If you are looking at doing higher education in nursing and are trying to choose between going in person or taking the online route, it can be difficult. There are benefits and downsides to everything, but when you are spending a lot of money and time to advance your career, you want to know you are making the right choice.
If you are leaning toward choosing the online course, or perhaps that is the only choice you can make, this piece will discuss the pros and cons of doing an advanced online nursing course.
Read on for information that can help you make your decision.
Pro – Convenience
Convenience is one of the main reasons that people opt for doing an online course over doing higher education in person.
Different education establishments will offer differing levels of flexibility depending on what the course is and how it has been designed. Still, more often than not, you will have free reign when it comes to choosing when you watch your lectures and seminars. That being said, you will still have set deadlines for your submission work, such as course work and exams, so being able to work around that is essential.
This is a great option for students who have full-time work, children, or other responsibilities which require them to be available elsewhere. It also means that they do not have to forgo their chance of gaining a higher certification and qualification in the field of their choice because of their circumstances.
Con – Making Friends is More Difficult
Depending on what you want from your qualification and the experience of higher education, this could be a deal-breaker for some and not a worry for others. Some like to go to college or university for the experience of living with like-minded people, being able to join clubs or sororities, and being in an environment that facilitates making friends.
This can be a crucial aspect for some, and doing a course online can make this difficult – not impossible but definitely difficult. Because of the flexibility, students will more than likely be accessing the course at different points. Unless someone actively sets up a group where everyone can get to know each other at an internet pace, you might find that you and the other students on your course are like passing ships in the night.
Pro – Work to Your Own Pace
Not many like to be rushed, especially when they want to make sure they are doing an excellent job of whatever it is they are doing, and when you opt for an online degree, you can work to the beat of your own drum. Sure, everyone has the same deadline, but if for some reason you get a burst of energy and understanding about a topic at 10pm, or feel really in the right headspace to work after a nap, then you can simply just carry on with your course.
The downside to having an in-person course is that it carries on whether you are ready or not. You might have had a terrible night's sleep, have a work shift pop up, or are just not capable of taking in information, but the lecture will still go on, and if you do not show up – your work suffers. Doing an online course takes all of this away, and if something does come up where you need a couple of weeks off, many courses will just be waiting for you to pick up where you left off.
Con – Difficulty Staying Focused
One of the main reasons that in-person teaching is great is that it holds us accountable. We have to go in, or we miss a lecture, we have to stay on track with everything, or we get left behind. This can often be a good enough incentive to get students to keep up, even if they do not feel like it.
However, when it comes to doing an online course, the issue is not that if something serious or valid comes up, it is more when the dangers of procrastination kick in or the motivation wanes. It can be challenging to get that education engine up and running again. This is another reason why having course friends helps too, as you all keep each other going through it all, providing bursts of motivation.
That being said, there are absolutely ways around the difficulty of staying focused, and it should not be a deal-breaker for choosing an online course. There are many tips and tricks to help you stay on task and organized, which, when implemented from the beginning, can easily become second nature to any student.
Pro – Save Money
Online courses are well known for costing less than in-person learning, which makes this a great option for those who want to save money or need to spend less, but still get the education and the qualification they need to work as a nurse or advance their education. This is especially true for Online Post-Master's Certificates and other online higher education courses.
This tip is not just for the course either, but you will find you will save money by not having to drive to your college every day or week, pay for parking, and all those other little bits and pieces that add up when you are out of your house, such as cups of coffee!
All of these little things can become a significant expense, and you do not even have to think about them if you opt for an online course.
Con – Limited Access to Other Facilities
Another downside of opting for an online course over in-person is that you also miss some of the 'in person' bits that can be useful to you. Spaces such as the library, student centers, practical tasks for nurses, field trips, and other trips that are involved with in-person courses are all part of learning and can all be beneficial to your career. However, different establishments offer different things, so it is worth looking at what you would like to do in a particular college or university and see what they actually offer on a nurse course, compared to what is offered online.
You might find that you are not actually missing out on anything useful or that the facilities that are mentioned have nothing to do with your course.
Pro – A Wide Amount of Choice
The beauty of opting for an online course is that you are able to choose a course you like from anywhere and still do it from the comfort of your own home. There are also tons of niche areas you can gain a qualification in, many of which you might not be able to find in in-person learning.
The other downside to finding the course you want to do with in-person learning is that you have to commute or relocate to the area that is offering the course you want. Often, this is not viable at all, especially if you are a mature student with an already established life. You might also find that the location that the course is held in is not of interest or appeal to you, which is a lot of the time not worth going for. It can be easy to forget that you have to live your personal life where you move to as well, and if this is not somewhere that does not make you happy, it might not be worth it for the qualification; Especially if you can do it from where you want to be!
Con – Feedback and Contact Can Be Difficult
If you are in a lecture in person, you are able to ask your professors immediately any questions you may have or for help if you do not understand or are stuck on something. Unfortunately, the process for this online is much slower. Lecturers will not always be online at the same time as you, and you can miss out on having that immediate feedback that can help you progress instantly. When learning online, you will most likely have to wait for answers and feedback, which can leave you stuck where you are until you get what you need to proceed.
That being said, this will vary from course to course, module to module, and professor to professor. It is worth getting some feedback from others who have done any online courses you are looking at in particular, to ask them questions about factors such as this to help you make your decision. You might find it is not a deal-breaker at all, and because of the flexibility, you are happy to wait for answers provided they are given in a timely manner.
As with all in-person vs. online debates, there are pros and cons to everything, and with the pandemic continuing to be a part of our lives, many of us are discussing the merit of making online interactions more accessible and inclusive. While there are still some concerns for moving online for qualifications, as time goes on, we might just find them to become more advanced and accommodating than ever before.
