Between day and night, three days or two days, and even regular and summer semesters, students have to pick through a lot of factors when they choose just one class, but the biggest choice facing many students now is whether to take a course in an actual classroom.

Many classes across several degrees offered by UNA are now available through the Angel online platform instead of the traditional in-class method, so many students are left wondering which one to choose when it comes to decision time.

“There are certain people online classes are not good for,” said Dr. Bill Huddleston, professor of communications who has taught online, in-class and hybrid classes. “There are also certain people online classes are good for: people who have to get the credit, people who have to work and can’t get to class at 9-10 a.m.”

One of the major advantages online classes offer is flexibility, which, according to B.J. Wilson, coordinator of distance learning for UNA, can allow a greater mixing and matching when students have to decide on classes.

“Many students find it very rewarding to have a combination of online and face-to-face classes,” Wilson said. “The key is finding the right mix of class styles for you.”

Along with online and in-class options comes a hybrid of options of classes, where professors still teach in class but have special material or lessons students have to complete available on an online platform-in UNA’s case, the Angel system.

“This is becoming one of the most popular forms of instruction,” said Wilson. “More and more face-to-face classes have some online element, even if they are not classified as hybrid. In any class at least the syllabus will be online, and sometimes PowerPoints, links or other notes.”

Though hybrid classes can be used well, some students feel that professors aren’t using the hybrid idea to its full potential, and may rely on it instead of teaching in the classroom.

“Most of the time when you have an online component, you have to do it yourself,” said Nic McIntyre, a second year student at UNA. “In class, the teacher goes over it with you. It’s just how I learn best.”

According to Huddleston, any class, whether it’s online, in-class or a hybrid, needs to form a teacher-student relationship, or it will not be a good experience for either one.

“One of the problems I have is that students pay a lot to come here,” Huddleston said of how difficult it is to make a good classroom experience online or in-class. “The professor has to work on a relationship with the student. The student needs to remember there’s someone in an office working on this, and the professor has to realize there is more than just words on the blackboard.”