Online classes

Are online classes a good thing to take or are they just an easier way to slack?
I just mentioned online classes in my last blog and it kind of got me to think about it. Do I take so many online classes because they are actually benefical to me or are they just easier?
I think that online classes are a good thing to take because there isn't a teacher standing over your shoulder telling you to 'use your time wisely so you can get it done in class'. In an online class no one cares if you are turning your stuff in on a daily basis. Last trimester one of the classes I took online was sociology and I did my work on a weekly basis. I did a chapter a week and finished ahead of time. But there were other people taking different classes that struggled to keep up with their class or simply didn't do anything in their class until they last few weeks of the trimester. Could this be a sign as to who will succeed in college or is it just that the classes you take online are easier than most other classes.
I think that online classes can be easier or harder depending on what kind of class you are taking. For example: like I mentioned last tri I took sociology. It wasn't a hard course and I only took it because it was the only thing that my counselor would let me take. I wanted to take AP psychology but he said that it wasn't a good idea. So whatever I took sociology and found out that I really enjoy that subject even though it wasn't a very hard class. This tri I'm taking British Literature and it's about as hard as a normal lit. class would be. But is that because it's actually a harder class or is it because there is reading that you have to get done for it as well as the work that you have to do for the rest of the classes you are taking. See with sociology everything I did I could do during the class period that I had that class and still keep up with the class and even manage to get ahead.
This leads me to believe that it is quite possible that the British Lit. course itself isn't actually harder it is just due to the fact that I have to read outside of my class period to stay caught up.