The fear is gone in the online classroom. Good thing, academic success literally depends on students' ability to speak up. They must participate in the discussion to pass the course. It creates a really powerful learning environment, extremely interactive. Up to 200 messages per day get exchanged in these small classes.
Students communicate through the written word.
But there is another benefit to the online experience. Yorba echoed her classmate. The diverse backgrounds of my classmates provided an even greater learning experience. It's designed for the adult with a full, fast-paced schedule and a high level of discipline. I'd get home, shed my work suit, have dinner with my family, mentally change gears and head to my computer to login for the day's classwork.