The technology involved in distance learning may pose a variety of technical issues. This could involve the student's connection going down at a crucial moment in a timed online test, or the school server that hosts the content going down, making the course material unavailable. Additionally, students must come into the experience with a high level of confidence using computers and the Internet. Trying to learn these skills while also learning class curriculum results in an overwhelming experience.
Online students typically start with the same costs as traditional campus-based students, including tuition for classes and textbooks. In addition to those standard fees, distance learning also requires an added potential cost in computer software or hardware. For example, taking an online class in public speaking means the student must spend money on a webcam, or similar device that allows uploading a digital video of the speech to the instructor.
The social atmosphere on campus is a big boost for some students, and that aspect is missing in web-based education. Students lack the opportunity to sit with their peers and have face-to-face interactions with the instructor. Although Internet classes typically offer students the opportunity to talk with each other in a virtual forum, the communication still differs considerably from direct contact. This diminished social experience may cost students the chance to forge lifelong friendships and future professional connections.
Students who struggle with time management may actually find the added flexibility of online courses more difficult to deal with than if they had a set-in-stone schedule to abide by. Additionally, the course material features assignments that are largely self-directed, so those who have trouble staying motivated outside of a classroom environment may fall victim to more leisurely activities.