We added Reviews to our site last month!!!! It has been great to hear from everyone. Our company has been involved with online schools for years, but never have we been understood so much about the student experience as we do now that we are able to hear from all of you.

So, what have we learned from all these reviews? A lot. We asked you to comment on your experience with learning technologies, professors, the other students, and the administration. The general response has resulted in two main reactions.

First, most students thoroughly enjoyed learning, using new technologies, and interacting with other students and professors. However, the second common response was that the administrators of online colleges and universities were sometimes hard to reach and communicate with.

Online student reviews often included references to flexibility, Kim from Niagara Falls, NY wrote, “They offer a wide variety of classes that can be completed around your schedule – however chaotic it may be.” Other students focused more on the positive atmosphere of online learning as Jenn from Taos, NM, did when she explained “I used the internet a lot, to write papers and do research, as well as to watch professor lectures on occasion, and email and instant messaging to chat with a professor and with classmates when there was a group assignment.” Though there have been few negative responses to the online learning coursework or interface, some reviews had unenthusiastic comments about the administration, one student complained that her career counselor wasn’t quick to help her with her course selection and another reviewer had trouble asking questions about their financial aid.

Considered more thoroughly both of these compliments and complaints re-affirm the one stipulation that most experienced online students, professors and schools continually preach, which is, in order to be a successful online student, you must be an independent learner. This sentiment was echoed by Zane in his review that stated “A certain type of learner will have success in an online environment. They need to be self-reliant, self-motivated and prepared to meet the inevitable frustration of technology mishaps.” If you are the type of student frequently seeking advice or consultation with an administrator online learning might not be the right choice.

The reviews have been great and we look forward to interacting with our users more and more. The more we can learn about your experiences in online learning and choosing an online school the more we can provide the resources that other prospective students need. Overall the experience has been a great one and we can’t wait to get more reviews and hear more about the online learning experience first hand.

Tags: Learning Technologies, Non-Traditional Students, Online Education