Profile of Students Seeking Online Degrees

Online learning is a relatively recent phenomenon. Distance learning is not. The earliest correspondence schools in the United States opened in the 1800’s. And some say that they were modeled after European schools that had been in business for centuries.

The traits and qualities of today’s Virtual Students follow the pattern of earlier students. These online learning pioneers combine the independent, self-motivated spirit of earlier correspondence students with an intrepid bravery about technology’s new world.

While Virtual Students come from all backgrounds and walks of life, the early indications about online learners is that they tend to be working professionals seeking to better their circumstances.

However, this characteristic is shifting as more schools introduce online degree programs, as tuition drops and, importantly, as a new generation of learners moves onto the scene. Young learners who grew up with computers and the Internet integrated into their lives are showing signs of interest in online education.

Research and our experience with online learners show that the following characteristics are common among distance learners. As you consider enrolling in an online degree program, you can gauge your own personality and experience against these traits.

Almost inevitably, successful distance learning students are self-starters. They are internally motivated, by either personal or professional circumstances, to go after their degrees. Besides good distance learning programs build in mechanisms that help a Virtual Student stay motivated. These include things like clear deadlines, time-based expectations, and timely instructor feedback. Therefore Virtual Students should be self-starters, and should also expect their schools to help them stay motivated.

Virtual Students tend to be brave about the way they use technology. Especially those online students who were among the first to pursue their degrees online, Virtual Students tend to be quick to adapt to technology. They are quick to embrace new ideas and integrate them into their studies and their lives.

Although streaming audio and video are gaining popularity in online learning, writing is still the primary means of interactive conversation. Virtual Students need to be able to communicate well in writing.

Some people have bemoaned the death of writing in modern society. However, online learning is one place where the quality of one’s writing is still very much a marker for success. Nothing separates the successful Virtual Student from the pack like the ability to communicate effectively via the written word.

This does not mean online programs demand perfect writing. It means that written communication is important and that good writers have an advantage in distance learning.

A virtual student must be willing and able to commit time and energy. Workloads for various courses can range from very light to very heavy. However, a Virtual Student can generally expect to spend at least as much time on-task each week as their classroom-based colleagues. It is not unusual for Virtual Students to spend 4 to 15 hours per course, per week on their online studies.

Virtual students should believe in the online learning process. It may seem obvious, but one important characteristic of online students is their belief that learning can take place outside the classroom as well as inside. This factor keeps many students from considering online degree programs. And, frankly, if they do not believe in the process, they should not participate.

Consistent with this innate belief is the Virtual Student’s willingness to work on projects in “virtual teams” with online colleagues. Also present is the ability to effectively express themselves in online forums, emails, and digital assignments.

Virtual students should be willing to stand up for themselves. Unlike their classroom-based colleagues, Virtual Students must often be willing to express their frustrations and struggles using literal communication. Where a classroom instructor can take verbal cues from a student that indicate confusion, boredom, or another learning-related problem, the online instructor does not have that benefit.

Consequently, Virtual Students need to be aggressive about letting their instructors know about problems they may be having.

We do know now that great students can be successful in the online learning environment. And we eagerly await the innovations coming soon that will expand distance learning’s reach even further.

[1] In the context of academic degrees, the term " philosophy " does not refer solely to the field of philosophy, but is used in a broader sense in accordance with its original Greek meaning, which is " love of wisdom ".

[2] /əˈlʌmnəs/; pl. alumni /əˈlʌmnaɪ/

[3] Unless you can find someone to pay you to sip fancy tropical drinks on the beach, your vocation is not likely to be a " vacation ". Rather, the word ‘ vocation ’ means what you do for a living.

[4] http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/why-oxford/studying-at-oxford/tutorials

[5] Зубрить (механически заучивать наизусть) = to learn by rote