Online education is continuing to grow, but could it all be in vain? A new study has found that online classes are clearly unsuccessful at community colleges.

Researchers at the University of California found that students are 11 percent less likely to pass an online class versus the traditional face-to-face version. The findings were presented on April 18 at the American Educational Research Association’s annual conference in Chicago.

Cassandra Hart, one of the researchers, says, “There’s a strong body of evidence building up that students are not doing quite as well in online courses, at least as the courses are being designed now in the community college sector.”

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It can be difficult to tell if your school has accreditation, but it’s an important thing to know. Accreditation provides verification that the school meets recognized educational standards. Without accreditation, you most likely will not be able to transfer any credits or get reimbursement from an employer.

Online, it’s easy to be misled into thinking a school is accredited when it’s not. Many schools will claim they are legitimately accredited when they are not. You should always check if the accreditation is recognized by the council or the U.S. Department of Education.

If you do not check your school’s accreditation, you could run the risk of not getting hired after graduating.

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When you’re taking an online class, you have the flexibility to work anywhere, anytime. But that flexibility can sometimes be a curse. You need to be sure you’re staying motivated and on top of everything you need to do.

To do this, start by making a plan. If you plot out how you’re going to accomplish everything, you’ll be more likely to stick with it and not be too overwhelmed.

Also, make it a daily activity. Don’t save all your work for one day. Stay connected and spread it out, so that you can always finish on time.

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There are a number of benefits to learning online. Courses in an online degree program can be cheaper, you have more flexibility with your time, and you can learn from anywhere. But before enrolling, you should consider certain factors.

What are your goals? You should make sure that they can be accomplished through online education. Also, be sure the program is reputable and will get you the appropriate accreditation.

Make sure you research the problem and learn how tuition is handled. You don’t want any surprises!

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