There are plenty of reasons people have been switching to the Internet for their educational needs. Of course one of the primary driving factors has been the price of attending traditional universities. Saving money is an appetizing prospect for most people but even if you are interested in reducing the cost of your education there are questions that need to be answered.
If you are currently considering enrolling in an online class but do not know what to expect and we have arranged six of the most commonly unanticipated factors. This should help to prepare you for any potential surprises that you may encounter whenever you start your first online class.
You Are Going To Need To Self Manage Much More
When you are taking your courses online, whether that is the best Australian it training or you have enrolled in a new course for your favourite hobby, you will be responsible for the quality of your own education. That is to say that you are going to be much more self-guided. There are classes, and there will be a professor for you to reach out to, but at the end of the day, there is much less oversight than with a traditional in-person classroom.
If you are able to discipline yourself and manage your time well, this could actually be to your benefit. You will not need to sacrifice your freedom to attend a classroom in person when you know that you could do all of this learning on your own just as well without sacrificing your schedule flexibility.
There Will Be More Contact With Your Professor And Other Students Than You First Thought
Many students are intimidated by the thought of taking a course online because they are afraid that they will not be able to talk to anyone else from the class. While this is a common misconception, it is one that you do not need to worry about. You will not only be able to talk to your professors but all of the other students that are in the course.
You may not be speaking person to person, but if you do need to communicate with other people, then there are still plenty of opportunities to do that.
The Exams For Online Courses Are Proctored
Many students are excited about the thought of taking their courses online so that they can pass their exams a little more easily with the help of the Internet. Unfortunately, most universities and other online courses have caught on to this little trick. Now, most of the exams that are offered online make use of specialized software to monitor the students as they are taking the exam.
The end result is that the exams are still proctored even if it is proctored by a piece of software that makes it impossible for you to cheat.
You May Need To Work On Group Projects Still
If you were trying to take your courses online so that you could avoid doing any kind of group project, then you may want to reconsider that. Group projects are still an active component of many online courses. All of the group work will be collaborated on at a distance through Internet messaging.
If this sounds like a more ideal scenario than an in-person group project, then online courses are probably still a good fit for you. Just do not be surprised when your professor assigns you to a group for a project when you are taking an online class.
You Will Need To Actively Reach Out To Your Professor More
Although it is still possible for you to contact your professor when you are taking your classes online, you will need to be more proactive about it. Professors will have less to go on when they are teaching online. They may have been able to see that you needed individual help if you had been taking the class in person, but they do not have all of the same context cues over the Internet.
You will need to get over your shyness and reach out to your professors when you need help if you are taking your courses online. If you are too embarrassed to do that, you could end up having a hard time succeeding in your courses.
The Courses Are Taught By Real Professors
There are a lot of students who believe that online courses are not worth it because they are taught by computers. This is simply not true. Universities still employed professors to manage online classes.
Do not be surprised on your first day whenever you go to your online classroom to find out that there is a real professor who is part of the class. This is a good thing, though, because you will have access to them as you are completing your course for any help that you might need.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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