About thirty years ago, if you asked an individual, ‘What comes to mind when you think of the word classroom’? Almost every answer would be linked to a room where a teacher stands and delivers their lecture to a group of students who note it down regardless of the socioeconomic background of the person.
However, things have dramatically changed in the recent past with advancements in science and technology that have revolutionized every aspect of human life. Online mode of education has emerged as the preferred way of learning.
The recent pandemic has played a vital role in convincing us of its importance. The centuries-old method of learning was replaced by online learning as it made its way into the education sector and started to dominate. Several factors are causing this shift, some of which are:
1. Quality Education
Statistics show that 55% of Americans believe that the quality of online education is the same or better than in-person education. The rise of students pursuing online education has resulted in positive feedback, and now many prestigious colleges and universities have started offering their courses online.
As a result, more students can gain an education today from various options available and pursuing courses like the University of Wisconsin online MBA program. These colleges and universities are now acknowledging the fact that higher quality education can be provided online just as well as in-person sessions.
Tools like 3-D models, flashcards, and animations can be utilized to ensure that students develop clear concepts. Moreover, a teacher can adapt according to the student’s feedback easily due to the tools that the online setup has to offer.
2. Anybody, Anywhere
Online education has enabled students to study from anywhere around the globe. This is one of the main reasons why students prefer to learn online, as they can learn skills and subjects that may not be offered by any college or institute in their area.
It has also made education accessible for those who want to learn skills that are not related to the course they are studying. For example, an engineering student may learn the process of CPR online.
The beneficiaries of the online system of education also include people who love traveling and exploring. With the online education mode, they can study during their trips according to their schedules.
3. Customized Learning
One of the hassles of the conventional method of learning was that students were bound in terms of what to study and when to study. Attending classes early in the morning and that too on specific days of the week limited the tasks one could do other than learning.
However, online education, on the other hand, offers great flexibility in terms of the time of day you want to study. This has helped office-goers in pursuing education as now they can study after their job timings and learn at the same time.
It is also worth mentioning that via online education, you can learn at your own pace according to the time you have available. Hence, classes that take up two hours during an in-person session may be cut into four thirty-minute sessions that are more engaging when studying online.
Another advantage of customizable online learning is that one can pick a variety of programs and is not restricted to the particular set of courses a college has to offer.
4. Economic Approach
Let’s compare the case of a person who has gone abroad or to any other city to study in a university over there with a person who is studying online. The person studying abroad has to take care of the living expenses as well as the cost of transportation they use to go to the university campus.
They also spend money on purchasing various resources such as course handouts and books. On the contrary, the person who is studying the same course online is living in their own home, has zero expenditure on transport, and has all educational resources available online for free.
Instead, they have the opportunity to utilize the time they are saving by taking up a side job and earning money. This comparative analysis vividly tells us about the cost-effectiveness of the online mode of learning.
5. Uninterrupted Education
The time when the world realized the importance of online education most prominently was when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived. The deadliest weapon the coronavirus possessed was its hand-to-hand mode of transmission which forced the world into complete lockdown and closure.
During such a time when stepping foot outside for work or education was considered life-threatening, about 1.5 billion students were affected negatively. It was impossible to carry out in-person classes for college students, let alone schoolchildren. Online education proved itself as the only resort to save the education sector.
Educational institutions around the globe switched to the online mode of education and resumed the process of learning. The majority of the students discovered the true potential of online education during this era, and most of them preferred it even after in-person classes resumed. Other than the pandemic, online classes have also been the go-to option when conventional classes are not possible due to unforeseen circumstances.
Conclusion
Online education is the best and most sustainable way of learning because of the uncertainty that grips the world in the post-pandemic era. To survive and stand out in today’s era, one should act smartly embrace the challenges that life brings, and fully use the assistance that science and technology have to offer.
Hence, one should not leave this opportunity of getting access to high-quality education available online. One should take full advantage of the flexibility online education offers and utilize that time to make themselves more valuable in the ever-competitive job market.
Learning skills and enrolling in valuable courses were never as accessible as it is now. Quality and easy education is an achievable reality today with education moving online. There is no doubt that online education has a bright future.
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