5 Things No One Told You About Online Learning

Online learning has changed drastically over the years. From the time when the University of Illinois created an intranet for their students to the current world where you can learn almost anything online, we have come a long way. Millions of students now sign up for an online programs. Yet, thousands give up midway – either because they’ve had unrealistic expectations about online learning, or they’ve lost interest. If you’re planning to sign up for an online course, we list a few things no one told you about online learning:

1. You can either pick from synchronous or asynchronous course:

Online courses are either synchronous or asynchronous. Synchronous learning involves a virtual classroom or video conference where the instructor is teaching to a group of students (who have logged in on their systems) at the same time. The latter, however, refers to coursework that’s delivered either via message boards and emails or through the web. Students are sent video lectures, assignments, tests, etc. on the web – they have to complete them by the deadline and resend it to the instructor. Each of these methods has their pros and cons – make sure you understand them well before signing up.

2. Not all online courses are self-paced:

One of the biggest draws for people to sign up for an online course is that you can complete the course at your own pace. But this isn’t always the case. Most courses are instructor-paced, i.e., the instructor sets the pace of the course and students are expected to follow a set schedule. There are specific due dates for homework assignments, and tests and students have to complete the course within a specific period, usually eight or twelve weeks. On the other hand, a self-paced course does have a set start and end date.

3. Online courses don’t have to be hectic:

Yes, it is true that online courses are time-consuming and overwhelming, especially if you have a career or a family to manage. But it needn’t be as stressful as its made out to be. When it comes to online learning, smart work pays more than hard work. For example, rather than jumping from one task to another, it makes sense to plan. Or, rather than jumping from one assignment to another, you could always hire online class takers to manage the homework. You can always call up someone and ask, ‘Can you take my online class for me?’ Online tutors can complete your homework, write your dissertation, take your test, or even comment on discussion boards.

4. Manners do matter even in an online platform:

The online platform isn’t an excuse for people to demean others. For one, an online course isn’t anonymous like other online platforms. Also, you could lose points for being rude and inconsiderate, even if it was unintentional. For example, humor is a dicey proposition in an online discussion. Since conversations aren’t happening face to face, it is quite possible that an innocent comment could be misinterpreted.