With the advent of technology, an increasing number of students around the world are opting for online education. Whether you are planning to take up a business course or an IT course, choosing to study online does not necessarily mean you have to settle for a sub-par option.Related:Juggling Act: How To Balance An Internship With School
Although this has been deemed by many to be an inferior choice when compared with face-to-face education, students who study online often report a very high degree of overall satisfaction with their course. Furthermore, a study conducted by SRI International for the US Department of Education revealed that online students actually performed
better than those receiving a more conventional education.
Studying online has some fantastic advantages. Let's take a look at the ways in which online education may have the upper hand on attendance-based courses.
1. Flexibility
Perhaps the number one reason more and more students are opting for an online education is flexibility. This is a big advantage as you can choose where, how and when you study. Although this doesn't mean that your coursework will be any less rigorous, you won't have to commit to going to classes on certain days at fixed times. This makes online education highly suitable for mature students because the flexibility allows them to fulfill other obligations such as work or family.
2. Online Access
All you need is a computer and an Internet connection to access all your course material, including lectures and assignments. This isn’t only advantageous in terms of access; the different forms of online educational media, such as recorded classes, MCQs, interviews and presentations, make learning a lot more interactive and engaging.
3. Performance
Tutors are always available via e-mail or phone, so if you have any doubts or questions about your course, you won’t have to wait until office hours for some one-on-one interaction with your tutor. Students can often receive instant feedback via online quizzes and tests, while assignments which require the tutor's evaluation can be graded as soon as they are submitted.
This increases performance through establishing accountability, because students know that all their assignment submissions, scores, course completion and participation can be checked at any time.
4. Cost
The only fees you have to pay to enter most
online courses are tuition fees. There will be a set amount for the year and it is usually cheaper than conventional courses because you won’t be paying for classroom space and the other costs associated with attendance-based education.
You will also save money on extras like registration costs, commuting to and from campus, dining in the cafeteria, and pricey textbooks.
The lower cost also makes the course accessible to demographics with lower incomes that are generally under-represented in traditional universities.
5. Up-To-Date Information
Textbook-based learning is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Despite the sometimes ludicrous costs of these books, we are making new breakthroughs in scientific and social research.
Any information we have is always evolving, or completely rewritten, and online education allows for tutors to keep their materials up to date with the latest information.
For more information, check out some of the online universities available in your country.
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