My e-Learning / Online Study Experience

Last year August 2010, I decided to register with an UK online learning center (NCC Home Learning: http://www.ncchomelearning.co.uk/About-Us) for a Diploma course in Psychology. The decision to select an online course was because the "traditional" course I was interested only have classes during weekend (Saturday and Sunday) which I cannot commit the time.

I completed the diploma course in just 9 months [officially received the notification from my professor Dr. Matthew Smith (http://drmatthewsmith.blogspot.com/on) on May 10, 2011]. This learning experience changed my mindset about e-learning and now I can see the positive contributions (and effectiveness) to an employee's training and development program.

Exhibit 1: Progress of My Online Study

Exhibit 2: Progress of my course by modules

Exhibit 3: Copy of my Diploma in Psychology

There are Pros and Cons in enrolling for a online course: -

Pros:

1. Compared to traditional classroom training - online study is much more economically. The online diploma cost me around SGD$770 conversion. A traditional classroom for a Diploma in Psychology in Singapore will probably cost me SGD$4000.
2. In an online study environment, how fast you finish your course - is solely depend on you.
3. You can study when and where you like - there is no fix time or classroom.
4. One-to-one "tuition" from your supervisor - interaction is only between your supervisor and you.
5. Indirect cost saving on transportation as you don't have travel to a location to study.

Cons: 

1. Isolation! You will not have any course-mate / classmate to discuss with you about your assignments or study material.
2. You are totally depend on the Internet facility provider as most of your learning material and resources is only available via the Internet. You will develop a new set of skills in using the internet search engineer to do your research online.