I concur. I'm currently taking online classes for seminary. The professor has a 10-15 mn lecture uploaded but we are responsible for readings. We are tested every week.
A paper is required. Weekly posts are required.
It does take more time than the typical in person class where the professor lectures for an hour.
The tradeoffs though are:
I can take the exams pretty much when I want to within a certain window.
I can listen to the lecture as many times as I want to.
I can post when I want to.
Online classes do require more discipline than in person classes.
“Online classes do require more discipline than in person classes.”
This may be the crux of the matter.
Purely anecdotal but the average college student seems pretty lazy and out of touch with reality.
Poor babies didn’t think college was supposed to be so hard!
Then mom and dad looking over their shoulders and seeing what is actually being taught might be a factor too.