Why should I take an online course?

To have the flexibility to continue your education

Online courses provide you with maximum course selection. An on-campus course will often be offered at the same time as another course you need. The closer you get to graduation, the more likely it will be that you will have to choose between two courses that are offered at the same time and that are required for graduation. This can result in having to go an extra semester or two, increasing your costs and delaying your entry into the job market.

Online courses provide you with maximum family and work flexibility. Often work or family obligations prevent students from completing a course or from managing their life in a way that contributes to their academic success. You, as a student, should not have to choose between work, family, and education. Online courses enable you to manage all these areas of life and achieve a quality education in the process.

To experience learning in a different way

One of the most important things you can learn while in college is “how to learn.” Employers seldom give you the kind of attention that students typically receive in a traditional classroom.  Taking one or more courses online can prepare you for learning in a less structured environment, like your job or in other areas of life.

Learning online requires you to “take charge” of your education and your learning process. Online courses are flexible because you can access them anytime and anywhere you have an Internet connection.
However, there are deadlines in the online classroom, just like there are in the traditional classroom. Since you don’t have to be in a classroom at a certain time and place, YOU are responsible for locating the materials and for meeting the deadlines you need to succeed. That is a level of personal responsibility and time management that some students are not able to embrace.

Also, students learn in different ways. In a traditional classroom, students may primarily learn by “hearing” content presented by the instructor. In an online classroom, students may primarily learn by “seeing” content presented by the instructor. So, it is helpful to know your “learning style” and how to use different strategies to learn online.

Completing a learning style inventory is a great way to do both of these things and can help you prepare for “taking charge” of your education. You should take the inventory in ASUMH’s Student Orientation to Online Learning and find out different ways to adapt your learning style to the course(s) you’re taking.

To improve your computer skills

Employers increasingly use the Internet to conduct business and to train employees. So, computer skills are required to maximize your career opportunities. Your employer will most likely expect you to be proficient with a computer after having completed a college degree.
Also, computer skills are required for many courses that are NOT delivered online. Many instructors who teach in a traditional classroom require assignments to be submitted through email or through Blackboard.