Switching from Coursera to a local community college class showed me a big difference in learning style

I spent 6 months doing a data analytics certificate online, but I struggled to actually remember the material. Then I took an in-person SQL class at our local tech center for $200, and the hands-on practice with an instructor made it click in just 8 weeks. Has anyone else found that structured classes with real-time feedback work better than self-paced online courses?

2 comments

2 Comments

veramiller3d agoRising Star

Funny you mention this because I've noticed the same thing with pretty much everything people try to learn on their own these days. YouTube tutorials and online guides are great for a quick fix but they don't stick the same way as someone standing there explaining why your code is broken. Real time feedback is kind of like having a coach for your brain, it catches bad habits before they set in. Self paced stuff lets you put off the hard parts until later and then you just forget them. The cost difference makes it seem like a no brainer when you factor in actually finishing the course.

michael_bennett113d ago

Yeah @veramiller nailed it, self-paced stuff is just too good at letting you procrastinate on the hard parts. I spent three months on a Python course and only actually finished the first two modules because there was no one to hold my feet to the fire. Real time feedback from a live instructor is basically cheat codes for actually learning something.