Online Learning Facts

Get the facts about online education

Online college degrees have come a long way since the early days of the digital era. But that doesn’t mean all online degree programs are equal. As an accredited, nonprofit university specializing in convenient and flexible online degrees for busy working adults, Franklin knows what it takes to offer a high-quality online academic program that employers respect. Keep reading to find out the truth about online degrees.

Benefits of Online Education

Why online classes are more than convenient

Taking classes in your jammies or logging on when the house is quiet and you can concentrate is, without a doubt, convenient. But the benefits of an online college education far exceed the so-called “comfort factor.”

Depending on your personal learning style, you may learn better via a virtual classroom. Learning this way takes a certain fortitude and self-discipline so you’ll also grow a little, both personally and professionally. And, at Franklin, we make everything -- including our online classes -- highly interactive and engaging so you may find you have to come out of that proverbial comfort zone and stretch your communication and technical skills a bit.

The truth is, taking online classes at Franklin is work -- hard work -- just like in a traditional classroom environment. And because our online classes and degree programs are designed with input from industry-leading professionals you’ll be highly engaged with plenty of interactive, hands-on assignments, as well as traditional learning concepts and application to real-world situations.

While you may be alone at your home laptop or office computer for your classes, at Franklin, you’re never truly alone. With our online curriculum, you have 24/7 access to your classes and grades, as well as our library, bookstore, and student services through the unique online learning portal, my.franklin.edu.

Here are just a few other benefits of an online education courtesy of Franklin’s Back to College blog:

  1. You can attend online classes anytime, anywhere you have Web access.
  2. You can access course materials 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  3. You can learn from instructors across the country and around the world, broadening your perspective.
  4. You'll enhance your ability to communicate effectively through the latest technology.
  5. You'll network with classmates from a wide range of backgrounds and locations.
  6. You can access instructors immediately through chat, discussion thread, or email, without having to wait for office hours.
  7. You'll have access to a broad spectrum of relevant content through your online course Web site.
  8. You could earn higher grades because you can learn at your own pace.
  9. You'll learn innovative strategies for virtual teamwork by using electronic communication to interact with a group. Employers highly value this skill.
  10. You'll benefit from a flexible schedule, which is extremely helpful if you're balancing your education with work and family life.

Myths of Online Education

Learn the truth about online learning

As the digital world continues to expand, more and more colleges and universities like Franklin are offering well-respected online degrees. As one of the first to offer a quality online education, we’ve made it our mission to ensure that our online classes and degree programs are equal in educational value to our traditional classes.

Of course, we let you choose how you want to learn: online, onsite or through a combined learning experience. 

You should know, however, that our online associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs align with the rigorous requirements to maintain our position as an accredited university. In fact, we pride ourselves on offering unique, hands-on practicums to our online adult learners to better prepare them for the demands of a real-world career.

Here we examine (and bust) the myths surrounding online college educations:

The Myth: Online degrees are not respected.
The Truth: Employers appreciate the flexibility that online learning offers busy employees. They also respect the fact that Franklin’s online learning format includes the same curriculum, skills and outcomes as our onsite classes.

The Myth: Online learning is less rigorous.
The Truth: Hardly. While Franklin’s online classes are tailored to meet busy schedules, you may find you have to increase your time-management skills to ensure completion of your coursework. 

The Myth: Online promotes “cheating.”
The Truth: Studies show that when it comes to shortchanging things, there’s no difference between online  or onsite learning. And, at Franklin, we have built-in accountability to help hold our students to a higher standard, which increases the quality and reputation of your Franklin degree.

The Myth: Learning online is isolating and lonely.
The Truth: Fat chance. With Franklin’s online learning resources, including discussion boards, chats and video conferencing, you may experience even more peer-to-peer and student-to-faculty sharing opportunities than in the classroom.

The Myth: The instructors are inferior.
The Truth: With Franklin's online classes, you learn from the same industry-expert faculty that teach our onsite classes. While you won't necessarily see them in real time, you will interact with them through online discussions, emails, chat and lecture sessions.

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