|
|
The pros and cons of an internet educationMar 15 '00 Write an essay on this topic.As a student in the age of technology, there are many options available to obtaining that sought after degree. The path that is growing the quickest is the one taken on the World Wide Web. I have been a student of the University of Phoenix since December of 1999. Like many adult students today, I have a full time job and a full time life. Like many adults today, I wanted to go back to school to get my degree but I just couldn't figure out how I was going to do that while working and being a single parent. When I heard about the University of Phoenix Online, I thought: "Man, what an easy way to get my degree!" I couldn't have been more wrong. College in any form is not a walk in the park. An 18 week class condensed into 5 weeks is more like a 100 meter dash wearing cement tennis shoes. Before deciding if an online degree is for you, consider the following questions: 1. Are you able to manage your time effectively? An online class takes a majority of time and effort to succeed at. First you have to meet the professor's requirement of class attendance. This could come in the form of attending regularly scheduled "real time" lectures or in the form of posting something tangible in a message board. In either instance, it requires you to have read any assignments given along with the reactions of your classmates to those assignments. Second, you have to be able to complete your assignments and turn them in when required. "That's not too bad, " you say. No, it's not if you're just reading a page out of "See Spot Run" but when you've got to cover 40-50 pages of snore material, it proves to be a challenge. Third, after you've read your 50 pages and the 300 posts generated by that reading, you have to reply - productively ("I agree." does not qualify as a reply) - to those 50 pages and 300 posts. 2. Are you able to express yourself intelligently on paper using correct grammar and spelling? As the medium of the class is via the computer, your assignments and participation are in the written form. Gone are the days of "winging it" for a book report given orally in class. Some professors could care less about spelling, some are anal about the usage of commas. In any case, if you cannot express yourself well, your posts will not have the response you will need to qualify for your participation points, your instructor will not take you seriously and your grades will invariably suffer. 3. Are you a self-starter? You have to be to be successful in the online environment. Your assignments, along with their due dates, are posted day one of the class. It is very easy to put off one assignment until the due date but then you're rushing because you also have another one due the next day, and then another the day after that. Without the pressure of actually going to class, you can slide, get behind and lose all motivation to do anything. At an online university YOU are the only one to motivate yourself to completing your assignments. There is no professor giving you an evil eye, there are no classmates to raise their eyebrows at you. You're on your own and you've got to be able to move! 4. Can you function without the interaction of others in your situation? At a traditional university, bonding between students tends to occur. You can complain to one another over coffee about the unfair practices of your professor. You can go to a club and blow off steam with your fellow cohorts in crime. Not so in an online class. Sure, you can "IM" fellow classmates but that isn't quite the same. When it comes right down to it, you're alone. 5. Are you able to find answers to your questions from a real person? There are going to be instances when you just don't know what the professor is getting at or when you just have to be shown, not talked through, the solution to a problem. Email only goes so far and you will have a professor or two who wants to have as little interaction with students as possible (I had an instructor that took 5 days to answer one of my emails) so you need to be able to pick the brains of those around you. There are some real pros to a degree earned online: ** A traditional 18 week class takes only 5 weeks to complete. At that pace, you can have your bachelor's degree in 18 months. ** The intensity of the classes is recognized by the Veteran's Department. For those of you who qualify for the GI Bill, one class will get you full benefits. In a traditional university, one class would get you enough for a lunch at Burger King - once. ** Financial aid is available and is a relatively easy process. It took 6 weeks for my financial aid to be approved and that is comparable to a traditional university. ** You can "go to class" at 1 am in your birthday suit. Who's going to see? There are also cons to an online university. A few I mentioned previously (intense, you're on your own) and here are a few more: ** It is expensive. One online course is comparable in cost to an ENTIRE semester at a community college. ** Technology, while a wonderful thing, can be a pain in the hindquarters. There are problems with servers going down or your computer blowing up. In the cases where your computer blows up, be prepared to send the charred mass to your professor to prove that you had a legitimate reason for turning in your assignment 30 seconds late. Online Universities are not for everyone. But then, college isn't for everyone is it? If you are self-motivated and very determined, an Online University is an excellent way to squeeze in your degree. Research the options available to you. Talk with students enrolled in the programs you're interested in (there are usually public chat boards at the university where you can do this), talk with the advisors of the college. If you're not sure, but you think you'd like it, take one class and judge for yourself. Good luck! For the University of Phoenix Online, check out: <http://www.uophx.edu>  |
| Read all comments (9)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
