Published on Wednesday, Feb 06, 2008
There is no denying the value of ongoing education at any point of our life and careers. Yet, as working professionals, most of us find it very difficult to pursue advanced degrees or even upgrade our skills to stay current with new trends and technology.
Then again, the advent of correspondence courses has spearheaded a ‘back to school’ revolution, as we no longer have to stop work to attend classes/college. And, the realm of comfortable distance learning has just gone a step further with online degree programmes!
So, don’t give up your dream just yet, as access to education was never easier. With technology-enabled global infrastructure for e-learning revolutionising education, advanced studies for adults are taking on a whole new dimension.
No longer can we cite lack of time or energy, as it is smoothly possible to enhance education or improve professional skills in specific areas without interfering with our work and life.
Indeed, things couldn’t get any better as majority of established universities around the world are offering diversified accredited online programmes as part of their curriculum. A variety of academic disciplines ranging from business administration, IT, science and arts to health care, hospitality, legal services and political science are available. Name it and you have it, that too in all forms - bachelors’ degree, masters, diplomas and certificates.
Then again, the advent of correspondence courses has spearheaded a ‘back to school’ revolution, as we no longer have to stop work to attend classes/college. And, the realm of comfortable distance learning has just gone a step further with online degree programmes!
So, don’t give up your dream just yet, as access to education was never easier. With technology-enabled global infrastructure for e-learning revolutionising education, advanced studies for adults are taking on a whole new dimension.
No longer can we cite lack of time or energy, as it is smoothly possible to enhance education or improve professional skills in specific areas without interfering with our work and life.
Indeed, things couldn’t get any better as majority of established universities around the world are offering diversified accredited online programmes as part of their curriculum. A variety of academic disciplines ranging from business administration, IT, science and arts to health care, hospitality, legal services and political science are available. Name it and you have it, that too in all forms - bachelors’ degree, masters, diplomas and certificates.
Education on order
Online learning is slowly emerging as the proven and effective way to earn the qualification you want. As students flock to the online learning environment in unprecedented numbers, geographic limitations are becoming a thing of the past. What if a specialised course like ‘Master of Science in Banking and Financial Services Management’ you are hankering after is not available in your country, in fact it’s offered only at Boston University, USA. With education at your fingertip, the course is just a mouse click away!
Here are the factors that are thrusting online degrees to the forefront of an educational revolution:
The uppermost advantage is scheduling flexibility as you almost always get to decide when and where you want to take classes. Bid goodbye to enforced 8 a.m. classes and three-hour lectures as you can choose any time and any place that is convenient to you and fits into your schedule.
Lack of commute adds to the time-efficiency and you can even buy course books online.
In addition to cost saving, some universities also offer financial-aid programmes to further ease the burden.
Structured courses do not allow procrastination because there are deadlines for completion even while permitting you to proceed through the course at your own rate.
In fact, fast track courses help complete the studies in much lesser time.
Experienced and qualified online instructors from all parts of the globe provide exposure to higher standards and practical learning that will not be available in any one college.
Cyber education opens the doors to a broad spectrum of content that can be accessed 24/7. Apart from the diverse study material, you can also retrieve lectures, explanations, comments and discussions whenever you want.
The student-centred teaching approaches can be modified to suit all type of learners. Students and faculty are connected on a network or website where you can interact with everyone.
Joint and open communication is facilitated through emails, newsgroups and other forums for exchange.
Such discussions allow anonymity and as author, Tom Kubala observes in, Addressing Student Needs: Teaching and Learning on the Internet, “Students are more willing to participate and the measure of anonymity serves as a motivator... people feel more empowered. They are daring and confrontational regarding the expression of ideas.”
While earlier pursuing a distance-learning course was weighed down by stigmas of lack of efficiency and inferiority compared to doing a regular course, perceptions have changed.. Not only are non-traditional online degrees gaining acceptance, but enlightened employers view successful online learners as more self-sufficient, self-motivated and technology-savvy than the campus-bound ones.
It is up to the online students to choose the right programme based on their career objectives, learning goals and skills required. They should choose the correct one based on level of degree, inherent value, and time period, quality of faculty and university reputation.
Yet working people still have to find a way around their hectic work schedules and attend the cyber classrooms!
Online learning is slowly emerging as the proven and effective way to earn the qualification you want. As students flock to the online learning environment in unprecedented numbers, geographic limitations are becoming a thing of the past. What if a specialised course like ‘Master of Science in Banking and Financial Services Management’ you are hankering after is not available in your country, in fact it’s offered only at Boston University, USA. With education at your fingertip, the course is just a mouse click away!
Here are the factors that are thrusting online degrees to the forefront of an educational revolution:
The uppermost advantage is scheduling flexibility as you almost always get to decide when and where you want to take classes. Bid goodbye to enforced 8 a.m. classes and three-hour lectures as you can choose any time and any place that is convenient to you and fits into your schedule.
Lack of commute adds to the time-efficiency and you can even buy course books online.
In addition to cost saving, some universities also offer financial-aid programmes to further ease the burden.
Structured courses do not allow procrastination because there are deadlines for completion even while permitting you to proceed through the course at your own rate.
In fact, fast track courses help complete the studies in much lesser time.
Experienced and qualified online instructors from all parts of the globe provide exposure to higher standards and practical learning that will not be available in any one college.
Cyber education opens the doors to a broad spectrum of content that can be accessed 24/7. Apart from the diverse study material, you can also retrieve lectures, explanations, comments and discussions whenever you want.
The student-centred teaching approaches can be modified to suit all type of learners. Students and faculty are connected on a network or website where you can interact with everyone.
Joint and open communication is facilitated through emails, newsgroups and other forums for exchange.
Such discussions allow anonymity and as author, Tom Kubala observes in, Addressing Student Needs: Teaching and Learning on the Internet, “Students are more willing to participate and the measure of anonymity serves as a motivator... people feel more empowered. They are daring and confrontational regarding the expression of ideas.”
While earlier pursuing a distance-learning course was weighed down by stigmas of lack of efficiency and inferiority compared to doing a regular course, perceptions have changed.. Not only are non-traditional online degrees gaining acceptance, but enlightened employers view successful online learners as more self-sufficient, self-motivated and technology-savvy than the campus-bound ones.
It is up to the online students to choose the right programme based on their career objectives, learning goals and skills required. They should choose the correct one based on level of degree, inherent value, and time period, quality of faculty and university reputation.
Yet working people still have to find a way around their hectic work schedules and attend the cyber classrooms!
PAYAL CHANANIA
No comments:
Post a Comment