6 Major Advantages of Taking Online Courses

By Christine Ascher on June 25, 2017

You may think that the idea of staying at home and sitting on a computer to take a class, rather than going to an actual classroom on your campus with other students, is impractical. After all, if you’re not sitting at a desk with your professor standing in front of you, then what’s to keep you from getting distracted or giving in altogether to the often overwhelming urge to nap?

However, there’s a lot more to consider than just your attention span when you’re deciding whether or not to take an online course. In fact, there are many advantages to this route — more than just the fact that you can go to school in your pajamas. Before you decide against online classes in favor of the more traditional classroom style of learning, consider these benefits.

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1. You don’t have to stay at school over the summer

If you want to make the most of your summer break by getting a class or two out of the way, online courses are often the best way to go. Whereas taking a regular course would force you to stay on campus all summer, an online course allows you the flexibility to earn some credits from anywhere.

Instead of having to rent an apartment for the summer, you can save money by spending the summer at home and taking the class online. This also means that you’ll have more opportunity to see your family and friends when you’re not confined to the campus.

2. It’s flexible

Taking an online course means that you’re not confined to a certain schedule by your class time. If you want to intern or take on a part-time job, an online course is a practical option because it will allow you to do your coursework when you have down time, rather than having to force your work schedule around your class schedule.

You might have to carefully plan out your time to ensure you have room for everything, but you will have the freedom to put your job or internship first if you choose to do so, and to fill up the rest of your time with your coursework as you need.

3. Study where you want, when you want 

Similarly, taking online courses allows you the flexibility to study where and when you’re at your most productive. If you’re a night owl, you’ll be able to work late, instead of having to drag yourself out of bed early to go to class. If you’re most productive during the afternoon, you can do your coursework then.

You’ll also be able to choose your own class location; if you don’t feel like leaving your house on a rainy day, you don’t have to. If you like to study at your local coffee shop, you can spend time there. Even if you need to go out of town but don’t want to get behind on your classes, then you’ll still have the opportunity to work while you’re sitting in the airport or on a bus.

4. You won’t be distracted by your friends during class

While this may initially sound like a negative — the fact that you won’t be able to have class with your friends, that is — it will, in fact, prove a benefit in terms of your level of concentration. When your friends aren’t around and you’re on your own, you’ll have nothing (or little, at least) to distract you from your coursework and lessons.

This means a higher level of focus on the material, which will likely lead to higher grades. While you can still form study groups with other students in the class if you choose (assuming that you’re all in the same place), you won’t be distracted when you’re listening to lessons or whenever you just want to study on your own.

5. You’ll learn how to effectively communicate via technology

The set-up of an online course will vary widely from a traditional course set-up. For instance, your discussions will likely occur in a blog format, while any presentations might take place over Skype. You’ll be forced to learn how to use websites and applications such as these and other video conferencing technologies, which will be helpful in the future when you might need to use them on the job.

6. Class discussion forums will give you more time to reflect

If you tend to be shy during class discussions and don’t like speaking up in front of everyone, online courses will give you one big advantage: you’ll probably be participating in online discussion blogs rather than having in-person discussions and debates. This means that you’ll have more time to brainstorm, to plan the way that you’re going to present your argument, and to ensure that you’re making your point well before you post it.

Rather than thinking and articulating your thoughts on the spot, you’ll have more time to reflect before you post. In addition, as Lila Romero, writer for U.S. News says, “through discussion forums, students can also learn how to accept constructive criticism from peers and effectively express gratitude or back up their argument through citations.”

Unlike in-person discussions, which can quickly degenerate into unfounded arguments, allowing people more time to reflect before they post makes it more likely that they’ll provide you with constructive and thoroughly researched responses. The discussions that you have during your online courses may therefore carry more substance than the typical in-class debate.

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