Technology is changing the way we think about education. Today more than six million people are taking some kind of online course. There are a large variety of opportunities that students can take advantage of through this medium. Although online courses are very convenient and engaging, there are a number of factors to consider before enrolling in an online course.
The Cost
Getting a higher education can be very expensive. The average amount of student debt at graduation is more than $30,000. Only about 5% of students graduate from a two-year school on time which means their debt can be much more. Many people are looking for alternative approaches to education and that is where online courses come into play.
Online courses are usually much more affordable as compared to traditional classes. There are also a number of discounts and promotions offered for these courses.
Transfer of Credits
No one wants to invest their time and energy into a course that does not transfer to another school. One big advantage of taking online courses is that they usually carry over to other programs. Many online courses even allow students the facility of credit transfer. Online courses can be a great way to slim down the course work in a traditional setting.
If you take the right courses they can help you in a traditional degree program. This ultimately can make your costs much lower.
Real Professors
Many people don’t realize that online courses do have real professors. If you think an online course will be a piece of cake taught by someone who is not really a teacher, you are wrong. Online courses are taught by real, highly-qualified professors, who are in no way inferior to University professors. In fact, many university professors teach in the classroom and online as well.
Although you might not meet this professor in person there are a number of ways to communicate with them. Professors can be found in programs all around the world including programs like online diplomas Australia on other continents.
Flexibility
We all like flexibility when it comes to our work. Perhaps the best advantage of online courses is the convenience they promise. Online courses allow students to work and study at times that are good for them. A person who works or has other responsibilities now has more flexibility in how they make their daily schedule.
With online courses, there is no rushing out of bed to get to a classroom. You don’t have to sit through a long lecture that you find boring. Because students can learn at a time that is convenient for them, online courses are rapidly increasing in popularity.
Interaction and Collaboration
One misconception about online courses is that you don’t have to interact with other students. This is far from the case. In fact, many professors use discussion boards and even various projects that force students to interact with other students in a course. Some online courses even go a step further and offer video conferencing as a way to interact with other students.
Online courses will never be the same as traditional learning but technology has provided numerous ways to interact with students online.
Time Management
Online courses require lots of time management. In fact, the case can be made that an online course requires better time management that a traditional classroom. Even though many programs are self-paced they often include deadlines. Students are usually given a block of time to get certain assignments completed. This usually will include completion of other tasks which usually require a significant amount of time.
Just like in traditional settings, students will need to use calendars, create to-do lists and make plans in order to stay on time of their tasks and complete them on time.
Exams
Just like in the traditional setting, online courses often require examinations. Sophisticated software will make these exams feel like traditional exams. Online courses track even the slightest movements and behaviour altercations during exams through specialized tools, making them authentic.
There are some online programs that even require students to visit a campus to complete an exam after their online course work. It is critical that online courses maintain a high standard and a good academic reputation as they compete with traditional campuses for students.
It is clear that taking courses online has its own set of both advantages and disadvantages. There are a number of important factors to consider when making a choice to learn online. Having a clear understanding of the costs, expectations and time requirements can help to make the decision much easier. Millions of students across the globe are taking advantage of the opportunity to continue their education online. With the emergence of Covid-19 and the current state of the world, it is clear that this form of learning will be around for a long time to come.