–By Amber Vaughn–
“Should I take classes online or on campus?”
Before students answer that question, they take their job, extracurricular activities, safety, and quality time into consideration when they look at the time of the classes that are given. It’s a difficult situation that students have to deal with every day in school and out in the real world. It requires a give-and-take solution, and consequences that can make or break their daily routine in the future.
Some students are too busy to attend classes on campus, and choose to take classes online.
“I can read and learn the material, and avoid side conversations from students. The advantages of being in an online class are not being in a classroom, and having a fair amount of time to submit work. I would take another online class, but not more than one.” said Chinwe Wosu, 19, Accounting major, Jersey City.
Full-time students might choose to leave their job or discontinue their extracurricular activities so they can attend the classes they are required to take. Part-time students might choose to: attend classes in the morning and get them of the way so that they can work right after, attend classes in the afternoon because they’re not morning people, or attend classes in the late evening because they work during the day.
Laura Robinson, Mathematics major, 22, from Jersey City said, “I may have a little less time for my family and friends and boyfriend. I also may have a little less time for other hobbies like bowling, but attending classes to gain knowledge for life is a gift. So, I’m willing to sacrifice my socializing time to be in class learning for my future.”
When a student chooses to take their classes online, the instructors take time out their day to make lesson plans, post them on BlackBoard, and then assign due dates for the assignments given. Unfortunately, for the professor, the students have to learn the material themselves, and use different resources to help them understand the material better.
“All students juggle many things: work, family, social media, education,” said English Professor Laura Wandenpfuhl. “But in a classroom of many students, it is too easy for them not to participate, or to participate in ways that do not reveal if the material has been learned. Online teaching provides a ‘curtain’ behind which online students can express their thoughts away from the physical and immediate verbal reactions of others. The factors that determine which type of course a student takes involve one’s ability at self-governance.”
However, Associate Professor, Nikki McDaniel, 41, NJCU believes that Online courses are insufficient.
“The more passive the teaching method, the less students retain. The more active students are, the more they retain,” said McDaniel. “The main benefit to meeting in a classroom setting is the potential for interaction. At NJCU, I teach non-majors courses and I’ve found that students are likely to come to see me before or after class to discuss deadlines and assignments or to ask me questions about what we’re learning, but I get very few questions about the material I’m presenting in class.”
There isn’t an easy answer to whether students should study online or on campus. Some can say “yes,” and some can say “no,” depending on their experiences in either scenario. With those factors in mind, students can decide based on their preferences; that way, when the upcoming semester arrives, they will be happy with their choice, and make the best of their semester.