Since much of the world is under quarantine, many colleges and universities have had to make a quick switch from face-to-face teaching to online learning. From what I’ve heard, the reviews of online learning seem to be split. Some students enjoy it, while others, who thrive from face-to-face interaction, have struggled. I was a part of the group of students who enjoyed online learning.
Here’s why online learning is actually pretty great:
1. It’s relatively self-paced.
Although you still have to meet deadlines, to me it feels more relaxed and even somewhat self-paced. In my experience, I didn’t have to physically be in the classroom for multiple hours just to have several hours of homework afterward, which is what a typical school schedule looks like. As a result of this flexibility, I was able to better prioritize what I wanted to work on and when. In other words, online learning might help you budget your time more effectively.
2. You’ll probably get more individual feedback.
Even if your college has small class sizes, there are times when your professors may have multiple classes and can’t give as much individualized feedback as they want on assignments. This can be frustrating as a student eager to improve. However, online learning helped me get more feedback from professors because they, too, had more time during their days. They weren’t teaching for hours at a time and then having to commute home, then trudge through grading papers, exams, and presentations. Since they had more time to look over things that they were grading in depth, the quality of the feedback I received increased. This allowed me to improve upon my work and ultimately finish with stronger grades.
3. Pass/no credit grades are often an option.
This isn’t something I personally utilized, but my school – along with many across the nation – gave the option for students to convert any of their semester grades to pass/no credit grades that wouldn’t be factored into their GPA. Although I didn’t pursue this option myself, I was glad it was available. Many students spend a lot of time worrying about their GPA, and if the stress of the pandemic may have caused their grades to be lower than normal. Even if you’re not dealing with a global health crisis, it’s really nice to have the option of those grades not being included in your GPA. That way, you can enjoy your learning from home without undue stress.
4. You can take more time to focus on yourself.
It’s amazing how much remote learning can impact your life outside of school. It gave me more time to focus on myself and do more of what I needed to be successful in general. When I started online learning, I had a better sleep schedule because I didn’t have to be up late doing homework. Moreover, I also took time for myself each night to do something fun, such as watch Netflix or a movie on Disney+ once my work was done. It gave me time to wind down and rest before virtual classes and homework the next day.
Have you tried online learning, either during quarantine or otherwise? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!
Featured image via Pexels
