RE: Robmarie – You’re correct in that cetain fields and certain personalities do work better in an online environment. Distance learning requires more interaction from students than simply attending a lecture, they must be more proactive in their education than traditional methods. If they are having problems grasping concepts and subject matter they must make sure they tell their professors about it ASAP, where in traditional settings a professor might be able to see the confusion or dificulty in their actions or even facial expressions in class. While the traditional side seems to have an advantage here, you also need to take into account that online students and professors have higher rates of contact and communication via email, chat, etc… Bottom line is that both traditional and Online schools both have pro’s and con’s they bring to the table, it’s really up to the student to choose which option is right for them.

I suppose it also depends on the nature of the field one is majoring in. You mentioned that Utica College offers a degree in Online Cybersecurity — then it being fully attained online makes more sense than if I go for another subject, such as Chemistry (I can’t imagine that ever happening…).

All in all, even though I’m not the type of person who needs to go to class every time, I still feel that being present at a lecture and having the professor familiarize with your face is more beneficial than going for an online degree (or an online class, for that matter). But people are different and work at different paces. In the end, it’s just good to know that there’s always that option.

I think online classes are great for General education type courses, but when it comes to really important, major classes, I prefer a traditional classroom setting.