1. Time commitment differences. Although most secondary schools won’t broadcast this to students, online classes save more time than hybrid classes. Online classes are done on your time as long as you meet deadlines. Hybrid classes require meetings at scheduled times, and a commute to get there.
2. Instructor attention variances. With hybrid courses, students can meet with their professor face to face. Online forces students to rely on email or phone interactions for attention.
3. Learning style differences. If you’re a student that zones out in class and can teach themselves, online courses are a good option. But if you’re a student who needs to be taught and presented material to, at least some of the time, hybrid classes are better.
4. Assignment differences. Often, online assignments are based on web-ready articles and sources. Hybrid classes more often require a standard textbook.
5. Credit variances. Often, higher credit courses (four and five credits) are not offered in an online format but can be in a hybrid format.
6. Effects on socialization. Students that take full online courses could miss out on valuable interactions and social skill building. Students in hybrid classes may learn more life skills.
7. Discipline training. Full online students must learn self-discipline in order to succeed. Hybrid students still have the guidance of an instructor to help with most of that.
8. Learning performance. Online students are urged to learn more through other resources and those that do can get a more robust educational experience than hybrid students gain in the classroom.
9. Attention span. Hybrid students may pay more attention when working alone than in classroom situations with others. Online students often are in a position to pay more attention overall, as they are accountable to themselves.
10. Cost differences. Often, the hybrid student spends more money on transportation and classroom materials than the full time online student.
