by Cheryl Abney

Created on: September 10, 2010

Have you limited time to commute and attend classes scheduled throughout the day?  Do you need to hold down your day job while you pursue a degree?  Do family demands make attending classes on campus difficult?  Does driving distance to the nearest college campus pose a time and expense problem? If any of these apply to you, online education courses have probably crossed your mind. Like many daily decisions we make, taking an online education class has both advantages and disadvantages. Consider the following disadvantages of online studies:

Solitary pursuit –

When taking an online education class, you’re generally sitting in front of the computer screen alone. If you have a question or need an explanation, you do not have the immediacy of simply raising your hand. This may be okay if you’re taking a subject that you are strong in and won’t need a great deal of help and reinforcement.

Lacks group support –

Although others are taking the online course and you are generally provided emails and encouraged to share and contact each other, the group entity is missing. The group support may or may not become evident as the course progresses and each course is different. Although communication with classmates is encouraged, the reality is that the reasons for taking an online course in the first place may limit time for camaraderie.

Procrastination –

It is much easier to procrastinate on assignments when you are not face to face with the instructor or the judgment of other students when you are unprepared. If physical attendance isn’t being tallied, other more attractive activities can entice the online student to put off their lessons.

Test review prompts –

When attending a course in person and reviewing for an evaluation, it is not uncommon for a professor to stress the material with expressions or repetition that you will later see on the test. In an online course you aren’t privy to insider prompts. You’re left to your own judgment about what material will appear on the test.

In order to surmount these obstacles of taking an online education class, you need to be very self-directed and goal-oriented. If you possess these traits, consider the following advantages of an online course.

Financial savings -

When taking an online class in the comfort of your own home, you save money on gas and vehicle maintenance, clothing, snacks and meals. Affordability is another advantage of the majority

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