Online Learning: Is it for YOU?

Just type "online education" or "online learning" into your Internet search browser and you'll see the same conclusion pop up everywhere: the number of people taking online courses is increasing.

This makes sense, considering our current economy where universities and colleges are cutting back on staff and increasing tuition costs. Why pay all that money to get expertise you can find elsewhere (and for lower cost)? (Granted, many people are enrolling in online programs through their universities, so costs are still high, although students are able to enjoy the benefits of learning online).

If you aren't looking to obtain a degree, or you're thinking of taking a few courses to supplement your degree, or even just want to enjoy learning about a specific topic that you've always been interested in, then learning online outside of the university structure may just be the perfect fit for you.

Besides low cost, one of the great benefits of taking a course online is the ability to learn individually and at your own pace. This is difficult to achieve in a classroom setting, where teachers instruct 30, 60, or even 100 students or more in some university courses, all with varying levels of proficiency.

How many times have you been frustrated by a teacher who is moving through the material way too fast? Or bored by an instructor who stays on the same concept for hours, one that you are already familiar with?

Plus, online courses outside of the university allow you to leave a course and come back to it, days, weeks, or even months later (and you can retake sections as well—that's right, rewind, pause, and fast forward your learning). No time constraints! You are accountable only to yourself.

So keeping all that in mind: What do you think of learning online? Is online education right for you?