CREDIT: RHL.ORG
Students with strong independent study skills may find they prefer to attend class online over in person.

Typically you get home from class, grab your laptop and sit in front of your TV. You may check Facebook, Twitter, some emails, and look up some YouTube videos. The Internet has become such an integrated part of our lives. According to Internet marketing company comScore, Canadians spent an average of 45 hours on the Internet from October to December in 2011 — that's about two hours every day!

We're all familiar with using our laptops to make notes and write essays, but what about having an entire class online? Fanshawe offers over 330 online classes in almost every department. Online classes aren't anything new, but what's the experience like? How can you be successful if you choose to delve into this new virtual world of independent study?

Katya Shabanova recently graduated with a Bachelor's Degree of Management and Organizations from Western University; she took an anthropology class online that she originally thought was going to be an easy mark. "It was hard to organize my time properly; I always left things to the last minute. I learned my lesson by my midterm when I didn't do so well."

"Time management and self-discipline are key," said Michelle White, a Human Resources professor at Fanshawe, "Every online class has a checklist of things and due dates beside it: that's your bible. If you print that off and highlight things when you finish them, you will stay on track."

White warned that you need to be very aware of what's going on in the class at all times. "More people underestimate the amount of time you have to put into an online course. You have to be a great time manager, you really do, because deadlines will come and go and there's no teacher telling you, 'Oh, this is coming up.'"

Everyone handles school differently, so it's important to really think about whether an online class is the right fit for you. White stressed the importance of being independent; "You have to want to go through the material on your own, some people learn better in groups or get better ideas when other folks are talking about things."

The biggest difference between a regular class and an online one is that you don't have to be at school for any length of time or on a set date. "There are advantages, for sure," White said, "Especially if you're working, there's the flexibility of schedule, you don't have to be in a brick and mortar building."

Online classes may also be a good idea for those who don't like a classroom environment. Many college classes have a similar dynamic to high school — very close, in-person interactions with teachers and other students. "Some people find that they really like to go through material on their own. They maybe feel shy to ask questions in the classroom, but feel more comfortable emailing or going on a discussion board because they don't feel like they are being put on the spot," White pointed out.

Shabanova said she felt comfortable with the format of her online class. "We had an online board and for each chapter we had to post an analysis. The teacher also led online discussions by posting questions for us to think about before each reading. This helped me stay on track a bit."

So if you love to read, study on your own and have no doubt that organization and time management are your strengths, an online course may be what you're looking for — and hey, you won't have to get up at 8 a.m. for class!