Can You Be a Success With an Online Education?

Distance learning, which began as mail correspondence school in the early 20th Century, has been completely transformed by today's technology-based online degree programs. In the earliest days, distance learners worked in a vacuum, waiting for the post office to deliver their tests and learning materials. Today's online associate's, bachelor, and master degree programs work as quick as the blink of an eye. College registration, enrollment, class lectures, papers, tests, and results are transmitted through an immediate asynchronous interface.
Your potential for success with an online education depends on some of the most traditional academic and personal qualities: dedication, focus, student participation, writing, and communication. In sum, it depends on you. Even the once critical suspicions that online students are isolated and work in a vacuum have been smashed by evidence to the contrary in recent years.
The Quality of Today's Online Education Programs
Students in online education now report the opportunities to build strong relationships between instructors and students, between participating students, and between students and professionals. There are pluses and minuses with campus-based and online college degree programs. Ultimately it's a matter of personal choice and educational goals.
However, it's important to recognize that any gap in the quality between online and campus-based degree programs has closed among educational experts. A U.S. Department of Education 2009 study found "that learning at a distance is as effective as classroom instruction but no better. Blends of online and face-to-face instruction, on average, had stronger learning outcomes than did face-to-face instruction alone. "
Inside Higher Ed reported July 8, 2010, that online learning has definite advantages over face-to-face instruction when it comes to teaching and learning," according to a new analysis released by the U.S. Department of Education.
Pluses and Minuses of Online College Degree Programs
Ideally, your success with online education depends on your ability to be a mature, self-driven, focused student. While you can log on to college at your own pace or schedule, you'll need to meet class deadlines. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
Online Pluses

• You can choose from a wide range of courses not always available locally.
• You do not have to commute or relocate.
• You won't have the extra expense of parking costs.
• Because of flexible class schedules, you can allow time for jobs and family commitments.
• You'll get a chance to collaborate with like-minded students on projects.
• You can expect equal student participation online, without discussions being dominated by a single student.
• You'll have the opportunity to build lasting professional contacts and friendships.

Online Minuses

• Not all courses are available online.
• Some courses require attendance at labs and practical workshops.
• There are false notions that classes are easier than on-campus equivalents.
• Lack of voice or physical expressions from professors and students may detract from understanding subject matter.
• Employers may reject degree work from non-accredited institutions. Students must evaluate accreditation for their prospective schools.