Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Education

In the recent past, we have seen an increase in the number of online schools and services that provide students with additional materials for easier stydying process. At the start of the distance learning programs, only a few courses were offered. This is unlike today where so many schools have online degrees. Studies show that enrollment to distance learning education is growing at a rate of over 20%. This is a rate that is higher than the 2% rate of growth that is being witnessed in the higher education sector. This is due to the convenience offered by this learning option. Moreover, they find it hard to complete their papers, they can find help from a custom essay service that has gained a lot of popularity along with other distance learning tools. With the continued development of the technology, homeschooled students can find help from a variety of sources.

What is the future of online education?

Competition is getting fiercer among institutions that offer distance learning programs as they are all trying to outdo one another and prove to their students that they can help them easily reach their career goals.

Since we are living in an age where the internet is being accessed through hand-held device, there is need for the digital learning methods to also advance.  Nearly every student nowadays has a hand-held device and many of them use these tools in their studies. If universities would like to keep up with the trends, they have to adapt their courses ad websites to function well on a mobile device.

Importance of career support for online students

The main reason why majority of students go to university is to improve their chances of getting their dream job. So, why should this be different for digital learning students? It is quite important for these students to have a similar access to the career service and advice as their peers who live in campus.  With the continued growth of digital learning, questions are being raised n on whether an online degree is usually better than the traditional degree. Let us look at the pros and cons:

Pros of online education

• Flexible schedule. One of the biggest advantages of online learning is the flexibility. Learners are able to log onto their course materials at any time or hour of the day.
• Program availability. Today we have more schools that offer distance learning programs and therefore increasing the available options. This makes it possible for student to search until they get a program that meets their needs.
• Access to courses on 24/7.The good thing about these courses is that these are usually available 24/7 to a student as long as they have an internet and computer. This is unlike the courses that are offered on-campus that need student to be in class at a particular time.
• No need to travel. The beauty of these schools is that you can study from your home. This can help you to save time, gas and even vehicle wear and tear cost.
• Wide range of courses. Nowadays, you can study nearly every course on the internet. Since you will not be required to commute, you can always find a school that has your desired course.
• Self motivation. Learners have the ability to log into their programs and also learn at their preferred pace. In case they find it hard to complete a particular course, they can study longer.
• There was a time when the program’s reputation was not viewed in a similar light as the programs offered on campus. However, this is now changing and it this study option is becoming popular.

Cons of online education

With the continued popularity of digital learning programs, everybody is focusing on the positive. Nobody is considering the potential cons. What are the challenges of distance learning programs as compared to learning in the traditional classroom? There are several disadvantages of online education that you need to consider before making the decision to join a distance learning program. Here are some of the cons:

• Requires a lot of self discipline. Distance learning doesn’t have any rules and guidelines that need to be followed. Therefore, a learner has a lot of freedom to do whatever they want without worrying about the lecturer. This freedom can ruin the focus of the learner.
• Social interaction. There is little or no interaction for distance learning students. This interaction is usually very important for social and study purposes.
• Interaction with the instructor. Many learners usually get limited interaction with their instructors and may need to wait for hours before they can get answers for their questions.
• Lack of accreditation. There are cases of learners who graduated from online schools but realized that they aren’t accredited. Some don’t acknowledge online schools in the same way they do to the traditional classroom. It can be difficult to transfer credit from an online program to such schools.
• Bigger workload. Most distance learning schools provide lot of workload that they are unable to monitor on a day to day basis. This is a big challenge the quality of education being offered is at risk of being compromised. To overcome this challenge, they give so many assignment and tasks to student. That means the student end up spending more time writing and reading papers.
• Financial assistance. Many learners have no access to financial assistance given to students in the traditional classroom programs.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that online classes have been introduced to fill a particular gap in the education sector. However, before joining the program, consider these pros and cons.

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