necessary for a positive experience. Once the student has determined whether they can thrive in an independent learning environment, it is then that they can focus on the benefits of taking online courses. …show more content…
Because the entire course is online, these types of classes work well with any schedule. Traditional lecture style classes are bound by the college hours of operation, and this may severely limit what courses students can take. The convenience of setting one’s own study and class-time schedule as well as the flexibility of being able to work whenever and wherever is extremely beneficial to a lot of people. Whether they are working a full-time job, are a full-time parent, or just a night owl, as long as the student works within the confines of the course deadlines they can succeed. Being completely in charge of how and when they study directly effects student’s study skills as it will help hone their time management and organizational skills. Developing these skills will not only help students succeed in other classes, both online and traditional, but in other aspects of their life as well. Strong time management and organizational skills will be beneficial across all educational, professional and personal planes. The online atmosphere also allows students of all types and personalities to break free and shine. Whether for personal reasons or due to personality traits, there are students who tend to not speak up or interact much in the traditional classroom setting. An online forum allows these students to open up and experience the coursework in ways they might not feel comfortable with otherwise. The message board system allows students to interact with each other, and gain feedback in a very straight forward and simple way. For students who struggle in social settings, this kind of interaction will not only help them understand the topic at hand, but also become more