Are online courses equivalent to a traditional on-campus school? In many instances it is.
There is evidence to suggest that online education offers major advantages over the traditional classroom. Some of them might surprise you.
There’s no geographical limit to you
Massive technological advances have made college education easier than ever. With computers or Internet access, the entire world of learning is yours to access provided your computer has Internet access, regardless of the location you reside in.
This isn’t a huge stretch considering that over the last few years, prestigious universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford offer complete, non-credit courses for learning online at no cost through MOOCs (which means massive open online classes). MOOCs usually feature the same instructors as well as the same materials for study that you would receive if going to the school in person.
It was likely that schools would eventually want to make money from the content they offered online. The year 2013 saw Georgia Tech become the first school to establish a MOOC-based degree program. It was followed by the University of Illinois followed suit two years after. Nowadays more than 30 brick and mortar schools offer MOOC-based degree programs by partnering with tech-based companies such as Coursera, edX, and Udacity.
However, MOOCs are just the tip of the iceberg for online learning. Traditional and digital institutions are also experimenting with more intimate online learning opportunities, with smaller class sizes and personal interactions between professors and students. Online degrees are plentiful and if you are unable to find what you’re looking for at your university of choice you can likely get it from a different institution.
If you’re trying to complete your education to secure a job at 9-to-5 or learn about the stars with most astronomers in the world There’s a good chance you’ll find the information you’re looking for on the internet.
Learning on the internet could be more enjoyable than learning in a classroom
The latest article from Forbes gives a glimpse into the current state of learning online. Researchers are now looking into the effectiveness of online learning in comparison to traditional classroom learning. So so far, the findings have been encouraging.
A study conducted by California State University in San Bernadino discovered that two distinct groups of students–one who took classes online and another who attended class–who were taught by the same teacher performed equally well in terms the performance. The study also revealed that students who studied online were less hesitant to participate and they had a better quality of interaction between the students and the instructor.
Additionally to that, the Forbes article suggests that online classes are more likely to teach information in engaging multimedia formats, which could be more suitable for the current students.
The conclusion: Educators have known for a long time that learners process knowledge in different ways yet the methods of education have had a hard time changing. If your eyes are glazed over when you’re in a lecture hall You may discover that you’re more comfortable with methods of learning online.
Feedback is more rapid and frequent
Online learners could indeed have more interaction with their teachers than those in the classroom.
Students who study online are usually required to take more frequent tests to ensure that instructors can assess their performance. This means that learning gaps are identified and dealt with quicker, instead of the student who is struggling to fall through the cracks until the time for an exam.
Don’t forget, this isn’t only about GPAs. When you’re paying thousands of dollars for education, you shouldn’t be able to be a fugitive in the back of the class. You must ensure that you know the subject matter so that you can use it in the future.
College online can be the cheapest method of obtaining your bachelor’s degree or master’s degree
What is the most significant difference between traditional and online schools? The campus. If you’re enrolled in a traditional college, you’re likely to shell out several thousands of dollars per year for accommodation and food, and also on transportation.
The online college eliminates all these costs from the equation which gives you five-figure savings for your education. Score!
It is possible to incur smaller student loans
Alongside not having to pay for accommodation and travel, online studies can cut down your expenses in a different, important way.
The majority of online courses are built around the notion of students being employed and could be working for a full-time period. Being able to work while attending school can mean you need to carry lesser loans for student debt.
A smaller student loan means that you’ll pay less student interest on loans. When you consider that many students take between 20 and 20 years to repay their student loan obligations decreasing your debt load is among the most crucial ways you can take. My future self is grateful to you.
You are in control of your timetable
The absence of students and scheduling conflicts are eliminated from the equation of online learning. Although some programs might require participation in online classes at specific times, these lectures are usually saved for future reference.
Since it is more flexible than traditional classroom learning students can learn the subject at their speed. Students who require more time to understand a concept can learn time to grasp it. Anyone who wants to get faster work done may choose to achieve this.
Flexible scheduling is also an important benefit for students working full-time, or who have childcare obligations that could disrupt regular school attendance. Think about it this way: a single mom whose babysitter canceled at the last second is in a bind with traditional education. Through the online learning option, she can continue to attend classes and be assured her child’s looked after.
The online classroom is a good way to prepare for the changing workforce
Making yourself familiar with technology is a great advantage of online education.
As technology improves, workers are increasingly dispersed. It doesn’t matter if you’re working alongside individuals across the state or the globe, becoming proficient with technologies for video conferencing communicating, aggregating data, and working together is a skill is likely to be an application for.
Online learning is gaining an excellent reputation
Academics have been aware of the value of online education for quite a while. A study conducted in 2012 by Babson/College Board showed that 77 percent of academic administrators believed that online education options were as good or better than traditional classroom-based learning programs.
Employers are also sensing that message. A recent report in U.S. News & World Report suggests that hiring managers are recognizing the value of online degrees as they are from accredited institutions.
Our prediction for how online colleges will evolve shortly. colleges
Online colleges are expected to continue to grow in popularity as the costs become lower (thanks to the advancement of technologies), as well as the standard of instruction, continues to grow and improve. The next decade will see online learning will be more commonplace and less of an exception.
