Writing for World Wide Learn, Stephanie Coleman attempts to answer the question, "Why Do Students Like Online Learning?" Based on the dramatic increase in the number of students enrolled in online schools and universities, Coleman identifies a number of compelling arguments for attending a cyber classroom.
15 reasons why students like online learning:
- Students can "attend" a course at anytime, from anywhere.
- Online learning enables student-centered teaching approaches.
- Course material is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Student interaction is increased and the diversity of opinion, because everyone gets a say, not just the most talkative.
- Because instructors and learners can participate from anywhere in the world, students are exposed to knowledge that can't be learned in books and see how class concepts are applied in real business situations.
- Using the Internet to attend class, research information and communication with other students teaches skills in using technologies that will be critical to workers in the 21st century business community that works with colleagues globally and across time zones.
- Participating online is much less intimidating than "in the classroom."
- Students experience increased bonding and camaraderie occurs due to "chat rooms" for informal conversation between students, where student bios and non-class discussions can take place.
- The online environment makes instructors more approachable.
- Online course development allows for a broad spectrum of content. Students can access the school's library from their PCs for research articles, ebook content, and other material without worries that the material is already "checked out."
- Students often feel that they can actually listen to the comments made by other students. Because everyone gets a chance to contribute, students are less irritated with those that "over contribute" and can ask for clarification of any comments that are unclear.
- Over 75% of colleges and universities in the U.S. offer online degree programs, with online degrees as respected as "on the ground" degrees. (Lewis)
- Online classrooms also facilitate team learning by providing chatrooms and newsgroups for meetings and joint work.
- Students often comment that online learning lets them attend class when fully awake and attend in increments of convenient time block, rather than rigid 2 or 4 hour stretches once or twice a week.
- Because there are no geographic barriers to online learning, students can find a diversity of course material that may not be available to them where they live or work.
Read the entire article, Compelling Arguments for Attending a Cyber Classroom Contributed by Chip Donohue
Displaying All 4 Posts
Anne
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
02/21/2008 8:48 pm
I beleive you can have both aspects, the convenience of online and the connecting with people aspect. I facilitate an online program which uses a combination of synchronus and asynchronus learning tools.
Centra, which is synchronous allows students to connect from across the state online, in real time. We look at critical questions using breakout room where students facilitate a group- a bit like groups brainstorming and then feeding back comments to the larger. I take student to website to research information and share documents. ts and EdNA online is a web based platform. it is asynchronus and has facilitites such as chat room, resourses weblinks forums, quiz tools and blogs. students are able to submit assessment electronically onto EdNA. I find the combination works well and the feedback freom students has been positive. I believe the time factor is what is important for a lot of my students, who are adults mostly women studing child care and may have a full time job as a home person with a family and children, some even work outside of the home as well.
patricia brocato
University at Buffalo Child Care Center
buffalo, ny, United States
02/21/2008 09:26 am
I agree with M. Mollenhauer & B. Backus. There needs to be physical, human interaction when taking a class. The whole experience of attending a University is sadly taken for granted now. As to comment on statement 14....What's wrong with having to get up at a certain time for class? School & an education should have priority over those things that can wait...such as partying, going out on the town, shopping for a date on Friday night.
Barbara Backus
United States
02/21/2008 08:31 am
I have taken on line classes and have not found that all of these statements are true. I found that it was read the book answer the questions and do research. I found I did not get to know the professor at all and the chats were just repeating what was read or viewed on a video. I did not get to know the other students, they were faceless names. The only benefit was that I could do the class work at midnight if I felt like it. I think a whole generation is missing out on the valuable interactions that go on inside a classroom.
Martie Mollenhauer
DARE to AFFIRM
Pitman, New Jersey, United States
02/21/2008 04:08 am
Yes, all of the reasons appear to valuable and definitely in favor of supporting the learner's schedule and style, BUT WHAT ABOUT REAL RELATIONSHIPS. We learn so much about ourselves in the context of interactions, challenges and affirmations from others. I believe that the Internet has taken away so much of the personalization and learning of life.
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