By: Angela Blanchard

  3/9/2006
Lesley Frohlich is planning to graduate in June with a 2 year degree in business management. But she has never been required to set foot in class. A majority of colleges and universities are now offering online courses. One study shows at least 2.3 million people took an online course in 2004. Online learning was originally designed for students living far from campus. Now, that`s not always the case. Frohlich lives just fifteen minutes from school, but taking online courses allows her to fit class time into her daily schedule. “I can my homework at eight in the morning or two in the morning,” she says. “It`s flexible. It fits wherever I want it to.”

  Lesley is able to work full time and still be around for her husband and daughter. However, online learning is not as easy as it may sound. Aakers College instructor Carl Young says it can be even more challenging than a traditional class. “The student has to speak for themselves in an on-line world,” he says. “They can`t hide in a group of 20 people.” Students “speak for themselves” by posting messages and assignments online. It`s up to the student to sign into the class website, check the syllabus, turn in homework and take exams. So they need to be self-motivated to stay on track. “if you`re hobby is procrastination, then online learning isn`t a good thing for you,” Young says. Lesley Frohlich has only one complaint about her college experience. “Aakers College doesn`t offer bachelors degrees, that`s the only bad thing,” she says. She plans to take some time off after graduation, before going back to earn a four-year degree from the comfort of her own home.