Online and Distance Learning.com

College or online? Which should you choose - on campus study or online learning? This page will provide ideas and resources to help you to decide.

College or online: Which is more effective?

A report was released in June 2009 by the U.S. Department of Education which concludes that online learning is more effective in promoting learning - at least at university level.

That research result is quite an eye-opener for many campus universities, that have for many years been declaring that online education was not as effective. And the power of this particular research is that instead of being based on just one bit of research on a group of students, it is in fact a meta-study which analyzed 46 studies comparing online learning to face-to-face education.

Of course, the research doesn't say that it is more effective for every single student or for every situation.  The reality is that online learning is more effective for some people, but less effective for others  - and more effective in some situations, but less effective in others.  These individual differences are very important if you are the individual choosing whether to do your studies at college or online.

So which should you choose?

Well - like so many things in life - there is no simple answer.  It all depends ............. (and you know how the rest of that goes).

But here are some things for you to consider:

College or online: Flexibility of online vs sociability of college campus

Online learning is incredibly flexible You can do your learning anytime and anywhere you can get access to the Internet. You don't have to travel to a campus to attend a class at a particular time.  But although online study does provide flexibility for working adults and others not able to attend campus schools, universities or colleges, for those who are able to attend, there is stlll a lot to be said for the "campus" experience. This "campus" experience is particularly valuable for younger students, providing opportunities for socialising and making new friends and useful contacts for the future.

The costs of college or online

Online programs often appear to be the more economical alternative. Fees are usually lower and you don't have travel or accommodation costs. However, campus schools may offer scholarships, internships and work opportunities. Also, in-state tuition may be available for campus schools. All these can make campus study a financially viable alternative to online study. Of course, if you have a job and cannot get time away during the week to attend campus, then you are faced with another big decision: do you give up your salary in order to attend campus or simply take the program online? If the former, then you have to factor in that cost as well.

College or online learning style?

Online learning doesn't suit everyone.  It depends on your learning style. The ability to think independently, self-discipline, motivation and good time management are all required for online learning to be effective. If you have a problem with these, then an on-campus degree in which a teacher provides motivation and discipline, and determines workload, may be the best for you.

Nature of the subject suitable for college or online?

Not all programs convert easily to the online study mode. Those programs that require laboratory work (e.g., some of the sciences) or the use of equipment (e.g., engineering) are better taken as campus programs. Some schools make special arrangements for these courses to be taken face-to-face whilst the rest of the courses are taken online. The use of ICT is now very much a part of campus courses, which are sometimes offered in a flexible, "blended learning" mode, i.e., some elearning and some face-to-face. So campus students still get some of the benefits of online learning.

And the answer is .........

So which should you choose - an online school or a campus school?  There is no right or wrong answer - it all depends on your life-style, your learning style and the program you wish to take.