Online classes…great for some, terrible for others

Today I officially got one of my online courses dropped. This is a serious relief.

I had no idea the graduate program I was signing up for was going to be basically entirely online. This is not what was communicated to me. Of course, this is its first year up and running, so faculty are still trying to get organized.

When I did find this out…I went with it. I mean, couldn’t be all that bad, right? I would have all this flexibility….and that’s where the benefits stop.

The reasons why I realize graduate level online courses aren’t for me right now:

• I am fresh out of undergrad. All the other people in these online classes are 30-40-50 year-olds, and are already working professionals. They are simply trying to gain an advantage in their field for whatever reason. They already have a backdrop of professional experience.
• Students are graded on their “discussions.” So forget about the actual work you do. You post some thoughts, and then you are graded on how much you respond to peoples’ comments on your thoughts- and you post your thoughts on other peoples’ thoughts…..
  • This is a lot easier if you have professional experience to relate the readings to.
  • For example….in the class I recently dropped, we’re supposed to read 3 large chapters over “learning systems design”….and then post a response to a question such as “how does systems theory relate to your professional work.” That’s it!
  • How is one supposed to learn like this? No lecture? Not even online Powerpoint slides?
• Group work feels awkward. I can’t relate to any of my online peers. And I want a face-to-face collaborative environment, not an awkward group Skype date.
• I don’t feel like I am part of a cohort of any kind. I want graduate school to be an experience; I want to be in a vibrant, academic environment.

All this being said- I am sure that for many of my peers in my classes, this set-up is perfect- especially if your already have a life and a job in your field. It just simply isn’t for me AT ALL. Not right now, not at this point in my life.

This is why I am seeking a new school and program. And this time I am doing a thorough amount of research.

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