I'm fairly introverted. I was not a stellar performer in high school because that model of learning never really worked for me. I was very quiet, liked to sit in the back of the room, and didn't like to engage in class discussions unless I was forced to. I thrived in the online/DL model of learning.
I'm an introvert, but I'm not shy. I prefer DL because I prefer asynchronous communication and don't care for lectures, but I never had a problem with participating in class discussions unless I just wasn't interested in the topic being discussed.
I think this is a good distinction to make. Shyness is about fear/anxiety. Introversion is simply a preference.
I like dl for its flexibility and the ability to work and study at the same time. If the degree takes 3 years, I will also have 3 years experience under my belt.
Indeed. I see more and more references from self-identified introverts as though they were some sort of culturally special protected class or something, which is pretty silly.
I read a good explanation once that said introverts "recharge" through alone time while extroverts "recharge" by spending time with others- I think that's an interesting way to think about it. For sure under that definition, I'm an introvert. I'm not uncomfortable around people, have very good customer service skills, and have done public speaking in one form or another my whole adult life....but I recharge by having peace and quiet by myself! There's only so much "people" time I can handle.
Not especially. I've run into both introverts and extroverts in online classes. The extroverts simply write posts that attract more attention, while the introverts just get the job done. Certainly, introverts have no problem avoiding unwanted attention in regular classrooms. I suppose that someone might ACT more extroverted in an online environment. We see that often enough in online forums where someone writes an opinionated blog post when they might be too shy to say the same thing in person.
Introversion can be considered from multiple perspectives. For example, most people casually use it like "shyness." But introversion can also relate to how we get our energy and how we process information. In those cases, introverts take time away from the action to consider things before moving on, while extroverts tend to contemplate in the moment and then act. Most of DL is asynchronous, which seems to fit this definition of introversion quite well.
The problem with using shy and introvert interchangeably is that that there are shy extroverts. They like spending time with people, but they are uncomfortable in new situations, with meeting new people, and public speaking. One of my professors told our class, at least in the social sciences, that most professors are introverts. Obviously, they have no problem with public speaking. On the other hand, it's not hard to find an extrovert who struggles with speaking or performing publicly, is afraid of participating in class discussions because of lack of confidence, or is afraid of expressing a strong opinion.
And then there's the fact that all these characteristics exist on a continuum so that you might be shy or you might be reallyreally shy. At some point you cross a line into the realm of Social Phobia and at that point I guess the conversation changes a bit because you're talking about a diagnosable psycho-pathology, or something like that.
It's possible the extroverts you are seeing in an online forum are actually introverts who finally feel comfortable. For example, in certain environments, like the comfort of my corporate world or an online forum, I am an extrovert. In every other aspect of my life, I am an introvert. I recently took a personality profile through a corporate service we are testing for new employees. I tested in the 1st percentile on the introvert/extrovert scale, meaning I am a complete introvert. However, those who know me in the areas of my life where I am comfortable (work and online), they would have placed me on the opposite end of the scale. That's not to suggest that all introverts will "come alive" or thrive in an online DL environment, but it certainly affords many of them a better chance.
Here's an article on how introversion can lead some teachers to burnout. Teacher Burnout Is More Likely Among Introverts - The Atlantic
