Online vs. Traditional Learning

Why I Chose Online Learning

So… I finally chose the topic for my Masters- Leadership- but if I thought the hardest part of my educational pursuit was choosing the right subject to study, I was wrong. It was only half the battle. Now I had to decide how to pull off attending school again full time with two kids (a preteen and my husband – haha), and a very demanding full time work schedule.

Even though I loved learning, I did not love the commute to class after working all day or spending my weekends sitting in a classroom. Time was precious to me. Well it just so happens, if you are following me and read my bio, I am an Instructional Designer. I actually design online classes, and realized, -duh – why not take online courses myself. I already knew the great advantages of online learning. I could see that online learning no longer had the stigma it had a decade ago about being a diploma mill. The Universities I design for are top notch, and I work closely with the faculty when designing and building the structure of the courses.

I saw that in fact, there was more individualized attention in online classes. Instead of large lecture halls for core classes where you are just a number, the larger classes online have facilitators or cohorts where they break down the students into smaller groups that have access to their lead instructor or facilitator basically 24/7 through email, chats, and online discussions.

Individualized attention, no sitting in traffic to get to class, no extra gas or tolls, be home for dinner, have my weekends to travel to the beach – am I in a dream?

I was sold – my only problem was after sitting in front of a computer designing classes all day, did I want to sit at a computer all night as well…?