Online Learning, or Brick and Mortar?

I have attended both online colleges and brick and mortar schools, and in retrospect, I believe online learning is more for the student who works well independently, and not for someone who needs information explained more thoroughly by a professor.

The Brick and Mortar School

While getting my BA in Accounting, I attended a small, accredited college with much individualized learning. Classes were not very large, and there was a lot of time devoted to answering questions and talking to each other, as well as the professor, while in class. Professors had the time to take a student aside and help them when they were struggling, showing them where they fell short and how to get back into the game.

Another advantage to attending school on campus, besides one on one time, is that you have a social interaction you don't get online. Classmates, Professors, and even casual acquaintances, help to complete the learning experience in a social way, unlike messaging to talk to someone when you are learning online.

The biggest advantage I see in attending school on a campus is you are sure the school is accredited, you know where you will attend graduation, and there are no questions about whether the school may come under fire and be sued at a later time for misrepresenting who they are or their teaching methods. Of course, any school can come under fire if they practice poor teaching methods or practice corrupt policies, but it is less likely to happen in a school that is already well established and known.

Online Learning

I received my MS in psychology online, and believe I worked harder, and learned more, using this method of attending school rather than attending on campus. I had no choice but to utilize online learning since I lived in a very small area and had no access to school any other way. I had always wanted to be a psychologist, and this was my perfect opportunity. Always check, however, and do thorough research about your online school choices. Make sure the college is accredited, and make sure there is an actual campus somewhere, and that they are not a corporation selling learning.

Once you have done your research, and feel confident the college you have chosen is legitimate and accredited, you can begin to structure your individualized online learning experience. You are required to take some classes, but others you can decide to take, the same as any college would allow you to do. Some online schools require you to spend some time taking classes at their campus, and this can be a very beneficial experience.

The biggest difference I can see between the two types of learning has to do with the method of presenting material to the student. In an online environment, you must be able to function on the computer to pull up the proper areas where your assignments are posted, learn how to use the online library for research, and be able to post your assignments according to the correct format, depending on the area in which you are seeking your degree. Some online schools offer live lectures that can be tuned into, but others do not, so there is no professor explaining the topic you are learning. You have to do all the reading yourself, and come up with the answers without any input from other students, friends, or the professor.

Group learning is encouraged, and that can be a real challenge. You have to learn to get along with the other members of your group, which are usually assigned, and your grade is divided between your ability to blend into the group and get along with the other members, and your actual contribution to the assignment. It is difficult when you get one or more members of the group who don't care to co-operate or get their work done on time.

The most difficult challenge I had was when I was assigned a chapter to read, and the chapter had nothing to do with the question on the assignment. However, that assignment taught me critical thinking, which was the purpose of the assignment to begin with, and was the most beneficial undertaking I have ever experienced. It taught me to think beyond what is laid out in black and white, to make comparisons, and actually learn.

I worked three times as hard for my degree online as I did for my accounting degree on campus. Of course, a Masters is more difficult to obtain than a Bachelors, but given both degrees be equal, I still had to work harder for my online degree. The upside to that is I have retained the knowledge better than I did with four years on campus and twenty years in the field.