Time Management
According to a study published in the Journal of Information Technology Education, students perceive time management as a major disadvantage to controlling their own coursework. Some students reported that online courses require too much or more self motivation, organization and planning than coursework at a traditional university, particularly in required work for the course. In discussing the benefits and challenges of taking its courses online vs. traditional, the University of Connecticut warns students to plan their flexible time wisely when completing course assignments to avoid procrastination (www.uconn.edu).
Technology
Disadvantages of technology as it relates to online classes have much to do with students' preferred learning styles. Students do not interact face-to-face with each other or with instructors, but use web pages, e-mail, software programs such as Blackboard or WebCT, message boards, chat rooms, webinars, webcasts and social media. This in turn can lead to concerns about technical problems and the limitations of one kind of instructional delivery. A Harvard University study found that for all the promises of technology, bored students drop out (www.harvard.edu).
Student Engagement
Student engagement is another key factor when it comes to disadvantages of online classes. Researchers at Clemson University and Lander University, writing for The Journal of Educators Online, studied dropout rates in online courses and found that student engagement, particularly socially, was a key factor in retaining students in online courses. A study published in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration reported that students felt that not all course content or subjects translate well into an online environment, particularly those that may require feedback from the instructor in hands-on, real time learning.