Blog Reflection 5- Internet or Interaction?

Hello Everyone!!!

It has been a wonderful summer for me, and I am sad that it has to end, but I did learn a great deal from taking this course.

This is not the first online course I have taken.  I have taken COUNS1 and F_N 20 online courses prior to LIB 3, so I have some internet course experience.  I have found that the interaction with other students online is sometimes more effective than interaction face-to-face!  In some classes, especially general, instructors do not require students to interact with each other and get into groups.  I feel I have learned a lot more about people online than in traditional classes.  However, that is not always the case!  

The big difference between online courses and traditional classes is interaction with the instructor.  With the instructor being right there for you to ask questions, it is easier to understand what to do for a particular assignment or project.  

Some people find online courses easier and some find them more difficult.  I think it really depends on how much self-discipline you have as far as time management goes, and taking the initiative to put time and effort into reading your textbook during your own time to understand the material involved with the course.  I think a person has to be pretty literate, but it isn't required!  Some people learn better through hands-on observation rather than reading instructions and doing it on their own.

I have found online courses to be significant for me because I have a young child at home, so they save me time and money!  I have chosen only general education courses to take online because I am more of a hands-on type learner, so the classes I need to take for my major have been more important to take on campus.  General education courses have been a challenge to take online, but they do save me a lot of time!

I think that this course is an appropriate one to take online.  Although I did not have a face-to-face interaction with other students and the instructor, I was able to follow through successfully and learn a great deal of information that I was unaware of before!  I would have taken a face-to-face workshop for this course if one was offered to me, but only if it didn't interfere with my other classes and take away too much time with my son.  I am glad that I took the course the way I did!