Do you REALLY learn in on-line classes?

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I'm taking two on-line classes this semester to finish my co-reqs. I've got a psych and sociology class and after taking these classes I have to say I think that on-line degrees are a complete joke. Granted I needed the flexibility of being able to finish two classes without being out of the house 2-4 nights a week, otherwise I'd never see my kids. I think there are many people that can use the flexibility but I wonder if it's really as good as a class in person. I can see how they could be well done, so maybe it's just mine that aren't. In one class, 85% of the grade is multiple choice exams, in the other it's 50%. The remaining 15% (and 50%) are based on the discussion boards. The professors do nothing to facilitate the discussions or give any feedback. One professor posts maybe one post a week, the other has never posted a thing. The exams are supposedly "closed book", but the distribution of grades is extremely high. I never remember classes in college where no one scored lower than 80% on exams, so yes, I think that some people are cheating. Especially based on reading the quality of the answers posted by some students. For me, I've already got a BS and MS, I'm not taking classes that are the basis for what I might be doing as a nurse, so I don't care much. But I think that some schools are offering these on-line classes as a way to get some easy money and they're really giving out credit for sub-standard classes. Anyone taking GOOD on-line classes. Are you writing papers or getting good interaction from professors? Just wondering.

[3rdgenRN2B]

I've taken many online classes and I can assure you, they are no joke. If anything I have found them more challanging than classroom based classes. Because part of your grade depends on your participation in discussions you can't hide in the back of the room and hope your professor doesn't notice. But your professor should be active on the board with you to facilitate those discussions. I've never taken an online class where the professor didn't take part. Also, you are really responsible for getting your reading done in an online class - there's no way around it. And you have to be careful to watch deadlines as they're usually posted once somewhere in the class portal and you aren't really reminded all that much, unlike classes in person where the professor usually will keep reminding you right up to the due date...

You can tell I'm a big advocate for this method of learning and earning credit. It allows for flexibility and I feel that I get to really prove myself as a student.

That being said, it could be your particular classes. Are they new to online? Perhaps your school is still trying to figure out the best way to handle these classes. Either way, yes you should be learning in online classes...

Good Luck.

[cheertt2]

Hi JBMommy,

I also have a BA and MS, so I think that because you have advanced education it might be that you are simply bored or not challenged by the information that is presented in the class. For example, I am also experiencing this for an online pre-req that I need for nursing school. The professor is not that helpful and when we make post on the discussion boards, he just says " Very good post". That is it. So here is what I suggest. I am not taking any science classes online because I want the interaction of hands on learning that would be required in nursing school. But for other classes like psy, sociology, etc., I would just take online so that I would not have to travel to the class. I have taken 2 online classes before in grad school, but like the previous post, it required you to still study and learn. So it also depends on the program and school.

[cheertt2]

Also, the community college that I am attending requires you to come to a local campus to take the exams, so you can not cheat.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

I took many online classes and it was a mixed bag. Hardly any of the classes required exams. The grade was based on participation in the discussions and written work. Some classes were extremely writing intensive and you had to submit an essay every week or two. And your discussion posts couldn't just be offhand either--they had to be thoughtful and well-referenced. I put a lot of work into the online classes and learned a lot about doing research and proper citations. Some instructors were more helpful than others, but overall I felt that I did get good feedback when I needed it.

The classes I probably would have benefited from taking a traditional class was math--Statistics and Calculus. Since there were no tests, we were graded based on various online projects and programs, and they were very easy to do since it basically guided you through the whole thing. I don't think I build my skills in math as well as I could have had I taken a traditional class.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I think one of the things that drives me nuts is the quality of the work I see other students presenting for the discussion boards. We're supposed to have research with references and write a clearly thought out post. I see people in class posting with no correct spelling, no punctuation, poor grammar, etc. I'm not bashing those that cannot spell, but how could you submit work in a college level course without spell checking it? And a few weeks I have seen maybe 4-5 people (out of 30) with actual references. Some people are writing a two sentence answer! I think I get annoyed because I don't know how well they're doing in the class. I've gotten full credit every week for my discussion board participation, but that takes me a few hours each week. Could logging on, spending five minutes and writing an off the cuff response in two sentences, still get full credit? I just wonder. And I think that taking exams at a proctored site is reasonable as well- really, multiple choice "closed book exams" and they think everyone will be honest about it?

I feel like I'm getting old, talking about the "kids" and how their education isn't worth as much these days. I'm sure that for those that put in the time and do the work it can be a flexible way to learn. And those people have earned comparable degrees to a brick and mortar diploma. However, I think that things like this tarnish the reputation of all on-line classes, which isn't fair to those that work hard.

[kbm318]

I think it could go both way as to being worth it or not. I have taken a couple and have learned quite a bit. But with that being said I also think what you get out of the class is what you put into it. If you think you don't need to read the chapter and study it for a test, that you will just look the answers up as you go (yes I know people who did this) than good for you. But you won't learn anything that will be valuable to you later. But, if you put the effort into the class as you would any other class than you are bound to learn something to take with you down the road, and here's the kicker that some people don't realize, you will do better in the class than most others. Simply because you took the time to learn what you were supposed to learn, you didn't just breeze your way through a class just to get a bad grade.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

perhaps it's the courses that are a "complete joke" and not the education platform.

I would imagine the online programs depend on the instructors, as well as the actual curriculum. Are you going to an accredited online nursing program? Not for the faint of heart. I, (not being a group learner, where everyone must insert their 2 cents), love the concept of online learning and interaction. I found it to be much better than a classroom setting. My courses had very specific requirements as far as postings, by a certain time, and each post was graded for substance and content. If you didn't keep up, you certainly wouldn't pass. It is, by far, the best education - if you are an independent learner.

Here's a site that is interesting - when you click on an accredited nursing school, you will see additional criteria for online programs

http://www.nlnac.org/Forms/directory_search.htm

[MassED, BSN, RN]

I took many online classes and it was a mixed bag. Hardly any of the classes required exams. The grade was based on participation in the discussions and written work. Some classes were extremely writing intensive and you had to submit an essay every week or two. And your discussion posts couldn't just be offhand either--they had to be thoughtful and well-referenced. I put a lot of work into the online classes and learned a lot about doing research and proper citations. Some instructors were more helpful than others, but overall I felt that I did get good feedback when I needed it.

The classes I probably would have benefited from taking a traditional class was math--Statistics and Calculus. Since there were no tests, we were graded based on various online projects and programs, and they were very easy to do since it basically guided you through the whole thing. I don't think I build my skills in math as well as I could have had I taken a traditional class.

I had taken a Statistics course online and it was the MOST complicated subject - you really are on your own and are teaching yourself. I did well, but I really had to invest a great deal of time and energy to understand the concepts. You had to keep up to not get lost.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

I think one of the things that drives me nuts is the quality of the work I see other students presenting for the discussion boards. We're supposed to have research with references and write a clearly thought out post. I see people in class posting with no correct spelling, no punctuation, poor grammar, etc. I'm not bashing those that cannot spell, but how could you submit work in a college level course without spell checking it? And a few weeks I have seen maybe 4-5 people (out of 30) with actual references. Some people are writing a two sentence answer! I think I get annoyed because I don't know how well they're doing in the class. I've gotten full credit every week for my discussion board participation, but that takes me a few hours each week. Could logging on, spending five minutes and writing an off the cuff response in two sentences, still get full credit? I just wonder. And I think that taking exams at a proctored site is reasonable as well- really, multiple choice "closed book exams" and they think everyone will be honest about it?

I feel like I'm getting old, talking about the "kids" and how their education isn't worth as much these days. I'm sure that for those that put in the time and do the work it can be a flexible way to learn. And those people have earned comparable degrees to a brick and mortar diploma. However, I think that things like this tarnish the reputation of all on-line classes, which isn't fair to those that work hard.

maybe those students did not pass....? In my program, you could go and see the class performance - not individuals, but for instance, you could see how many had students were failing, just plugging along, or exceeding expectations. Your grades could also be compared to other students grades. It was a very helpful tool.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

You make a very good point about the courses themselves. It's not really subject matter I enjoy and I find multiple choice exams relatively easy in the subject matter so studying isn't very enjoyable or productive.

I do think that personal motivation must play a big part and I think I would have difficulty if I attempted some hard science courses on-line. I find that sometimes I need to hear the information and be able to interact with a professor in person to gain the most instruction. Although you make a good point about all the extraneous input from other students.

[gvantass]

I think one of the things that drives me nuts is the quality of the work I see other students presenting for the discussion boards. We're supposed to have research with references and write a clearly thought out post. I see people in class posting with no correct spelling, no punctuation, poor grammar, etc. ... Some people are writing a two sentence answer! I think I get annoyed because I don't know how well they're doing in the class.

One of the hardest things about on-line classes for me was to decide and STICK TO the fact that it doesn't matter what the other students are doing, or how they're doing it. I'm currently taking an on-line program through Allied Health Institute for EKG tech, and I'm embarrassed by the quality of some of the work that other students are doing. Poor grammar, poor spelling, total lack of comprehension of the material. These are all things that I see from some of my classmates.

What you have to do, in my experience, is decide that you are not responsible for their work, nor does their work impact you. Just do the best that YOU can do, and remember to use YOUR spellcheck.

As others have said, there is a lot to be responsible for on your own, in online classes. You get the syllabus, you know what reading is due when, and such. You and you alone are responsible for remembering it, and for remembering to make your daily/weekly posts, written assignments, and quizzes. The instructor doesn't coddle us in any way in my classes. It's a LOT different than the traditional "sit in class and listen to lecture" classes, since the learning is really self-directed.

That being said, not everyone is cut out for online classes. Nor is everyone best benefited by the traditional learning environment.