Perspectives

If you grew up a millennial, more than likely you have had an online class. If not, you have at least had a class were computer work is an essential tool used in the educational process. In college, it is normal to have a full degree obtainable online. In fact, some universities in the United States are only offered online. 

    While online classes provide an opportunity for many people to obtain a higher education that otherwise they would not be able to obtain, classes online are not for every student. It requires a lot of self -motivation, and the ability to somewhat teach yourself material at times. 

    Another type of online course is a Hybrid class. This means that the class would be partially online, and partially on campus. These types of classes are also good for non-traditional students.

    Although I do personally believe that these types of classes are important to offer, and good for many students and professors, I learned early in my secondary educational career that I am a student that needs to be in the classroom to efficiently retain the information that I am taught. I must see the professor and hear them explain lessons to feel comfortable with the material. 

    Also, doing a lot of work online has proven difficult because I do not have sufficient internet access at my house because of my location. When I select my classes I try to make sure that they are all on campus, and not online. Although I know that research is inevitable in most classes, I expect that the majority of homework and test are offline. 

    If a professor chooses to use online programs for the majority of a class, there should be a notice of it in the course description during registration. This would allow students to know that they may have to prepare differently for the class, then they would normally. Students should have the right to know if all of their course work will be via internet, and the class will only be lecture. For many students that choose to avoid online classes, classes like this may prove very difficult for them to maintain.

    I know that virtual and web courses are a way of the future. I also understand that technology is vital to the educational process. However, students should know exactly what they are signing up for when they register for classes.