The time for action is always now. Here are some of the reasons why should get started with online courses.

Courses are getting better and better.

With better technology and higher competition for students among universities, the quality of online courses keeps improving. Previously it was expensive and cumbersome to include interactive elements and higher quality content, now it is a given.

The competition for students increases as more and more people look towards distance learning to improve their skillset. This forces universities to update and improve their online courses to attract more students.

Cheap and in most cases free

Online classes are often free with a paid certificate. This means that courses containing information that was previously only accessible via expensive tuition are now available to you with just a few clicks.

While a lot of content out there is available for free, we must also realize that sometimes that extra fee might be worth it if we’re looking to compete for jobs. A certificate of proven and verified skills can be a dealbreaker for your future employers.

Freedom

Do it whenever you want, wherever you want. An internet connection and a computer give you access to all the knowledge you could ever need wherever you might be or plan to be.

Boost your resume

Some extra courses are a great way of boosting your skills and provide further value for future employers. However, some don’t regard online courses as highly as those from tuition universities. That is why it is important for you to actually use what you learn in the courses for a project or task.

Learn how you learn best

Some learn better from watching videos and taking notes while others prefer reading. Some just like to sit back and listen. It is all up to you.

Hone your self-discipline

The freedom of online classes also poses a problem in terms of self-discipline and avoiding procrastination. Don’t look at your procrastination problems as a reason for you to not enroll, but a chance for you to improve as a person and tackle your procrastination head-on.

Study any topic you want

There are thousands of courses available, and you can pick and choose any you’d like. Depending on your previous knowledge, what you want to do in the future, and how much time you have available to dedicate to the classes, you can choose whatever fits you.

Hurdles and how to overcome them

Not as hands on as in person lectures

A common drawback of online courses is the lack of interaction you’d get from in-person attendance in a classroom or workshop. But this is a general misconception. Almost all courses offer emails to teachers, discussion boards, and collaboration tasks for you to interact with your digital classmates and ask questions.

You already have a packed schedule

You might think that enrolling in classes will take up a majority of your time, and I get it, you have a stressful schedule as is. But this could be a chance to trim your time-wasting habits. Those habits that don’t really give you anything, and that you might even wish you didn’t do.

The theory of habits and how they can be reformed is to substitute the bad habits with new ones when faced with a cue. This is a better strategy than to just try and quit them.

If you get home from work and sit down on the couch to watch TV, watch a lecture instead.

No real authority to the merit

As mentioned, some employers don’t regard online classes as highly as “real” courses at a tuition-paid university. To overcome this, you have the opportunity to get a certificate from having completed the course. Another, more powerful way, is to accomplish real tasks and projects based on what you learned in the course.

This shows your skills and ability to implement your knowledge.

Questions to ask yourself before enrolling

• Will I be able to accomplish something I value after I have completed the course?
• Do I have the spare time to take this course and truly go in-depth in the material?
• Is this course a valid steppingstone for something larger that I wish to accomplish?

Final tips for a good studying experience

• Take it seriously and make an effort
• Have an end-goal in mind
• Set off more time than you might think you need
• Read and study more than the recommended literature