Is Distance Education Right For You?
When it comes to continuing your education, each person is different. There are pros and cons on both sides when choosing between online learning or a more traditional brick-and-mortar classroom setting. While you will benefit from doing some research of your own, there are a few key differences we have found between the two program styles.
What Makes Distance Learning Stand Out?
There are lots of great benefits of completing an online degree program. Such programs offer a greater degree of flexibility and freedom in how you choose to study and complete assignments. This makes them a great option for working professionals and busy parents. Let’s take a closer look at a few perks.
Flexible Scheduling
This is the biggest benefit of Taft University programs – and online programs generally. Some online degree programs will require you to log in at specific times or give due dates for each assignment; however, we don’t have any of those requirements at Taft University.
Our programs are specifically designed for responsible, busy professionals who understand how to manage their own time to fit their lives. This means that if your week suddenly fills up, you can push off finishing that next assignment until things settle down again. You set your own pace and have the freedom to rearrange your work around the rest of your responsibilities.
Independent Study
We have found this to be one of the biggest perks of Taft University programs. If you are the type of person who hates group work, especially in an online setting, then this can be a deal breaker.
Some online classes and programs do still require a degree of group work, though there is still less interaction overall with the rest of the class. Regardless, you are responsible for your own learning and your grade depends far less on interaction with other students or participation points. Depending on your field of study, being in a physical classroom can mean a portion of your grade depends on taking part in discussion during class time. This can translate to required discussion posts and responses in an online setting.
At Taft University, you are never required to interact with other students during your studies. With that said, we do provide the option to interact with other students if you’d like to – but it will never be a factor in your grades.
Affordability
Due to the structure of online courses, the cost can be significantly lower than attending classes in person. For starters, there is no cost of keeping up a campus when you have an entirely online university. That means all the money is going back into paying faculty and staff to provide the best education possible.
Take away the residency requirements, housing costs, and even parking fees when attending classes on a physical campus and you’ll find you’re saving a lot of money by choosing an online program.
What Can Make Online Education A Struggle?
Earning a degree online is certainly not for everyone, so don’t just read the above perks and decide that an online program is 100% for you. Studying online also takes a great deal of responsibility and time management skills, so you want to be sure you’re ready. Keep in mind some of the difficulties of online learning.
Accountability
The lack of set assignment due dates and login times can be a huge perk – but it also means you don’t have anyone to hold you accountable. You have to hold yourself accountable for getting the work done. You won’t show up to class and be reminded by your teacher that an essay is due next week or to make sure you’re keeping up with the assigned reading.
Some people are better at holding themselves accountable than others and it’s important to be honest with yourself about whether you’ll be able to or not. You don’t want to enter into an online program, start paying tuition, and then have it not pay off because you aren’t keeping up with the work.
No Face-to-Face Interaction
Some students love this – but for some other students, having regular in-person interaction with faculty and peers helps them learn better. While you can have limited interaction during an online degree program, it is often only in the form of emails or possibly a discussion board. You won’t be able to drop by your professor’s office or ask them a question in person at the end of class. And if you’re a student who loves setting up study groups and meeting with other students to collaborate and go over the assignments or reading, then choosing an online program may not be your best bet.
No Collaboration
Similar to valuing face-to-face interaction, some students enjoy group work. This applies to more than just study groups, extending to group presentations and ongoing projects. Some online classes and many traditional classes involve assignments where you are given a group with which to work. You all learn and create together – and then share a good part of the grade. If this is your preferred type of assignment or method for learning, you will not find such assignments in the curriculum for any Taft University program.
Curious About What Taft University Offers?
Depending on your learning style and preferences, distance education can be a life saver when it comes to higher education – or it can sound horrible. It’s important to look at all factors before making a decision between online degree programs or going to a traditional brick-and-mortar campus.
If you’ve made it through all of that information and still want to hear more about what Taft University offers, you can find more about our programs here.
We are also available to answer any questions you have about the admissions process, coursework, and structure of the programs overall. Don’t hesitate to get in contact if you have questions!