Despite being a relatively new phenomenon and largely different from traditional forms of schooling, online education attracts learners and a busier workforce. It has gone past being an alien concept, as more than 6 million students have registered in online courses worldwide.
Its massive popularity and large-scale adoption have raised concerns if it is on par with the traditional way of schooling or even better. Whether online education effectively enables students to learn, secure degrees, and advance to the next level in life or not is an ongoing discussion.
If you are wondering if the online courses are viable or not and whether you should acquire an online degree, there is some fortunate news. A recent MIT study has regarded massive online open courses (MOOCs) as effective and penetrative as conventional in-class lectures are.
According to some analysts, higher education is going through a renaissance period. Today, students are adamant about deciding the course of their education, including their mode of schooling and learning hours. This modern concept has the perspective of educational institutes in response to education acquisition.
Reasons Why Online Education is Gaining Popularity
Here are a few reasons why online education is surpassing traditional on-campus schooling and becoming a new normal.
Extensive Variety at Your Fingertips
Did you know, the first online degree was offered in 1995? You didn’t, right! The fact indicates that online education has been around as long as millennials have. However, there weren’t as many course options available at the time, unlike today. There is an entire range of undergraduate degrees and diploma courses learners can enroll in, depending on their interests.
Students who are part of the UTEP Connect can even earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in security studies, criminal justice, media advertising, defense and strategic studies, business and corporate management, and construction management.
Affordable Degrees Are Real
The biggest downside to on-campus education is its high fees. Unless you secure an appropriate scholarship to fund your studies and housing, getting a degree is exceptionally dexterous. However, the online schooling model can help learners save extensively on expenses such as special technology fees, relocating costs, commuting expenses, campus-related expenses, and many more. Once you subscribe to an online course, there’s nothing you have to pay apart from the tuition fees.
Convenient Learning, The Way You Prefer
Who thought you could get a lecture while sitting on your couch or the subway during travel? Unlike traditional forms of schooling that require you to be physically present in the lecture hall, online schooling can be a great substitute.
With the unmatched flexibility and independence of online schooling, you can learn the course you want, the way you want it. You can also coordinate your classes according to your schedule, so you don’t have to stick to 1-hour lecture. Moreover, you don’t need to make it to class even if you feel unwell. You can simply tune in when you are in the best of health and mood.
Industry-Wide Acceptance
The stigma around online graduates being unable to manage time is entirely wrong. The U.S. News & Report believes that online students are better at time management than students who study on-campus.
The idea is that conventional students only acquire time management skills when they get into the professional environment. Whereas students who study online while they are still in their education period. Therefore, online students attract enterprises looking for employees who can multitask, collaborate with peers, and work independently when required.
More Accessibility, Better Learning
On-campus classes offer a learning environment not suitable for everyone. Such learning ecosystems fail to distinguish between personality types and students’ learning preferences, resulting in a decline in their performance levels.
Whereas online education allows learners to pick and customize their class schedules according to their preference. Furthermore, they are free to choose when to participate in the group discussion and interact with fellow students. Such an environment offers both extroverted and introverted an equal chance to learn and thrive in their lives.
Bridge the Gap by Building Connections
The Internet has shortened millions of miles of distance to mere seconds. It has enabled people to connect and interact with one another regardless of their origin. Given the massive globalization, enterprises do not limit certain geographical areas when it comes to hiring.
Many companies prefer employees with multicultural backgrounds who can add more insight to their business model. This paves the way for people who have worldwide connections, and online connection is the right way to achieve that.
Be Ready for Real-Life Learning
As much as limited and non-interactive it may seem, online schooling does an excellent job of preparing you for real life. It helps you develop the habit of independent learning, a thing that will come in handy at any workplace you go to.
Many jobs require online training and independent research to develop new skills with exponential technological advancements. Online students have pre-engraved learning habits and teamwork, making them more likely to capitalize on such jobs and continue to grow.