5 Things You Should Consider Before Taking Online College Courses

For the last few months I have been on hiatus from pursuing my certificate in Workplace E-Learning and Performance Support (WELPS) from the IPT Department at Boise State. It wasn’t by choice that I am sitting on the sidelines. It is largely due to class scheduling. The courses I wanted to take were not being taught this semester, so I’m sitting back and enjoying the time off before I resume in January.

The break has given me time to reflect on my experience and one of the things that came to mind was the differences between traditional classroom instruction and online instruction.  The WELPS certificate is taught entirely online (obviously). For some people, taking online courses is easy, more manageable and flexible versus traditional classroom instruction where you have to commit to scheduled dates and time when class takes place.

If you are planning to take online college courses, here are 5 things you should consider before you commit:

1. Do you prefer a structured environment for learning? Online learning is independent of time and place. The class takes place on a consistent basis (online) where discussions with the instructor and student are almost continuous.
2. Do you need to have face to face interaction with others? In online learning there is a delay in discussions because the conversation is asynchronous – whereas you if you make a comment or ask a question, you’ll have to wait for a response.  Feedback is not immediate.
3. Do you do well with written instruction? Visual learners often prefer to witness a demonstration of the task they are being asked to perform.  The online environment sometimes does not lend itself to being a good arena for demonstration, so learners need to rely on written instruction and create their own mental model to act upon.
4. Do you communicate well through your writing? If you are a good writer and can clearly illustrate you thoughts or ideas through the written word, you can succeed in an online learning environment.
5. Are you engaging? Participation in online courses is measured by your willingness to engage others and to start discussions.  If you are the inquisitive type, you’ll find online courses easy.

This post is certainly not meant to scare you off from taking online college classes. It’s an entirely different ballgame from traditional learning so all things should be considered. If you’ve taken online courses, what has been your experience? Are there considerations I did not mention? I look forward to your insights into online college courses.

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