In-Person Or Virtual Learning? Amarillo College Showing Increase Online.
One thing that was really hurt by COVID was attending classes at secondary education facilities.
With the amount of people wandering around in close contact and packing in 100 kids at times into one room, it became a major concern in spreading the virus.
With Amarillo College opening its doors back up to in-person learning, excitement should be filing the air. However, as the doors have opened, fewer people have walked through them.
COVID forced virtual learning for a good period of time, and people have started to adapt to that. In fact, quite a few have come to prefer it over attending a class physically.
So is the fear of catching COVID the reason they aren't returning to the classroom in droves? Maybe for some, but there's another reason that is leading the way.
Online courses allow major flexibility in learning, and that seems to be a big driving force for them. These classes are taught a bit differently. It's still a live lecture setting but online at a specific time each week.
Having the flexibility allows for the students to be able to hold down jobs with traditional school hours, while still getting the education they want.
That said, not ALL of the courses are available online at this time. Only about 1/3 of the class sections are available for online learning, so there's a good chance that you'll have to attend SOME in-person classes if you're carrying a full load.
Amarillo College is working towards getting more of the class sections up and going for online learning, and I think that's a good thing. I've long thought about going back to school, but with three kids and a full time job, it's hard to find the time. Couple that in with helping coach their baseball teams, attend games, etc. it's nearly impossible for me to attend in-person classes without missing that family time.
So would online courses drive you a bit in going back to school? It's got me thinking about it, and the more courses that are offered, the more I'm willing to get back to my education.