Today, I was talking to a good friend about what it means to be an online/distance learner. Online education has this stigma of being easy and less rigorous. When I was considering programs, I fell into that cluster of people underestimating the rigor and requirements of being educated via the Internet. I thought I could do what I want, when I wanted. My friends who are online students have expressed similar misconceptions. Many wonder, how can online education be rigorous? Well let me tell you...
Being an online learner, and having several friends who have sought the road of distance learning, I speak first-hand about its meaning. All of the people I reference attend accredited universities. As you may know, I am a Northeastern University student. As I took my first steps into online learning, I was nervous about whether or not I could do this without a class room. I wondered, whether or not my online education would be as much of a benefit. I made the jump because it was the right fit for the chaos I call my life.
What I did not know was, the amount of self-discipline and self-education it took to be a successful online learner. I have friends who have excelled and failed with online learning. It is not easy because you still have deadlines, lectures, more reading, papers, assignments, presentations, etc. Class discussion play a key role in online education, just in a different format. I have taken the "traditional" graduate class and can tell you that online requires a lot more of a person. If you are not prepared to give yourself a routine and discipline needed to accomplish the work, you will hit a roadblock. This is true for any form of education.
I am now pro-online education for the right person. Though it has required more of my time, focus and understanding of the material alone, it has improved my writing, social media, and righting skills. All important as the world moves forward with its use of technology. I have to know how to navigate the discussion boards, research, hold group meetings with co-hort members in different time zones. SKYPE and Google chat are great friends of mine. The interaction and diversity of online education is different because you are not limited to who is there and where they are from. My co-hort has 8 members of which the following is included:
- 4 woman and 4 men
- 7 states represented
- 1 member of the military
- 2 human resources officers
- 1 higher education administration
- 2 IT professionals
- 1 public school teacher
- 2 animal activists
- 1 basketball coach
- 3 under the age of 30
- 3 African Americans
- 1 Asian American
- 1 who has a degree from a university abroad
- 1-35 years of work experience
There is so much that makes learning with this group great. These are things, I do not feel I would be able to get in a traditional classroom.
Another big concern for me was the availability of faculty members. Though I probably would not have admitted this years ago, I need and enjoy the interaction with educators because they challenge me to do better. Now, I wonder, what was I worried about? My faculty members have been AMAZING! Far more interaction than traditional learning. They want to see us all succeed and learn as much as possible. Friends in other programs at other schools have expressed the same experience.
Because I feel the need to go big on these things, I am a full-time online grad student. Yes, I do work full-time. If you know what college admission is like, you know that is not a basic 9-5. This is only successful if you are self-aware. I knew that I could handle it all, and made decisions on what in my life could be sacrificed for me to achieve my personal goals. I narrowed down my priorities to the following:
- Health/Fitness
- Education
- Career
- Life/fun
Not a bad list, if I might say so myself. It has worked for me, and I have one quarter left. I am also considering going for the big goal of a doctorate because I know I have options in my learning. But don't tell anyone I said that :-D
But don't just take my word on distance learning. If you search, you will find that more schools are offering the option for online, hybrid and blended learning. There are some pretty prestigious and rigorous schools on that list with a variety of academic programs.
My first and last suggestion would always be to do what is the right fit at the right time for you.
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