Online Courses: Do They Help Or Hurt Students?

I like many other students here at UNM and many other colleges are taking online courses. At this point I’m discovering the pros and cons of online courses because this is my first semester taking them. Students are offered both advantages and disadvantages from online learning.

It was estimated in a 2003 Daily Lobo article that about 8,000 to 10,000 students were taking online classes. I was unable to find any clear counts on how many students right now are using online methods. It’s safe to say the numbers are probably high.

Taking online classes provides a person with certain liberties and independence. The structures of the courses vary on the preferences and plans of professors. Often some classes do involve meetings on campus buildings to take tests or do presentations. The tradition of classrom discussion is modified in a virtual classroom through discussion forums, chat rooms and live sessions. Quizzes, research papers and deadlines come along with taking an online course. Many aspects of face to face learning and environments are modified to virtual settings. Textbook use is also present in some classes but some professors use various articles and excerpts, books, journals and magazines as reading material.

I have known several past and current UNM students and college students from other colleges who have gone the online route for different reasons. A few are also parents who use online learning to help them better juggle the parental and academic roles. Others use online learning to juggle work, health conditions, school and other obligations. Students have to worry less about arriving to class late and are able to spend more time at home or work. Some students are able to work maybe a few hours more each week in order to save money or survive financially. One of my out-of-state relatives depended on online learning for awhile after he was injured in a car accident. The convenience aspect of online classes is evident. But other aspects of online learning sometimes don’t always help students.

Online learning brings out stress for many and sometimes the online aspect of learning makes it harder for students to deal with. People have told me that they feel really alone and disconnected because they can’t communicate with their instructors or classmates in a physical sense. I know from past experience having physical contact with others helps when you have problems understanding course material. It is hard at times for me not to be in physical contact with other students who are learning the same material. Others have stated they hate depending on technology all the time in order to earn credit hours. A few people have admitted to me that often procrastinate more because they are not in a real classroom. I also understand the negative view on technology there are times I don’t want to spend time in front of a computer. Not being in a classroom also will give people more reasons to procrastinate because they really don’t have to answer to an instructor.

In many ways you could say that online education isn’t suited for everyone. Online classes take dedication and the ability to work independently. The downsides will continue to exist. But several universities and education advisement websites have published articles that give tips to students who are involved in online learning. So far I haven’t been able to find any tips lists or articles published by UNM to help students. In both my online courses the instructors have provided tip lists.

Students who are having difficulties with online classes should talk to their instructors or seek advice from students who have taken them in the past. I also think maybe on-campus study groups or workshops could also help students with their work in online classes. The experiences of students with online classes will vary because each experience is based on the habits and learning rates of students.