I know what you may be thinking... online classes... there's no way that anyone learns anything from taking a class online... Well, I can tell you that online classes can be a wonderful experience! While there are obvious negatives to taking a course online (such as not being able to see your teacher or classmates face to face), there are so many positives that can come out of it! As a matter of fact, some of the online classes I have taken during my time here have been some of my favorite where I really feel like I learned a lot and developed strong ties to my classmates.
Because of the growing popularity of Systems Engineering and the prestige that Stevens holds in that field, Stevens offers classes both online and in person in order to accomodate the wide array of individuals who are interested in this topic (as well as many other topics - check out http://webcampus.stevens.edu/ for more information). Since Systems Engineering and these other fields are so popular, Stevens always offers an array of courses to choose from.
As a result, I was fortunate enough to be able to take both online and in-person classes towards my Master's degree. I do not think I would have been able to finish the degree if I had to take all of the classes on campus.
One of the most obvious advantages to online courses is the flexible structure. Since there may not be devoted "class time" for 3 hours each week, it gives students the ability to read and complete the material at their own pace. I've taken online courses over the summers when I also had internships, so the ability to do the work on my own time was crucial (time management played a big role in accomplishing that as well!).
Another advantage was learning how to be in teams to complete a task without meeting in person. This is a challenge that happens frequently in the workforce but is not really an issue undergraduates have to deal with since most students live on campus or commute from a short distance away.
Lastly and most importantly, working with the diverse group of individuals in these classes afforded me an opportunity to expand my horizons after hearing what they had to say. It is true that the undergraduate Stevens population is extremely diverse, but taking classes online let me be in classes with distinguished professionals currently in the field I am interested in (which is not common in my undergraduate classes). In our online class discussions, I was able to hear from a broad range of people in different phases of their lives, careers, education, and backgrounds. It was great to be able to learn from each other, because it truly did enhance the learning experience for both parties.
In one my favorite online classes I've taken, the class was split into groups in order to complete a final team project. Something that stuck with me is a quote that one of the members of the group always said. He noted that the following is his philosophy at work and in class: "cooperate & graduate ... we can do more together than we can do individually".
