The Benefits Of Online Education

The idea of online education was scoffed at not so many years ago. But these days both educational institutions and prospective students are taking online education seriously.

The first universities to offer accredited online degrees began appearing back in the 1990s. More often than not, these groundbreaking schools were looked down upon by the "academic elite," and considered to be somehow "shady" or disreputable. But a lot has certainly changed since then, and these days even the most prestigious Ivy League universities are offering online classes, and sometimes, a complete online curriculum for distance learning.

If you've wondered how online education works, or if it would be a good alternative for you, read on to get a sense of the online learning experience and what it means to be a "virtual student."

Obviously the biggest difference between online education and attending an actual university is that it is not necessary to be in any particular location to study. This means that much of the social aspect of going to college is removed from the online education experience. But depending on your point of view, this could actually be a very good thing. It makes it possible to bypass a lot of the peer pressure and "popularity contests" that many college cultures have become inundated with.

If you are an older student -- and by older, I mean over 24 -- you will probably find much of the petty jostling for popularity and status to be a real turnoff anyway. That's why online education can be a great option for returning students, or those who are a little more mature.

 

One of the biggest questions prospective students have about online education is how the virtual classroom actually works. While there are similarities between the virtual classrooms used in online education, and the brick and mortar classrooms of a traditional university, there are striking differences as well.

For example, if you attend a physical campus you will enter the classroom and attend a certain course at a certain time that will be designated to last between one and three hours on average. The instructor of the course will likely lecture for the majority of this time, but there may also be some student participation. At the end of the class the instructor may assign homework or inform students of upcoming quizzes.

But in a virtual classroom the structure is much more open, and there is a far greater degree of flexibility in the lesson plans. For example, normally you may log into your virtual class at any time, where you will listen, read and watch videos covering the course material. As a general rule, you may take as much time as you like to go over the material and complete any assignments given. While your course instructor will normally be available to ask questions via real-time online chat, e-mail or instant messaging, they will not monitor your progress or concern themselves with your work habits.

This means that with online education the student has far greater responsibility for their own learning. No one will babysit you, or ensure that you are doing the required work; it is simply presented to you, and you are expected to be responsible for completing assignments and reviewing the information.

This kind of freedom and flexibility fits many people perfectly, but others -- especially younger students -- may crave the structure of traditional campus learning. If your time is important to you, and you are motivated enough to be responsible for yourself, online education could be a perfect fit for you.

Online Education Vs On-Campus Education

The advent of internet and technology has not just made our lives easier, but also brought many facilities to our doorstep. The education industry for instance has been completely revolutionized with the online education platform. The greatest advantage that internet technology brings to the field of education is that it makes it extremely convenient and accessible. This is especially so for professionals who are bound by their work schedules and find little or no time for full time on-campus education. Professionals looking to finish their education or adding to their credentials and skill set are greatly benefitted by the innumerable online courses available today.

This trend is being greatly realized and more and more organizations are waking up to its many benefits. Now that the misconceptions and apprehensions regarding the effectiveness of education and degree earned through an online medium have been removed, online education is gaining popularity over traditional classroom education.

The main advantage offered by an online course is the flexibility of scheduling and the wide range of choices. Owing to busy schedules, most professionals opt out of further studies in order to carry on the responsibilities of their work life and jobs. When questioned about it, as many as 78% professionals expressed a desire to study further, but could not follow through due to reasons relating to lack of time, busy schedules, responsibilities and even high prices and commuting problems in case of on-campus programs.

On close inspection, you would find that maximum points out of the above are resolved by online education, thus the popularity! An online course is such that a person has total control over the subjects that he / she wishes to study, time the classes according to his / her schedule, complete the tasks and assignments or sit for exams at his / her convenience. The lessons are taught online by highly experienced and extremely proficient faculty. There is effective interaction between faculty members and students in every study group. Students raise question and get their problems solved on the spot by the teacher through chat or through emails. There is a healthy discussion among batchmates in every batch and some pertinent and quality questions are raised and discussed. The interaction in the group is aided by online face to face chats. This builds healthy work relations and encourages peer group learning.

The Growth of Online Education in China

A recent report has been published detailing the development of e-Learning and online education in China. The report, by companiesandmarkets.com, identifies that the sector has reached its "growth stage", increasing in market scale by 20.7 percent between 2006 and 2007 (from RMB14.5 billion to RMB17.5 billion). So how is the industry set to develop from here? And what can the west learn from the success of the Chinese distance and blended learning systems?

Distance learning, online degree courses, and adult education have been popular in China for some time. This has been due to a number of factors, such as the expansive and rural geography of the country, the high competition for fewer enrolment places (comparable to the UK or US, at least), and recent government-stimulated incentives to ensure compulsory learning for all, e.g. the National Project of Compulsory Education in Impoverished Areas (established in 1995).

In regards to e-Learning and its involvement with pre/primary/middle school education, the latest report doesn't reflect an outright consolidation of the country's vast school system - which is something that makes it quite different to others. Those who offer online education services to pre-schoolers are private individuals and companies, whilst the most traditional primary and middle schools are said to be employing e-Learning techniques and offering distance classes. Primary and middle school teaching market scale has increased by 18.5 percent between 2006 and 2007.

 

For higher education and older learners, the report shows a growth and diversification of online education but an unimpressive continuation of doubts amongst members of the public as to the worth of diplomas from online institutions. Despite this, there is healthy enthusiasm for online education for vocation certification and an increased demand for customizable services. Additionally corporate e-learning is becoming more integrated with business hoping to improve services - especially over the last year. As a result, projections suggest that corporate e-learning is set to grow 40 percent year by year until 2011.

China is an interesting country to discuss when it comes to distance education - due to the rural country and uniquely provincial governance of education, as well as its huge population. Consequently, the country has pioneered certain aspects of education by use of online courses and media. This has not only included a Central Radio and TV University, but also distance institutions that specifically cater for niche markets such as adult farmers and workers - it will be intriguing to see how technological advancements and increased accessibility for education over the next few years.