Online vs On-campus Myths Busted
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has turned education upside down. Every day more schools move some or all of their classes online. Whether it’s called “remote learning,” “distance learning” or “eLearning,” they’re all basically the same thing – education that takes place via the Internet. Online education can include K-12 education, career education, and college degree programs. But there is a lot of misinformation out there about online education. These are some of the biggest myths about online learning and why they’re wrong:
Online classes aren’t as good as traditional in-class learning. Studies show that online students perform better on standardized tests. Online students often have more time to complete assignments, which means that online education programs are often more effective than traditional learning.
- Employers don’t respect online degrees. Fake news. Now that even Ivy League universities offer courses and even whole degrees online, employers can no longer deny that online education can be just as good as traditional degrees. Most employers now don’t care where you earned your education. They just want you to have the skills needed for the job. In many cases, your degree or certificate won’t even indicate whether you earned your degree online or not.
- You have to be a genius to manage the technology. Completely false. New technology makes online learning very user-friendly. Often, you can even participate in online classes right on your cell phone! Schools offer training guides and other resources to make your learning process as easy as possible, no matter what Learning Management System (LMS) the school uses.
- Online courses are easier. Another total myth. Schools have reputations to uphold. This means their online courses have the same course goals, the same curriculum, and often the same instructors as traditional courses. In fact, some people find online education can be more challenging because a student might need more self-motivation, but the flexibility of online education makes up for that.
- Students in online classes don’t get enough attention from faculty. Untrue. From emails and telephone calls to private Zoom meetings, online education offers more ways for students to interact directly with instructors than traditional classes. Education expert Dr. Lisa Collins explains this, “When you teach in a traditional classroom, you need to worry about every student in that class during that specific time period when you have all of them together. In the online environment…You can dedicate your attention to a specific student.”
In short, it seems that nearly everything people believe about online education is wrong!
So, if you want to start a new career, or learn a new trade, don’t let misinformation hold you back from starting your new online education today!