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[ian]

Whats everyone's opinion on online classes?  Do you think you get the same level of education as you would in the classroom, or is this just an easy way to cheat and get a good grade?

[Chris]

i think that if it's done right it can help but it's also very easy to cheat in these kinds of classes

[Singer]

Never tried one.  I've never heard much about online classes, and I don't really feel like finding out.

[ian]

I took accounting online.  It was a 4 credit class that had no homework and only 3 tests (all open book) that were multiple choice.

[Singer]

I took accounting online.  It was a 4 credit class that had no homework and only 3 tests (all open book) that were multiple choice.

sounds like my kinda class...  was it really THAT much of a joke?

[ian]

Yeah, no exaggerating.  I think I took it with a guy named Mr. Black.  I reccomend doing taking it, if its part of your requirements.

[Jess729]

I don't know where you guys are taking these classes, but not all online courses are that way. 
I am a full time student taking all online courses right now. Having also spent a couple of semesters on-campus, I have to say this is MUCH harder ...much more work & time is involved. I didn't expect it to be easy, but I didn't expect it to be this challenging. The only "easy" thing about it is that I don't have to get someplace on time...which works out well for me     I really do like it in a lot of ways, but I couldn't do it if I wasn't doing it to actually learn the material.

There is a LOT of reading and writing & you have to stay very organized. Twelve credits and pretty much all I do is schoolwork. I'm a good student, but I work my @$$ off to get good grades.           And it's not just me...all of the other students I've spoken with feel the same way. The teachers have high expectations.

Maybe some online classes are pretty much a joke, but not all of them. If you are doing it to get an easy grade ... and your school is anything like mine ... you will be very disappointed and very surprised. It requires so much learning independently, it wouldn't even make sense to cheat.

So to answer the question... I think online classes are great if you are ready and willing to do a whole lot of work

[ian]

Jess, I think this is very dependant on the class and the school.  Where are you taking these classes?

I think it also goes without saying that a math class will not be structured the same way as a history class.

[Chris]

There is a LOT of reading and writing & you have to stay very organized.

Exactly, in a class like Bio or Precalc there really isn't that much reading and you can't really give writing assignments. That's why I feel like you could just get one of your friends who already took Bio and help you with the exam. In classes where you have to read a write a lot I feel that online classes are very similar to real classes. In one of my writing classes that I'm taking currently, half the time the teacher cancels class just because there isn't really a point to being there he'd rather we just stay home and work on our papers. My mom got her degree through Fielding which is an online school and I know that she had to work very hard for it. I just feel like for some of these basic classes it's rather easy to cheat.