Diagnostic Essay

In today's world, internet is making everything easier and more convenient. Everything from sending letters to filing taxes has been made easier by the invention of the world-wide-web. Attending classes and earning your degree is no exception to this statement. Today, people of all ages are taking classes over the internet. Students may be simply learning a new skill, or working towards a degree from a university. However, some of these people may find it a little more difficult than they expected. Their difficulty is due to the fact that taking an on-line class takes more responsibility, better self-teaching ability, and the desire to do well in class.

Say for instance, someone graduated high school and decided to take some college classes over the internet. They are used to showing up to class and having a teacher there to guide them through each step of the learning process. The teacher will tell them where to look for information in the text book, give them daily reminders of when assignments are due, and
periodically check their work to make sure the student is on the right track. While taking the on-line classes however, the student is much more responsible for getting his or her work done properly and turned in on time. It is at the student's discretion when to do their work, and there wont be many (if any) reminders given that an assignment is due.

Not only does the student need to be more responsible about getting their work turned in on time, but they also need to be able to teach themselves from time to time. During a normal class, the teacher is giving the lectures and leading the discussions, making sure all the students are keeping up. If a student has a question, all they need to do is raise their hand and ask. A majority of the time, when taking web courses, you log on to your "class" and there is a list of assignments and their due dates. It's up to the student to read your text and come up with the answers to any of the questions your self. While the teachers of internet courses will usually help when asked, a person will have a difficult time getting through the course if they are unable to teach themselves at least part of the time.

Of course all other points are mute if the student lacks the desire to do well in the class. Some people would say that the same desire is needed for regular classes as well. While this is true, the necessity is amplified when it comes to on-line courses. High school, and even some college classes, are set up in such a way that if a student just shows up and pays mild attention to what goes on in class, they can pass without much effort. If someone applied the same work ethic to a web-based course, the results would be much more negative. If the student doesn't want to get on-line to do an assignment, they will not receive a score, and their grades will drop. A student has to have a strong desire to do well in order to make some of the sacrifices internet classes require.

So even though the internet does give easier access to classes and degree opportunities, that doesn't mean it makes it easier to pass those classes. In order to do well in an on-line course, a student needs to be responsible, have the ability to teach themselves, and a have a strong desire to do well. An internet based class may not be right for everyone, but for those people who have the right characteristics to do well, they can be a great way to learn a new skill, or even earn a degree.