Online, students must actually demonstrate engagement. This forces them to think critically about the material. While it is much easier to fake participating in the classroom scenario, doing so is much more difficult online. Online courses also offer a degree of anonymity, which allow students to post what they really think and feel, encouraging intelligent discussion. Furthermore, online classes allow students who want the ability to participate the ability

Traditional Classes, 2006) Another factor with online classes is that the student has the opportunity to teach themselves. If a student does not learn well by listening to a lecture, working through the textbook on their own time might be a better option for them. This is a lot harder to do in traditional classes where attendance is required and classes move at the instructors pace. If on the other

College Students Choose Online Courses Over Traditional Ones The fact that today's college students select so many online courses over traditional ones (even the same exact course) is perhaps surprising, especially for those who themselves attended a college or university when no such courses existed. Such individuals might question the appeal (and the educational value) of such remote, relatively anonymous courses. The topic is relevant to faculty, administrators, staff, and

Non-Participanting Online Students Non-Participants Online Courses The Case against Non-Participating Online Students The Case against Non-Participating Online Students With dropout rates 10 to 20% higher than bricks-n-mortar classes, the future success on online educational programs will depend on lowering these rates (reviewed by Nagel, Blignaut, and Cronje, 2009). The success of online classes has been shown to depend on student-instructor and student-student interactions, which are made more difficult by the long-distance nature of

To that end, the Academic Senate recommends "comprehensive replacement plans to maintain currency of all technology" (Guidelines). Distance learning courses are the inevitable child of advances in communication technology. Because human resources are a huge drain on a community college's limited funding, the use of technology to allow a single teacher to teach many more students than they could otherwise manage was natural. Teachers now have access to "such diverse

Hyperlinked tables of contents and indexes are tremendous time-savers as well as navigational aides. The non-linear presentation of digital texts appeals to learners adept at spatial relations, or those who appreciate metaphors. Hypertext allows learners to create and understand conceptual links between current course material and new or prior knowledge. The multimedia presentation of digital text appeals to learners who rely on multiple senses including sight and hearing. Many students