Online classes growing in popularity in South Central Kentucky
BOWLING GREEN Ky.- With the growing use of technology in everyday life, there’s no question that the world of education is impacted by this. While classroom learning is still alive and well, online classes are becoming more and more prevalent. Alexis Hutcheson, the student ambassador of South-Central Kentucky Community and Technical College says more and more students are enrolling in online classes.
“They’re really popular. A lot of students want to try head on online courses. Some want to try hybrid, which is like, where you come the first day. So usually, you’ll have two days of the week that you’ll go to class in person. For hybrid, you’ll go one day a week and the rest is online,” said Hutcheson.
SKYCTC digital learning coordinator Leah Wendt says online education is not only growing in popularity, but also in credibility.
“When you tell somebody that you’re taking a class online or even getting a degree online, they don’t usually roll their eyes. It’s more of an accepted way to learn and earn credentials online,” said Wendt.
While students may think learning outside of a classroom setting is easier, Hutcheson says it requires more drive and discipline than the traditional class format.
“When you’re in person, you have so many hours that have to be met. when you’re online, those hours have to be made up somehow, and it’s made up in coursework. Not only do you have to make sure to keep checking online that online course to make sure you’re keeping up with it, you still have to abide by the absence rules,” said Hutcheson.
For certain lifestyles, online courses seem to be better suited for some students to get a quality education.
“A lot of students are interested in online classes, especially those who have a lot of responsibilities in their lives. They’re parents, they’re working, or they have second and third shifts. Online classes offer a lot of responsibility for scheduling needs, and also for students who live far from any campus location,” said Wendt.
