By: Tagh Swierzewski
After COVID-19 forced college students to learn online in 2020, many students changed their perspective on the best way to get a college degree.
Online learning, which had evolved as a temporary solution to the widespread coronavirus, has now gained traction as a valuable way to educate students, without sitting them in a classroom.
This had led to roughly 4.9 million students, taking purely online college classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Along with that, around 98% of universities now offer online classes, along with traditional, in-person programs, according to Admissionsly, a site which provides educational statistics to students.
Jake Curtis, an online student at UMass Lowell, sees this as an opportunity for him to earn a college degree, while working full time.
“The biggest advantage to me is the flexibility to make your own schedule,” Curtis said..
Curtis said online classes are, “generally cheaper than in person,” allowing him to save money and avoid college debt.
The ability to learn online has also given older individuals the chance to gain an undergraduate education.
“I was working full time as a firefighter, and at 40 years old, doing classes online was much more convenient than sitting in a classroom,” said Glen Camire, an online graduate of Grand Canyon University.
The fully online courses gave Camire the ability to study from a distance.
“I went to a school in Arizona, while living in Massachusetts. Had I been doing in person classes, none of this would have been possible,” Camire said.
However, both Curtis and Camire agreed that online college courses have their limitations.
“A tough part for me is knowing that I’m not making the same relationships that I could have in person,” Curtis said.
Camire agreed that there is very limited social interaction, besides the occasion zoom call with a professor.
Professor Katherine Smith, who teaches both in person courses at Stonehill College and online classes, agreed that online courses have their limitations.
“With online courses, I do not get to know the students as well, and it can be easy to get fatigued staring at a computer screen,” Smith said.
However, Smith knocked a common misconception of students in online programs underperforming compared to in-person students.
“My online and in-person students tend to perform the same. No matter the learning platform, a motivated and hard-working student will succeed,” Smith said.
With both opportunities available to earn an undergraduate degree, many students still find the worth and fulfillment in traditional, in-person college classes.
“As I see it, you get to make so many connections meeting people in-person that you can’t from home. Not to mention, strong relationships with your professors,” Stonehill junior, Joe Fleming said.
He said that understanding topics is much easier when learning face-to-face, where there are less distractions in a classroom compared to at home.
Stonehill senior, Matt Schmitz, said he would never be able to go fully online with classes.
“I’ve met people here that have changed my outlook on life, with countless friendships that will last a lifetime. I wouldn’t be able to get that sitting behind a screen,” Schmitz said.
Fleming and Schmitz both said in-person learning allows students to have interact on campus, outside of class.
“Outside of class, you can catch up with friends, or make new friends randomly. You also never know how that relationship can impact your life,” Schmitz said.
The choice between traditional and online learning likely depends on the individual. However, both opportunities provide students with the ability to be a more educated member of society.
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