I can count on one hand how many times I’ve left a three hour lecture and been in a good mood. By the last 20 minutes I wish I could be at home on the couch with a snack. That’s where the beauty of online courses comes in. Too cold out to attend a lecture? That’s fine, as long as you’ve registered for video-on-demand, you can watch the lectures from the comfort of your warm bed. Personally, I am a fan of online classes. I have taken five so far in my two years at Carleton, four of which I’m doing during my second year. I feel as though they can be a beneficial tool, especially right before exams in case you need clarification about a concept that only a professor can give you.
However, this is only true if you manage to keep up with them. Now while that might seem like an easy thing to do, life manages to get in the way and next thing you know you’re two weeks behind. In the opinion of Danielle Lanoix, a third-year student with experience taking video classes, “They would be more beneficial to students if the videos were only posted for a specific duration of time, a week for example.” She believes that this would make students, “More diligent and would help them from procrastinating and watching lectures to the day before the exam.”
While this is a valid idea, some may argue that those who take online courses take them in order to watch them when it’s convenient for them, and by putting a time restriction on how long the lectures are available for, this could affect some students’ marks more so than procrastination could.
Something to consider when deciding to take an online course is your time management. After taking two online courses first semester this year, I learned that in order to get the full benefits out of them, I needed to organize my time better, and use my free time to watch lectures. I was a culprit of leaving watching lectures to the last minute and it was stressful. Work habits should heavily weigh on one’s decision to take an online course. Matthew Monterrey, a second-year student believes that online courses, “Can be a good idea if you are an upper-year student who has developed stronger work habits, but as a first-year student I wouldn’t advise taking one.”
Overall, in my opinion online courses have more advantages than disadvantages. They come with unlimited viewings, pause and rewind capabilities, and best of all you can watch them cuddled up on your couch with your cat. Definitely what I wish all my classes were like.