Online Education
There are many benefits of online education and it is no surprise that they have become so popular with people looking to gain further qualifications. For example, online studies are not restricted by time zones or geographical boundaries, as a student can be located anywhere in the world and all they need is a computer and an Internet connection to realize the benefits of online education.
Because of the online delivery method of the courses, you have the ability to set your own study schedule and to study at the time that is most convenient for you. You are able to download all the essential study materials from the college website when you need these and then decide when you want to study.
The flexibility afforded by online degrees is one of the most important benefits although you do still need to commit to spending the required amount of study time to gain your qualification.
One of the further benefits of online education is the lower tuition cost to study for an online degree from one of the many reputable colleges that now provide a variety of courses and subjects online. As these colleges and business schools make more courses available the total education cost comes down, which is being passed on to students. This is particularly good news for those students who may need to work to finance their education.
There is also the convenience aspect to consider. You save time and travel expenses when you undertake study for an online degree. You can also continue at your day job and study in the evenings and weekends if this is more convenient for you, which can take away some of the pressure associated with full time studies.
Even though your degree is online it doesn’t mean that you are completely isolated from the teaching staff, as most of the online colleges have introduced a 24×7 student support centre, where you are able to chat online or by telephone with lecturers and professors to raise any questions that you may have and get these answered.
Online colleges also generally have a students’ forum where you can chat and interact with fellow students and build relationships with your online classmates. These forums also tend to be a great source of information as many questions are answered and helpful references are posted.
Some colleges have also introduced videos of lectures that can be requested by email and then accessed when you need to use them. Alternatively, some online courses now include a study weekend or conference where it is possible for students to meet up and build study support groups to help them through the courses.
Online colleges are continually improving their courses to attract new students to the benefits of online education and if you are willing to give the commitment required, these courses can provide you with an option to undertake your studies in a more flexible, convenient, and low-cost way.
With the current challenges facing traditional colleges and universities, which includes higher tuition, budget cuts, and course shortages, many students as well as those that love learning have switched to online educational programs. With nearly three million students currently enrolled in fully online degree programs and eight million taking at least one online course as part of their degree program, online education has clearly become one of the most popular higher education alternatives.
The continually improving reputation of online learning has also helped fuel its expansion, as initial skepticism has faltered in the face of evidence that shows that online learning can be just as effective as face-to-face education. I have taken several myself and the experience is quite unique as these programs are entirely convenient and flexible. They provide educational information that will build your business immediately. You will be surprised to know that some of these online courses are FREE! The emphasis however in taking free courses online is the personal knowledge obtained. The certificates received in some cases are however not from accredited educational institutes.
ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS VERSUS TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
All of this means that students, from working professionals to recent high school graduates, find many reasons to take all or some of their courses online. Below are some major advantages of online education:
- Variety of programs and courses: From traditional four-year universities to completely online career colleges, higher education today offers a variety of options for learners. This means that no matter what students wish to study, from cooking to rocket science, they can find online education they need. They can also earn every academic degree online, all the way from a career certificate to a doctorate,
- Lower total costs: Online educational programs can be a more affordable option than traditional colleges. Though not all online degrees have less expensive net tuition prices than traditional colleges, associated costs are almost always less expensive. There are no commuting costs, and there is also not any required course materials such as textbooks because every reading materials are made available for free online. In addition, many colleges and universities have begun to accept credits earned via free massive open online courses (MOOCs), the most recent advance in online education. Free online courses such as these can help students fulfill general education requirements at little to no cost.
- More comfortable learning environment: These days, commercials featuring online students studying in their pajamas are becoming popular in describing one of the primary benefits of online education. There are no physical class sessions. Lectures and reading materials are electronically sent to the student, who will then read them and complete assignments. Students will not have to fight traffic, find parking spaces, leave work early to go to class, or miss important family time.
- Convenience and flexibility: Online educational programs give students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day, instead of the other way around. Students can study and work when they are at their peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night. Course material is always accessible online and they are asynchronous, so there’s no need to schedule special trips to a library either. All of this makes online learning attractive.
- Avoid commuting: During bad weather, colleges may cancel classes. Also, a traffic situation like in Lagos where I reside may pose a serious problem for those attending traditional education. Rather than be late or miss important class sessions, students in online educational programs can always “attend” by participating on discussion boards or in chat sessions, turn in their work on time, and watch lectures or read materials. Many students also find that the amount they save on fuel costs can be substantial if they don’t have to commute to a physical campus in general, no matter what the weather conditions may be.
- Improve your technical skills: Even the most basic online educational programs requires the development of new computer skills, as students learn to navigate different learning management systems (LMS) and programs. The skills students learn to participate in their online courses translate to many professions, including creating and sharing documents, incorporating audio/video materials into your assignments, completing online training sessions, etc. All this form part of their learning too.
All these benefits highlighted above are clear reasons for the astronomical growth of e-learning. There are several e-learning institutes today offering certifications and degrees in modern topics. In Kolkata, Abnico Academy provides different online courses at a very reasonable price. Such as python programming course, data analysis using python, spoken english classes online.
It is a great opportunity for every educational institute that Moz Web Development welcomes all educational institutes to create websites so that they can provide online education services even in this pandemic situation.
