The Pros and Cons of Online Courses

Taking courses online has become a big topic of discussion among students, faculty and families when it comes to students’ education. Some students prefer taking courses online, while others would prefer to learn in person in a traditional classroom setting. NC State offers both distance education and in-person courses for a lot of the classes offered to allow students the flexibility to learn in the environment they are most comfortable with. When talking about online courses, it is important to take into consideration the pros and cons of taking classes online, because depending on the student, there can be a lot of them. 

Pros of Online Courses

1. Students can attend the class from anywhere. 
2. Generally, students are able to work at their own pace. 
3. Hours are more flexible, especially office hours. Professors can often meet at more flexible times when everything is virtual, and are willing to schedule times that work around both schedules to allow students to meet with them.
4. Students have the chance to improve their technical skills. Doing work online and using digital software, such as Zoom, allows students to get more comfortable with doing work online and allows them to build technical skills they would otherwise not have the chance to work on in an in-person setting.
5. Depending on your student’s environment, there can be less distractions while doing work. Students are able to turn off their phones and put in headphones, go in a room alone and work in a room with limited distractions. 

Cons of Online Courses

1. More self discipline and time management skills are required, since in some cases students don’t have to go to class at a specific time in order to fulfill the requirements of the class. It can be easier to procrastinate doing work and prioritize other things over classwork. 
2. Little face-to-face interactions. 
3. Harder to meet classmates and create study groups, especially if the class is offered asynchronously. 
4. Depending on your student’s environment, it can be harder to focus and there can be an increase in distractions. If students are doing work in a crowded and loud environment, it may be harder to focus. They also may become distracted by other applications on their computers, or by their phones while doing classwork. 
5. It can be more difficult to forge connections with professors for networking purposes in a virtual setting.

Talking through the pros and cons of taking online courses with your student can be beneficial for them to see which needs they prioritize when it comes to their learning and how they want to continue their education. Students can also talk through these issues with their academic advisors, who can guide them in registering for classes that match their learning needs and help push them towards success. If your student thinks online courses might be right for them, they can check out the NC State online course catalog!

• Rebecca