In the 21st century, earning a degree online is not an oddity. You can get a degree by sitting at home also. Universities across the globe are expanding their platforms of online education. According to a report released by National Center of Education Statistics, in fall 2014, there were about 5,750,000 students enrolled in any distance education course and the number of students taking online education in 2017 is rising at a faster rate than prior years.
In a Survey of Online Learning conducted by the Babson Survey Research Group, more than one in four students in the USA now take at least one distance education course. Students are espousing online learning in a record number. However, there are still some states that consider online education second class or inferior to traditional education.
Different people have different outlooks, but the foremost priority is to get the best education. If you want a clear view on online and classroom, you must give some time to read this article.
The Contrariety
You must be arguing with your parents whether you should get an education by attending regular classes in the university or by an online learning program. Just for your knowledge, the difference between online and classroom learning extends far beyond either sitting in front of your laptop or sitting in a classroom. Before choosing one, take some minutes to know about the vital differences between the both so that you can choose a platform that better suits your lifestyle.
Real and Virtual Support
Support of peers and teachers is an essential factor in education. With proper support and guidance, the path of success becomes a lot easier for students. Although it hardly matters whether you are getting the education online or in classrooms, you will get your teacher’s support everywhere. However, we all know that a hand to hold has far more impact than the talks that console.
Pliability
Flexibility and comfort play an important role in a student’s life. A student can give better results if there are mental peace and no pressure.
When we talk about online learning, it’s usually more flexible than traditional learning. In a traditional classroom, one is bounded by specific target only, but online learning allows students to juggle multiple priorities.
Parental Participation
There is no doubt that the participation of parents has a vital effect on student’s education. In traditional education, parents do not have much control over classroom learning and its environment, but on the contrast of it in online education, parents can set their child routine and can elevate effective learning ambiance for their children.
Feedback
Feedback is mandatory for the proper development of students. Constant feedback builds up the morale and boosts up the confidence in students.
In online education, one gets a high level of extensive written feedback for an online teacher, but in a traditional classroom, you get a comment or two from your professor. However, unlike online classrooms, traditional classroom feedbacks are more persistent.
Schedule
The Proper schedule is very important for effective learning. An active schedule is key for a better lifestyle that undoubtedly leads to better education and efficacious learning.
While in a traditional classroom you follow a fix proper schedule, online classrooms offer you a flexible schedule to pursue your education.
Why is Online Education Gaining Share?
Online learning is the greatest evolution in today’s education system. It has many limitations, but unquestionably it offers a remarkable opportunity for working people. Let’s learn some of the positives of online learning.
Save Money!
Money is enough to convince you for online education. Online programs are more reasonable than traditional schools. With saving tuition fee, students can save their transportation and housing expenses as well.
The best is some online courses are completely free of cost and MIT is the example of it. However, you will only get knowledge, not a completion certificate!
Comfort Zone
No physical classes! No boring buildings! No early mornings and enjoy your late nights. Online learning provides you with a much more comfortable environment and above that, you get all the lectures and other study materials without any efforts. Wear your pajamas, eat your favorite ice cream, lie down on your cozy bed and get a degree!
What else you want from life?
Keep Earning!
Welcome to my favorite part!
You can complete your degree while earning a good amount of money for your pocket. Growing up comes with a responsibility, responsibility of independence. At this time, instead of parent’s money, everyone dreams of earning and spending their own money. With flexible timings, online education helps you to do that.
Allodoxaphobia? No Problem!
Do you have a fear of opinions?? Do you skip classes because your classmates judge your every question? Go for online education then… Online learning gives you a platform for one-to-one interaction. Talk to your teacher, gain the knowledge and ask your queries without other opinions.
Ameliorate your Technical Skills
All online courses require a basic knowledge of your computer skills. Even the most basic courses demand your technical understanding. The technology students learn in online education helps them in many professions.
Stumbling Blocks in Online Learning
Online learning proves to be the greatest potential for students who want to get a degree, but do not have time to attend a physical classroom. However, with flexibility and comfort, this latest wave of education is also facing some issues. We will discuss some problems faced by students in online learning.
Self-Motivation
Motivation from your teachers is the key to success, which makes you feel confident that you are going in the right direction to achieve your goals. However, in online education, you need to be your own superhero, every day you have to tell yourself to do your best. Here, nobody will tell you about the right path to walk, but yes! They will guide you in the path you choose.
Virtual Guidance
Everyone needs support and a helping hand to achieve their aim. However, in online education, you can’t touch that helping hand. The support that is going to be your life changer is sitting far beyond your reach. Online teaching creates an environment where your online instructor might not be readily available for your queries.
No peer-to-peer learning
We learn by seeing. In Tradition College, we learn many things by watching our seniors. As peers have already traveled the road that we are going to travel, a little guidance of them is very important to choose the right direction. However, in online learning, we don’t get a platform to interact with our seniors.
Online Distractions
Facebook Notification! Instagram DM! Snapchat story! Skype call!
Isn’t these things are enough for your distraction from studies? Trust me, no matters how studious and dedicated you are, you can’t stop yourself from checking these things. Try to ignore all these distractions for a once and they will lead to your disappointment.
Once you turn on your Wi-Fi, you start getting a number of things that will divert your mind from studies.
Computer Illiteracy
With being an advantage for technology freak people, computer illiteracy is also a major roadblock for online learners. Online learning requires a deep knowledge of computer to connect with the class. Students with computer or technology problems suffer a lot in completing their online assignments and exams.
Is Online Learning the Future of Education?
In a modulated trade like education, it is often hard to predict the future. Over the past decade, e-learning is not only acquiring popularity among youngsters, but also the working generation is showing great interest in learning while earning.
With online learning, getting a degree for a course has become as easy as ABC. One can balance his personal as well as professional life without affecting his education. By the early 90s, the trend of distant education was introduced by several schools and according to an article by World Economic Forum, with this increase in popularity, the e-learning market will grow to $255 billion by the end 2017.
Nowadays, online education is the most preferred means of education, especially in the USA. The growth of digitization is leading more and more students towards online learning. With flexibility, low cost, accessibility and many other advantages online learning is the future of Education.
