Online courses have been a growing phenomenon in the last decade, offering students the opportunity to study at their own pace, completing coursework and taking tests at times that are more convenient for them. Self-paced learning promotes the idea that students can progress through material at their own speed and return to it as often as they need to.

Benefits: A self-paced learning environment can benefit students by allowing faster learners to move forward while slower learners stay with a concept until they have mastered it. Those who pace themselves when they learn retain what they have learned better than those who try to cram everything in at once.