The Online Student (and an attempt to promote my upcoming book)

I have taken a long deserved break from writing so that I could refresh myself for the upcoming months and the design of a book about life as an online student. I have several years of experience as a college instructor online and for the past year a Doctoral candidate. So, I am using this forum as a way to give readers a small sample about some of the contents in the book. Enjoy! much more to come....

The more obvious benefit to an online student is that she does not have to commute to a physical classroom and devote specific times to course lectures and activities. However, there are many other merits for an online student. Consider the case of Becky who is a single mother of with a five and seven year old. Becky has to wake up early, prepare the kids for school, take them to the bus, and commute to work. Equally, her day is spent working hard at the office only to rush to after care and pick up the children who need to be fed, educated, entertained and bathed before their bedtime. I bet you are either exhausted just reading this scenario and for many you are shaking your head because this describes your life. Imagine the stress involved with attending class while trying to arrange extended care for the children and dealing with the student, mother, and employee balance because you have to attend class. Online education eliminates the stress of a commute, childcare and in many ways can restore the sanity of those just like Becky who simply do not have the time for the traditional classroom.

Phil, an executive who travels 75% of the time for his company, could not otherwise afford the time to attend class without the online option because of the demands his job places upon him. The online option enables him to attend class during hotel downtimes, time between flights or perhaps simply when he is home with the family. Phil now has the liberty to seek an advanced degree according to his schedule. It is amazing how much work can be completed from an airplane. Many like Phil can use that travel time to read their assignments, study or finish their research papers.

Janice, a 19 year old student decided to work instead of going to a traditional university because she wanted to gain practical experience. She finds great convenience in attending school online so that she can work and enhance her future career opportunities by obtaining a degree online. Here company’s tuition reimbursement policy also enables her to afford the costs of an education. Janice’s story is becoming increasingly common; younger adults see the merits of obtaining full-time employment while working full-time.

Tom is a full-time soldier for the United States Military who is currently stationed outside the United States. He would not otherwise have many opportunities to take advantage of his Military educational benefits because he lives in a foreign country and his shifts can often last over 10 hours a day. He is able to take advantage of the asynchronous environment and post in the discussion boards when it is convenient for him. He also enjoys the benefit of team projects at his school, which he feels, will help him immensely when he retires from the Military and begins seeking a civilian job.

Carl likes to travel with his family whenever possible and does not like the fact that traditional classrooms will interfere with his plans. So he loves the fact that he can attend online classes from just about anywhere with an internet connection. He has a lightweight lap top with a wireless USB connection so he often spends his weekends with the family camping. No longer do students need to miss traveling because vacation time conflicts with the course schedule.

Pat is physically disabled, which makes it difficult to be transported in a timely fashion to the traditional school settings but technology enables Pat to attend class online in an environment conducive to providing necessary accommodations.

Are Online Schools Real?

The simple answer is, absolutely! There are some institutions known as “diploma mills” and this will be covered later in the book. Online schooling is much more than just sending e-mails and there is no option for downloading and printing a degree. In fact, attending online school requires hard work and dedication. This environment does not reward the student who passively attends class without participating. Students are required to participate in class (usually through posts) or they will not only lose points but could potentially be dropped from a course if they are chronically absent. Credentialing organizations have strict policies about online attendance and participation.

Quite frequently, I have been asked about how the public views online degrees. Admittedly, they were not as popular as they are today but with time and increased communication online learning has now challenged the traditional thinking involved with brick and mortar classrooms and many understand the merits of the adult-based institutions that are helping many to apply course principles into practice. In fact, enough evidence suggests that traditional schools are now pondering their options to enable the online option which expands their market. The future of the traditional school is unknown, because students now want to balance school with the rest of the priorities in their life.

Traditional colleges and universities serve an important purpose, so it would not be fair to discredit them but it is fair to assert that many of these educational institutions do not meet the needs of a working adult; and perhaps they should not. Traditional Universities are usually concerned more with hiring tenured professors who conduct research and publish. Oh yes, they teach classes as well. They do not necessarily have the same level of vested interest in helping adult learners apply principle into practice. I remember considering a traditional school for my Doctorate program until I read a statement (using fancy words) expressing how they are not here to cater to the needs of a working adult. In translation, “Hey buddy, we are not here to care about what you have going on in the rest of your life. We need students to devote their time and life to us”. Again, their role in academia is very important and if you are interested in attending a traditional university for your degree I highly recommend doing so. My undergraduate degree is from a what I consider to be a difficult school and I appreciated the rigor and experience. However, I attended the school between the ages of 18 and 21, when I could afford to work part-time and devote my life to being a student. Honestly, there is no way I would be able to do this again with jobs and a family. Essentially, online schools enable students to obtain an education, which is immediately applicable to the work world. Where are you in your life? If you are career-oriented and interested in applying principle into practice, then the online option may be one of the best options for you.

I have also been asked whether or not employers will take a degree earned online seriously. My answer is that most companies do not and should not recognize any difference. Some may have their personal opinion but I encourage those who attend online schools to challenge their assumptions. I have found it hard for someone to rebut a statement like “well, since my career as an online student I have written at least one research paper a week for the past year and I have also been involved with several team mates; all who are scattered throughout the globe. This has enabled me to obtain team collaboration in a global environment and I have learned how to deal with different cultures and time zones.” Personally, I have a difficult time rebutting this and I feel that those who have not opened their minds to the opportunities of online schooling will do so in the future.

There are those who argue that the online modality takes away the option of personalization. So, students tend to be more disconnected from the classroom and instructor. This concern is valid but easily resolvable. First, faculty are highly trained to respond to student needs and concerns. They are required to return e-mails and calls, usually within a 24-48 hour period and many universities have academic advisers available to help students with any questions and concerns. The convenience of attending class online outweighs any benefits of seeing your teacher face to face. After two or three classes, you could have an instructor from the other side of the country but they will seem like they live next door. The virtual classroom can literally condense the globe into your home.