S19 is considering taking an online course this Fall. To be specific, the course is Elementary Astronomy (ASTRO 10) and only one section is offered - online. He would also be taking ASTRO 11 - this class in in-person, and its the associated Lab class for ASTRO 10.
Does anyone have any experience with online courses at PSU? Should they be avoided? Are they just a cheap way for the school to enroll 1,000 in a course without a real teacher lecturing? Is it difficult to manage actually studying for the course when you’re not required to attend a lecture?
My kids have both taken online classes. My rising junior son has taken at least one every semester. They are the exact same class that they would take in person but they have to be self motivated to follow the lesson plans themselves. I think there are still student limits because the professors that teach in person, also teach the online classes.
No one is really required to attend lecture in college. It’s up to the student to do that. It’s up to a student to engage with the online class as well. Some kids do just fine in online classes…others who learn better in person may struggle. For my kids, it’s been a great thing to add an online class here and there when otherwise their schedule would not permit that class.