Education is the pillar for every economy since it forms the basis for every long-term investment. In the past, the US and other economies were using the traditional mechanisms of education. However, due to the difficulty to enhance the work-life balance, the need has been arising to adopt the online education methods. Online education is the type of education which is delivered through the internet to the students at their various homes by the use of tablets, iPhones or home computers. In the last decade, the online courses and degrees have become a popular alternative for a large number of non-traditional students. These comprise of the students who have the interest to continue to work full time. These studies are offered through the school hosted online platform as well as other technologies. The key methods which can be used to deliver such studies comprise of 100% online education, hybrid education, online courses and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The key difference between the online program and the traditional system is the ability of the online system to liberate the students from the usual trapping of the on-campus degree programs which is coupled of planning the schedules around classes, driving to school, and being present in class regardless of the distance one has to cover. The new system will be very vital to me since it will save on my time and other resources given that I am currently undertaking an online course. The topic is mainly discussed to provide the benefits of online education and the manner it can assist the learners to achieve their career dream without necessarily going to college classrooms.
In the universities which the online educations have been adopted, it has been evident that when it is efficiently implemented, it works for the betterment of the education process. It is because it provides a variety of course and programs and it enables the student to earn both certificates to doctorate level. Besides, it lowers the total costs of education since it has proved to be affordable options as opposed to the traditional colleges. For instance, when one takes the online course, there are no commuting costs, and other materials like textbooks and reading materials are in online. The free online students help to fulfill their general education requirement without strain.
Moreover, online education provides a more comfortable environment since the students are not required to attend the physical classroom sessions. It enables the students to listen to their lectures at the comfort of their rooms and complete the tasks and assignments online. These thus make the learning process which enhances flexibility since one does not need to quit their jobs to attend to school activities. In accordance with the study done by Babson Survey Research Group, in the year 2016, the total number of students taking online course grew to 5.8 million annually. Besides, the growth level has been consistent for the past 13 years. At least 28% of the higher education students did enroll in at least one online course. The number has been increasing in the country due to the benefits which it grants to those who want to further their studies while taking care of their families or while at work.
Even though the online education denies the learners an opportunity to personally interact with the fellow students and the professor, the benefits which the online education program offers to the learners still outdo the one provided by the campus program. Therefore, I tend to recommend that hybrid education should be adopted. It is because it will enhance both personal interaction and online quality education. These should be arranged in a manner that the students meet the lecturers once in a while before they do their examinations. Besides, a platform should be created to ensure that the students can access the materials offline since some of the students cannot afford to buy the bundles for the rest of the study schedule. These will improve the efficiency of the new system either in the short or long run.
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