Are online classes worth taking?

[makichan]

For those who have or are currently taking online WEB based courses, what do you think of them?
I've kind of been on the fence as to whether or not I would want to register for one.
Any thoughts or advice?
Thanks in advance~

[nikkiolie]

The online classes at OSU are quite a bit more expensive then others. I've never taken one but I think it was about $500 for 3 credits or something like that.

[DancingTofu]

It really depends on whether the teacher knows how to teach a web-based class or not.  The systems most schools set up for web-based classes are terrible.  I've known people who have been really successful in web-based classes, but I've also known people who have had really bad experiences with them.

[megchan]

It depends on the course/instructor.

At UW (for no additional cost), some classes have online options and lecture options. Two of my oceanography courses were like that and all of the lectures were podcasted and the lecture PDFs up online. So even though I did the lecture course, I skipped a lot and still got a 4.0 XD (but I also love oceanography so that helps)

[Higuma]

My wife is taking classes online. It's great for convenience but make sure its from an accredited school.

[tofutakeout]

my brother took them. did not enjoy them. they were a lot of money, it took him for ever to get his degree because the site seemed to have a lot of set backs. I wouldn't recommended it but each online school is different.

[Deviant Spider]

Personally I dont have the attention span for online classes. I slack off WAY too much when im in my comfortable home. Its easy to pay attention in class, when you have no distractions, but at home EVERYTHING is a distraction.

On the flip side I know many people who loved doing it this way as they could raise thier families easier. It kinda depends on your learning style. Are you self motivated or not. All web baised classes can have technical difficulties, but most professors also understand when something goes wrong. And when it does you can allways email him/her so they are aware of the problem.

[makichan]

Yeah... I mean, I'm a hard worker but my attention span is kind of... lol.
So, perhaps I'll steer clear of the online course.
Without it, I'd still have enough credits to be considered full-time. Not too shabby 

[AnimeMatrix]

It really depends on your time-management and self-discipline. I thought I was a pretty disciplined person... until I took a hybrid class where half was in-person/in-class and the other half was online. I did great for the in-class portion, but I never remembered or set aside enough time to do the online portion, and since online was 50% of the class... I failed .

So if you know yourself enough and you think you can handle an online class, take it. If you need more structure and discipline, then maybe you should avoid taking online classes. Just be familiar with your learning style and how you handle a workload.

[nikkiolie]

So basically what everyone is saying is that if you have good self discipline and can focus long enough the online classes are great. They allow you to schedule around your day. However, if you can't focus and are not motivated then taking a lecture would be better.

[makichan]

I'm kind of both, really. I'm motivated but I can't keep my focus. I'll just read more into it and see if I think I can manage my attention for that particular class.

[nikkiolie]

If you are a little bit motivated then that should be enough. The good thing about online classes is that if you lose interest you can take a break and come back to it latter. If it was anything like the self paced course I took you may get to finish it early and that may be motivation alone. I would say give it a shot and if the worst would to happen you can pass no pass it, at least my school lets you do it. Pass no pass is a c or higher is a pass and you get the credit but the grade doesn't go onto your GPA no pass is D or lower and you don't get the credit and it still doesn't go on your GPA.

so if you had a 4.0 GPA and you think you will get a C or a B in a class you can pass no pass it and still get the credit but not bring your GPA down.....make sense? I figure other schools would have it too.

[NeonFoxRocks]

imo if you want to get collage classes go to a collage whether it be a community collage or university you can get more (depending on instructor) help if your not getting something plus you have the resources at your fingertips. On the other hand if you want to self educate yourself on something the internet is probably the best place, just start with what you want to learn and type in google best way to learn blah blah hehe

[Simon Young]

Agreed to what most people said above - depends on focus, time management, and self-discipline.

Also, different schools have different types of programs. Often times, the online version of the class is more expensive even though you often get less interactions with the instructor or students. At most accredited school,s you'll have a deadline of when assignments are due, you'll have to take tests, and do the majority of your homework online. Many of these programs also depend on your learning styles.

For me, it was great when I was on tour over summer because I didn't need to be in class - but every few days, I was rushing to a hotel or cafe to connect online. One thing also: I can't stand reading textbooks on the computer screen. I usually print the 300-400 pages out because its easier to read, take notes, highlight, etc.

If you're in it to get the class done, it can be convenient because you can work ahead. If you really want to get something from the class because its something you enjoy, I'd say go for the standard classroom.