Tag: Distance Education

The Rise of Online Colleges

Online education exploded once the Internet became ubiquitous around 1993. As Internet connectivity rose in numbers and connection speeds became faster, online education became a viable platform for students around the world, especially in America where technology leadership took online education to new heights.

Online colleges rose to positions of viability, influence, and legitimacy because many universities poured considerable resources into putting the best educational materials out there for students. Well-known universities such as MIT and Harvard have entire courses and related classwork online for students to pursue learning at their own pace.

Prospective students who want to pursue an online education can go here and get much of the information they need in an easy to comprehend manner which will allow them to make informed decisions.

One reason why online colleges gained a huge following was because many eager students saw that online education gave them flexibility to set their own schedule and not depend on set hours and class schedules offered by traditional university programs.

Now, people from all walks of life—pregnant women, stay at home moms, people with day jobs, and others with disabilities such as sports-related injuries or other serious medical conditions—can pursue their education online.

Online colleges prospered because they offered flexibility and access to all, regardless of their personal or social situation. Online education will likely rise further in terms of student volume as well as number of courses offered as broadband connectivity improves Internet speeds. Additionally, rich multimedia content with audio visual capabilities makes online education a more attractive platform than ever before.

Online College Courses – One More Option

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Online learning, from high school to graduate achool courses, has become an important and growing part of education around the world. There are a large number of websites on the Internet devoted to helping students find schools and courses that meet their needs. Surprisingly, there are a number of online high schools offering high school and college level courses, including state sponsored programs, individual high schools and universities.

Other sites focus strictly on colleges and universities while other sites list career or para-professional online learning schools as well. The number of schools listed at websites varies varies from 210 to over 300.  However, it should be noted that many of these schools may not be accredited and in the world of higher education, proper accreditation is extremely important for the validity and prestige of the degree or certificate conferred.  With that fact in mind, it is important to ensure that any online college or university considered is fully accredited.

There are also advantages to taking college or career related courses online. The biggest advantage is convenience, especially for those who are working part or full-time. Online learning gives students the freedom to fit course work into time periods that do not conflict with work and exposure to students from other areas. Students can also pace themselves, depending on the course material. Online learning may be less expensive, especially in terms of travel and books.  Cost is an important aspect that needs to be checked out thoroughly before committing to a program. Most importantly, it is important to recognize that online learning requires good time management skills, discipline and commitment to be successful.