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Top Ten Student Benefits
- Flexibility in Scheduling. Online students rated the ability to schedule courses around their own schedules (work, family, etc.) as the single most important factor in their decision to take an online course.
- Greater Selection of Courses. Students can take online courses from any of Wisconsin's 16 technical colleges that is offering the course.
- Earn a Degree, Even with a Full-Time Life. Students who would not have otherwise taken a traditional classroom-based course can take online courses.
- Levels the Playing Field. Online instructors consistently report that the online format allows even the shyest of students to come out of their shells.
- Makes Students More Prepared for the Workforce. Communicating via e-mail and collaborating online gives online students experience that can help them in their careers. These skills are increasingly important in the workplace.
- More One-on-One Time with the Instructor. Many online instructors report that the online format gives them more communication with students as individuals than is possible in a face-to-face course.
- Reduce or Eliminate Commute Time. Even though half of the online students live within 20 minutes of a Wisconsin technical college, online courses allow students to reduce or eliminate the time, stress and expense of commuting.
- Improve Communication Skills. Students learn to communicate effectively through e-mail and discussion boards.
- Learn More? Many online instructors believe that online students may learn better than their counterparts in the classroom because online students have to internalize the work more and be more actively involved in their learning. This effect seems to be enhanced if the student is self-disciplined and has a basic aptitude of the subject matter.
- Richness of Resources Available Online. Instructors note that the online format allows for richer content. One writing instructor uses a link to a famous poet reading her own work; a science instructor uses current events to stimulate online discussions.
