On Line Education? (1 Viewer)

[ChristopherG]

Anyone here get their edyookashun from any of the on-line universities? If so what are your thoughts? Do you recommend it to others?

 

[Philip_G]

No experience yet, I'm starting my MBA here this summer through the university of colorado's distance program. For a full time employee it really seems the way to go, if I can stay dedicated and finish the courses.
Plus, the degree doesn't say it came from a distance program, just UC

 

[Mike Lenthol]

Online learning is no easier than going to classes and is very tough to handle full time online and full time job in a good program.

If you need a degree, and it's not urgent, save up a little, take out interest free govt. loans and go to a non-online school. If you can handle online + job then you'll be able to complete any program in 1/2 to ¾ the time it normally takes. Most schools charge a flat rate from say 12 credits to 18, 12 being full time.

You might even come out ahead financially that way, even if not the real college experience is well worth the extra expense. It all depends how much value you place on being stressed.

 

[Jerry Almeida]

I've been taking University of Phoenix On-line courses for almost two years now. It's definitely been a much better fit for my lifestyle than the traditional way of going to school. I'm actually taking classes to complete my undergraduate degree. I have had people roll their eyes or look down on the fact that I'm getting an on-line degree. I guess they think I'm really not earning my degree and that I'm taking the easy way out. (I'm sure there are people reading this that are thinking the same thing)

My window of opportunity to go to school full-time and even part-time is gone. I'm married, have two children (one is 4 weeks old), and work full time. It would be hard for me to even commit to night classes, because of the kids and a job where I'm basically on-call 24/7. On-line classes give me the freedom of "going to class" whenever I want, and more importantly for as long as I want, as long as I get the work done. I don't have to commit a certain period time, a certain amount of days a week. Believe it or not, but it would be too difficult for me to commit to Mon, Wed, Fri @ 7:00pm , or something like that.

I agree with Mike, it's not easy. It's still a lot of work, and it will take up a lot of time. But for me it was the flexability of how I want to complete that "time" that makes on-line classes work for me.

 

[ChristopherG]

Actually I am in the same boat as you Jerry. I have 2 kids and all that comes with being married for 18 years. I never finished my undergrad either. I am not really under the gun to do so by my employer, it's just something I want to do. I am looking at UoP in fact.

It seems odd to me that people are inclined to attach a stigma to something because it's new. Or when they have never tried it. Given that folks are ready to entrust their finances to the internet (on-line banking, bill paying), their love life (online dating, chat rooms, etc) as well as other aspects (my god man your home theater!) it strikes me as perhaps a bit pretentious to underestimate the ability to recieve an education online. How much time in college does one spend either in front of a monitor and keyboard or reading a textbook?

Regarding the "real" college experience - I have had that. I have gone the traditional right-out-of-high-school-into-college route (where my social life flourished to the detriment of my academic life). In fact I was on my way to the Bluto Blutarsky plan of "6 years of college down the drain". Later in life I also experienced the night school route but that was before kids and Home Theater . The former is no longer an option and the latter is painfully unappealing at this stage.

Mike - I am not looking for the easy way to a degree so I am actually glad to hear you say that on-line is no easier. What attracts me is the convenience of taking courses when and where I decide it best fits my life. That's pretty damn cool.

 

[Mike Lenthol]

I didn't mean to say you were looking for the easy way, it's just usually assumed that online is easier. I personally only took a few online classes if they were available instead of going to ones only available at 8-9AM or 6-8PM. Either one breaks the whole day

Other than having to shave(sometimes) and drive to class, online was no different. Reading material is brutal, there are same "no excuses" deadlines. The time allotted for completing assignments is no different from regular classes, meaning you don't get 2 week to write a paper that would be assigned weekly in a regular class. There is really no more free time other than what is spent sitting in lectures.

And I would not even call them "Lectures" but rather "Tips and tricks on how to get a good grade in this class".