Online is Just Fine!

Writing gives you time to think about what you want to say before you put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard). And even once it is written you can take it back. In speech, if you say something you did not want to or that was not the best sentence you ever constructed, you cannot just go back and erase it. You will probably still come off as sounding nervous or inarticulate if you try. In traditional classroom settings it is difficult for some people to put their best foot forward. Not only do you have to be in the height of fashion but you better have showered and you better smile at people and you better be ready to speak in front of tons of people if you are called on. Online classes can provide respite from the judging eyes and put people more at ease with expressing themselves, making earning an education and really being yourself much easier.

Humans are so quick to judge if they find some flaw in your appearance or behavior. As Goffman says in his essay 'The Presentation of Self', "...observers can glean clues from his conduct and appearance which allows them to apply their previous experience with individuals roughly similar to the one before them or, more important, to apply untested stereotypes to him" (Goffman 42). Even though you may have just stumbled over a few words when the professor asked you to introduce yourself, you have already made your first impression. And you are undoubtedly being judged. People tend to pick each other apart based on how they look, speak, smell, move, and interact. But these aspects are often not even the true representation of an individual. Nerves, a bad day, a broken shower, money, a medical issue and so much more can all affect the way a person appears to others. So many factors, and yet most people never even think of these. They just assume the person is a slob because they are wearing sweats, stuck up because they do not strike up a conversation, or not as good as themselves because they are not wearing the latest designer shoes. None of these actually reflects on the person’s character, values, beliefs, or ability to be a friend. These judgments that people make can greatly affect how those being judged interact in the class. They become too embarrassed, shy, afraid etc. to participate in class. In online classes many of these factors are eliminated, creating an environment that is often more conducive to learning and expressing one’s true thoughts and feelings.

While it is true that the information one shares in an online class is completely dependent on how much one would like to reveal, most people will be themselves and perhaps even more open than they would in a traditional classroom setting. James Gustafson, a professor at Northern Essex Community College, says this about communication in online courses: "Another advantage lies in discussion quality. In face-to-face classes, no matter how hard I try, there are a few students, quick of mind and articulate, who tend to dominate the limited discussion time. Online a student can think for a day if need be before chiming in - and they can enrich their input by looking at some sources and checking their facts. Even the shy can shine” (Buote 9). Those who are shy may "clam up" when they have to speak in front of groups. Being in an online class allows them to put in their two cents and also show their personality without worrying about stammering, blushing, or the impression they are making. Also, they do not have to see the physical reactions from the class, which only add discomfort. Many who are self-conscious are held back by fear at some point. Facial expressions and body language have the ability to make and break relationships. For those who are less outgoing, sometimes their lack of words may come off as snobbish or rude. While many people believe that an online class affects students’ social interaction, “Others argue that students may actually interact more online, when perhaps they're less inhibited. There's so many exciting things going on in online teaching that aren't really even possible in a face-to-face class” (Vander Velde 1B). In an online class, where you do not have dozens of eyes staring at you while you speak or judging what you are wearing, you feel more free to express yourself. Sometimes not seeing people's expressions can actually lead to better communication!

Some may worry that online courses do not provide the same level of quality that traditional courses do. But actually more data is proving that online courses are just as effective, if not more so, than face-to-face classes. “Today, thanks to the advances in technology and the stability of applications, online learning is far more interactive. To achieve the flexibility and accessibility so desired by students, most courses are provided in an asynchronous manner, allowing people to log on when they can. There are real-time instructors leading workshops/seminars/lectures as well, but interactivity is largely the result of the built-in functionality of discussion boards” (Bitti). Taking a class online makes some people think that people will miss out on interaction with classmates, which can be a valuable learning tool, but that is just not the case. Online classes have so many other benefits as well. “Learning materials can be delivered and made available quickly, easily, and at low cost. Dependence on lectures can be reduced, opening the possibility of increased collaboration among students and greater engagement with concepts and ideas. Students do more reading and writing in the online classroom than in many traditional classroom settings. Class sizes are usually small” (Crossley). Education online has begun to top traditional classes with its’ many benefits.

Humans use different parts of their brain to speak and to write. Obviously some people are better at one than another and sometimes feel more comfortable in a certain medium. An online class can help the inarticulate speaker to express themselves solely through the written word. Of course this leaves out expressions and gestures which are vital to communication... But it depends on the context of the communication. If one is having a conversation with a friend and they are animated and using facial expressions both will know the other is genuinely listening to them and enjoying the conversation too. But sometimes people are able to mask their true feelings verbally and through expressions and gestures and this can lead to false impressions. So are the expressions that we give (as in the impressions we want to portray) and the expressions that we give off (the body signals we cannot help but exude) really that different in online vs. traditional classroom settings? In other words, can an online class mask who we are anymore than we already do in face-to-face situations?

Goffman makes the point that people can shape how others perceive them. In an online class it is completely possible that someone could create a different identity than their own. If an individual wants to be seen in a different light or perhaps the truer version of themselves than they are in traditional classes, then they are able to. But the fact is that "Society is organized on the principle that any individual who possesses certain social characteristics has a moral right to expect that others value and treat him in an appropriate way. Connected with this principle is a second, namely that an individual who implicitly or explicitly signifies that he has certain social characteristics ought in fact to be what he claims he is" (Goffman 48). Therefore, individuals will generally represent their true selves when they are in an online class and people will expect that that individual is giving a true representation of themselves. Online classes have been given a bad rep for not being as good as traditional classes due to less interaction and unequal education but this is just not true. Online classes have come far in allowing students to earn a great education while still allowing them to express themselves freely. These courses allow instructors and fellow students to judge (or grade) a student on the merit of their work alone, rather than their appearance and manners.