With the explosion of the technology industry in the past 15 years, online education has really helped people from all walks of life capitalize on furthering their education, while still being able to work, pay their bills and have families.
PROS AND CONS
There are pros and cons to both classroom instruction and learning completely online; however, these should be weighed and evaluated based on what is important to you, before committing to any particular program.
Classroom Pros
- There is face-to-face instruction.
- You are able to ask questions in the moment.
- There is face-to-face interaction with classmates.
- Networking is easier.
Classroom Cons
- You must travel to the classroom (in inclement weather, this may be particularly stressful).
- Class is held at a specific time and you must attend.
- You have to work at the speed of the class.
Online Pros
- There is no travel time and no travel costs.
- You can attend class at any time of the day or night.
- It is convenient for those who work a full-time job.
Online Cons
- It may be hard to express your thoughts, feelings or opinions in writing.
- Emails, discussion board posts, and chats may be misunderstood because there are no visual cues to your/the sender’s intentions.
- Majority of course is self-paced. You must read and comprehend information on your own very well.
- It is difficult to form a real connection with your peers.