ONLINE COURSES AND ITS IMPACT Maybe you don't like sitting in a classroom. Maybe one doesn't have time in one's busy schedule to be in class at a scheduled time. Maybe the journey is too boring. Perhaps there is a feeling that traditional university courses take too long. Maybe one is a self-taught learner. Perhaps one cannot afford the expenses to continue one's studies. Online courses may be the best option for this individual. Online courses have made a rapid resurgence in recent times, making them one of the most talked about concepts in the education sector and are quickly becoming a mainstay of the education sector. Online education, also classified as distance learning, has been brought to a whole new level in the current times with the introduction of MOOCs (massive open online courses). These courses are accredited worldwide and are taught by renowned professors from prestigious universities, including Sanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University and many others. Such online courses serve a larger number of students and meet a wider range of needs than they might otherwise Online courses, or as some say distance learning, have become a major trend in today's academic world among the students. For some individuals the value far outweighs the negatives while for others the traditional classroom is a more enjoyable and desirable approach to education. We must be better prepared to face the challenge of working in this new environment and to deal with the new juncture it has to offer. Some positive impacts of online courses are.... Regardless of place and time. One of the main advantages of such online courses is that it allows students to participate in high quality ...... middle of paper ...... possibility of direct face-to-face interaction between the tutor and the student since the role of the teacher as facilitator and therefore the provision of an expert advisor for the student when help is needed is not always possible Feeling of isolation Feeling of isolation is a huge stressor. Such an event can also lead the student to a sense of inadequacy and insecurity and a lack of confidence in their abilities which many times have pushed students to abandon their studies. Demands on Students Online courses require precise time management and concentration skills, and less dependence on students than the conventional learning method. Quality Questioned Too often, online instructors do not take class work on the ground as seriously as possible, and this lack of commitment certainly has a profound and negative effect on the quality of online learning.