My Online PhD Experience (and What I Have Learned)
As a full-time doctoral student in the PhD in Curriculum and Instruction program, my entire PhD has been online other than one statistics class I took in a different department.
If you’re new to online learning, here’s my big takeaway: online classes can work extremely well, but they require more intention. You have to be more deliberate about pacing, structure, and connection because the format won’t automatically provide them the way an in-person class does.
Format Options in Online Learning
These online classes are traditionally offered in one of three formats:
Asynchronous: 100% online with no scheduled meeting times with the instructor. I say instructor because I’ve frequently had asynchronous classes where I still had to meet with a cohort from the class for group chats to discuss weekly readings.. I enjoyed these, although it was sometimes a struggle when a classmate was located in other time zones.
Synchronous: For me, these classes met one day a week for three hours. Depending on the instructor, it was a whole-class experience during that time, or split into breakout rooms in Zoom. These classes allowed me to make connections and develop friendships with some cohorts.
Hybrid: These classes, meet in-person some weeks, online via Zoom some weeks, and work is asynchronous other weeks. I’ve never had a class like this as a student, but I’m a teaching assistant for one, and it’s probably my favorite since it provides a little bit of all three formats.
Why the online format was my best choice
The online PhD was my best choice because of convenience. I’m married with two kids who both went to separate private schools in far-flung directions. With my wife working, the flexibility of online classes not only enabled me to help get my kids to and from school, it also allowed me to be present for them
Additionally, if the instructor opens up the lessons with all the assignment directions available, I’ve worked ahead and saved drafts of my work that I could update before submission with newer understanding and ideas. By working “ahead” like this, I’ve maintained my workload despite having to navigate the loss of three parents during these years, as well as my oldest daughter’s hospitalizations for several nights at a time.
Three tips for new online learners
- Try out all the formats. Mixing it up will keep it more engaging.
- Build in “connection” on purpose. Take advantage of optional Zoom sessions, study groups, or chances to meet with classmates. You can also create your own small routine: meet one person you check in with each week, or a quick recurring message thread to compare notes before a deadline.
- Treat online classes like a schedule problem, not a motivation problem. I’ve had the most success when I blocked out consistent time each week. Online courses are convenient, but that also makes them easy to postpone. A recurring routine—same days, same times—keeps you on track.
Online learning is not inherently better or worse than in-person learning, it’s just different. For me, the flexibility has been the difference between being able to do a doctoral program and not being able to do it at all.
I still miss the energy of a real classroom and the natural relationships that form when you’re in the same space every week. But I’ve learned that online learning can work extremely well when you’re intentional about structure, pacing, and connection.