Online learning has now entered the mainstream and is quickly becoming the norm in today’s era. Colleges and universities have followed suit with up to 80% of them offering online courses with students now pursuing advanced, degree and diploma courses, example: even get your MBA from Canada by studying online. These are the credentials available you can earn from online education.
But with this rising trend comes the question, is online learning really worth it?
Let us find out!
- Perception
There are still some conflicting perceptions on the value of online degrees. In fact, studies still show that employers prefer candidates who have had classroom experience.
However, as more and more students with online degrees enter the job market, we continue to see employers having a more positive and relaxed outlook.
A student who has studied online has a higher chance of getting their desired job if the employer has had a positive experience with online learning.
That said, there are plenty of advantages and disadvantages to online learning.
- Online courses cost less
For some students, it might be hard to take a course because they hold full time jobs which they need in order to support families. Others have parental duties meaning they cannot stay away from home for too long while others simply enjoy the convenience brought by the idea of online learning.
Since students will not pay for boarding and accommodation fees, the overall costs of online courses are significantly lower than the traditional courses. However, such students still need to pay for internet as well as the required software. Additionally they can get homework help for their subjects too. For example if they are studying economics they can get economics homework help online easily.
- The Downside of Online Learning
We’ve all seen that front-page news were providers of online courses made headlines for offering unaccredited certificates and diplomas. Accreditation involves a neutral third party that inspects institutions and ensures that they offer certificates, degrees, and diplomas in an acceptable manner.
The diploma mills have cashed in on eager students and often left them the worst for wear.
Another situation is where institutions of higher learning offer to help students acquire loans. While this may appear as a good thing, often these institutions are only interested in making money. They raise the figures making the student pay more and leaving them with huge debts to pay in the end.
While online learning is a good thing and has helped many upgrade their CVs, it still needs to be approached with care. Proper research needs to be done to ensure you do not enroll with a scammer.
