Nine Benefits of Online Learning
Written by Asia Outten
Photo by Alice Simkin on Unsplash
During these worrying times, the Saint Mary’s Community was left on edge about whether or not classes would continue normally or if they would take place online. In a recent announcement, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, the President of SMU, broadcasted that the health and safety of the Saint Mary’s Community is of utmost importance, and therefore classes will be delivered online for Fall of 2020. Some students were excited about this news, and others not so much as they understand that this abrupt change might be overwhelming and difficult to adjust to.
However, the switch to online learning doesn’t have to be all bad news. In this article, in an attempt to ease some of that anxiety, I have listed nine benefits of online learning.
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash
You will be presented with the opportunity to more easily self-schedule your academic life, career(s), and hobbies. Online classes present students with part-time, and even full-time jobs, the opportunity to manage their work schedule, hobbies and classwork more easily.
You can customize your learning environment! Rather than having to learn in a traditional class setting, you can now choose to learn from your bedroom, a local café or bar, or even tune into your lectures as you work out. Customizing your learning environment also gives you the opportunity to choose any place that helps you learn and understand class material best. The possibilities are (almost) endless.
Online classes solve issues with commuting that you as a student at Saint Mary’s University may face.With online classes, students can say goodbye to the pesky costs and time it takes to commute to university, and also the agitation you feel when you can’t find a decent parking space. Bonus, you no longer have to worry about commuting in bad weather!
Another benefit of online learning is developing more self-discipline and responsibility than is required of you with in-person lectures. With online classes there may seem to be less pressure to attend than an in-person class. Studying online requires more self-motivation and time management skills. The reason is because you will spend a lot of time on your own without someone physically close to keep you focused on attendance and deadlines. So, in addition to learning about business management, sociology, or literature, you will also learn how to be more self-motivated— a skill that will definitely help you in your professional life.
Online learning is eco-friendly. As mentioned earlier, unlike conventional classes, you no longer have to commute to University to attend class. Shifting to virtual classes can reduce our paper product use, and money can be saved on gas and vehicle maintenance that are used up by universities when students physically attend classes.
Online classes are also going to prevent homesickness. For example, international students or students who live quite far from school can now pursue their degrees at home while being closer to their family and loved ones. You’ll no longer have to choose between the two while trying to obtain a university education.
With online classes, you can participate in virtual study groups without having to meet your group members in person. You will still be able to exchange ideas and participate in group work using online chat forums, live online discussion sites or through video call tools such as Zoom or Skype. This kind of setup might be great if you have social anxiety who still want to be engaged.
You can learn at your own pace without the pressure to keep up with other students in traditional classes. You can finish courses quicker or take your time learning more difficult material. You will have more autonomy over your progress through the online courses you take.
When taking some online quizzes and exams, you have the ability to receive your score immediately. For some, waiting to discover their test score can be nerve-racking and incite anxiety. Some online learning systems allow for immediate scoring of quizzes and exams to let you know how you performed on your test.
With a major upcoming shift from traditional classes to online learning in the fall, The Journal understands that this can be overwhelming. The benefits of online learning listed in this article were written to help ease some of the tension that comes with this sudden switch. More amazing pointers about the benefits of online learning can be found on Illinois Online, straighterline, and community college of aurora websites. Students struggling with stress about virtual learning can contact the counselling centre for support.