Online universities are popping up as demand continues to grow. This recent surge is happening simply because it is convenient to study online. As this mode of learning continues to grow in popularity, it might be a good time to address some of the misconceptions regarding online college students.
Cheating is Common Amongst Online Students
One thing some people think online students are going to do is cheat. It is easy to think that a student who is not supervised will do something wrong in order to get ahead. This misconception needs to be addressed because it may actually hurt online student graduates when looking for work.
People may incorrectly assume that an online degree is not as valuable as a degree at a regular school simply because cheating may be common among online students. A recent study actually looked into this misconception and found that it was false. There does not seem to be a difference between students who cheat online versus students who cheat at a regular school, meaning that a student intending to deceive will do so no matter the platform.
Their Education is Not as Good as Traditional
Some people may roll their eyes at people who received their MBA at SCU online because they believe that online education is not good enough. This is a misconception that needs to be not only addressed but crushed because it is not true. Again, failing to do so could actually hurt online students’ chances of getting the job they deserve, which would be such a shame after all the work that was done.
Another study found that online education actually helps produce students that score better in certain areas. Everything goes through an evolutionary stage, and it seems that education is going through a stage. Sure, this type of education may seem strange. It may be hard to see the value in it, but it is clear that online education is quite effective. Potential students who are worried that online education would be subpar could lay those worries to rest.
Online Students Have no Sense of Accountability
There are a few people out there who think that online students may be lazy or may not know how to keep to a schedule. They think this is because students need to be in class where a professor or professor’s assistant can communicate their need to finish work on time. Sure, some students may thrive in that environment, but that does not mean online students are lazy or do not understand the importance of finishing work on time. And in worst cases, you can even get the help of a local tutor.
Online students actually have to practice self-accountability since there is no one enforcing the deadlines. Students who are dedicated and want to graduate are going to have to learn to keep up with their fellow classmates without any assistance, making them even more valuable to employers when they graduate. What people need to keep in mind is that an online graduate was able to work on his or her own because online college students who failed simply never earned their degrees.
These Students do Not Have Enough Hands-On Experience
There may be some truth to this misconception since students in traditional schools are going to have a teacher teaching them hands-on, but that does not mean online students are completely inexperienced. An online student makes up what he or she may lack in computing skills. Employers know how important it is to be well-versed in everything that deals with the internet, and these students have worked online for years, making them pretty adept.
It should be pointed out that online students do have access to examples in video format of the work that their chosen career will focus on. These videos are more than enough to help them understand what they might be doing after they graduate. Plus, some online courses actually offer online students opportunities to put their skills to the test through internship programs, and those are more than adequate.
These are just some of the misconceptions that need to be busted. Some of these will take time since change is hard to get used to, but it will happen sooner or later.
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