The Advantages of Online Courses—And How They Can Help You Succeed

Over the last few years, the implementation of online education and virtual learning systems in schools and universities has skyrocketed. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic causing an abrupt shift to online learning in 2020, an online education has become increasingly more common as a result of the advancements of technology and a demand for accessibility.

Students from all over the world now have an extraordinary opportunity to take an entire college class with limitless access to course materials, resources, and guidance from instructors, all from the comfort of their own home. According to Best Colleges’ 2022 Online Education Trends Report, 70 percent of students said that taking online classes was better than or equal to taking in-person classes and 95 percent of graduates who took online classes said they would recommend online education to others. 

While some people have assumed that taking online courses is an “easy” process or that they don’t take as much effort as in-person courses, that is far from accurate. Online classes are just as fast-paced and rigorous as they would be in-person—they just offer a new and more accessible way of learning that many people find beneficial. 

If that is the case, then what are the benefits of online learning?

To start, online courses can be taken at any location—even internationally. When learning online, students are not required to commute or travel to class every day, making attending class easy and manageable for students with tight schedules, with responsibilities at home, who work, or who travel often. Being able to learn from home and not having to worry about the cost or time of traveling to campus can additionally help students balance their schedules and be more productive in their day-to-day lives.

Enrollment in online classes also allows for interaction and collaboration with students and faculty from all over the world. With courses being accessible at any location, students from different parts of the world are able to interact with each other and gain a further understanding of various perspectives, identities, learning processes, and skills—creating a collaborative and dynamic learning environment. Through these experiences, students are able to learn from each other, be confident in their ideas, and help create solutions that last, which in turn prepares them for careers in their fields. 

While online courses do provide ample time to work with peers and gain necessary collaboration skills, they can also help train students to be self-reliant and accountable for their responsibilities—something employers actively seek out in potential employees. Staying on top of the coursework for an online class and not relying on anyone else is important, in addition to participating in lectures. Balancing the work of a course can be difficult, but it also teaches you how to be responsible for your own learning and your work-life balance. Successfully managing the time and work put into a course can help students be disciplined in their fields, leading to success in future careers.

Another advantage of taking online courses is being able to access library and university resources, in addition to tons of virtual events from home. When a large majority of university courses began to transition to an online format during COVID-19, so did learning materials and university resources. Students have since been able to conveniently access any materials, campus resources and services, or learning tools that they might need in order to succeed in the classroom without having to travel to campus or a university library. At Illinois Tech, students have access to the Paul Galvin Library’s A–Z Database that consists of 290 research databases for students to utilize for any papers, projects, or other assignments they might have. 

When choosing the path of online learning, students will never have to miss out on any unique academic or professional opportunities that will help them prepare for their courses and life after graduation.

Interested in pursuing online education opportunities? Illinois Institute of Technology has partnered with Outlier and Coursera to offer its world-class education to learners around the world.