WOULD YOU CONSIDER AN ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM?
Given the current challenges traditional colleges and universities are facing, including higher tuition fees, budget cuts, and study bottlenecks, many students and learning enthusiasts have made the move to online educational programs. With nearly three million students currently enrolled in fully online courses and eight million taking at least one online course as part of their degree, online education has clearly become one of the most popular university alternatives.
The ever-improving reputation of online learning has also contributed to its expansion, as initial skepticism has faltered over the evidence that online learning can be as effective as face-to-face teaching can be. I’ve taken several myself and the experience is quite unique in that these programs are completely convenient and flexible. They provide educational information that will build your business right away. You will be surprised to find out that some of these online courses are FREE! However, the focus of attending free online courses is on the personal knowledge acquired. However, some of the certificates received do not come from accredited educational institutes.
ONLINE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
All of this means that students, from professionals to college graduates, can find plenty of reasons to take all or some of their courses online. Below are some of the key benefits of online education:
- Diverse programs and courses: From traditional four-year universities to fully online career schools, higher education today offers a variety of opportunities for learners. This means that regardless of what students want to study, from cooking to rocket science, they can find the education they need online. Plus, they can earn any academic degree online, from career certificates to doctorates.
- Lower overall costs: Online educational programs can be a cheaper option than traditional colleges. While not all online degrees have lower net tuition fees than traditional colleges, the costs involved are almost always cheaper. There are no travel costs and there are no required course materials such as textbooks as all reading materials are provided online for free. Additionally, many colleges and universities have started accepting credits earned through free Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), the latest advancement in online education. Free online courses like these can help students meet general educational needs at a low or free cost.
- More comfortable learning environment: Nowadays, commercials with online students in pajamas are becoming increasingly popular to describe one of the main benefits of online education. There are no physical lessons. Lectures and reading materials are sent electronically to the student, who then reads them and does assignments. Students don’t have to battle the traffic, find parking spaces, leave work early to go to class, or miss important family times.
- Comfort and flexibility: Online educational programs give students the opportunity to plan their study time for the rest of the day rather than the other way around. Students can study and work when they are at their best, early in the morning or late at night. The course materials are always accessible online and asynchronously, so that no special trips to a library have to be planned. All of this makes online learning attractive.
- Avoid commuting: If the weather is bad, universities can cancel classes. Also, a traffic situation like in Lagos, where I live, can be a serious problem for those attending traditional training. Rather than being late or missing important lessons, online education programs allow students to “join discussion forums or chat sessions” at any time, turn in their work on time, and watch lectures or read materials. Many students also find that the fuel cost savings can be significant if they don’t generally have to commute to a physical campus, regardless of weather conditions.
- Improve your technical skills: Even the most basic online educational programs require the development of new computer skills as students learn to navigate various learning management systems (LMS) and programs. The skills students learn for taking their online courses can be transferred to many professions, including creating and sharing documents, incorporating audio / video into your assignments, completing online training, and more. All of this is also part of their learning.
All of these advantages mentioned above are clear reasons for the astronomical growth of e-learning. There are several e-learning institutes today that offer certifications and degrees in modern subjects. For those who are wondering if this is a valid alternative, I will tell you it is. For network marketers and those who run their businesses, online education becomes a better alternative because you don’t have to leave your business to continue learning.