Online Education in the United States

Online Education

Introduction

Education is a general term used to refer to a form of learning whereby knowledge, habits and skills of a group of persons are transferred from one generation to another. The passing of information is through training, teaching, coaching, or research. Education often takes place under the directions of other people, but it can also be autodidactic. All experiences bearing a formative effect on how someone thinks, perceives things, acts or feels can be considered educational. In modern times, education is mainly divided into a number of stages such as kindergarten, primary school, high school and college, apprenticeship or university. Education has been declared a basic human right by most governments. Although education is mandatory in many countries, attending classes in school is not compulsory. Some parents prefer home schooling for their children and others go for e-learning. This diversity is proof that education can take place in a formal and an informal setting. This research discusses online education, its cause, values, and policy.

Online Education – Definition

Also known as e-learning, online education is the use educational technology and information, electronic media and communication technologies in education. Online education entails a variety of media that deliver audio, text, animation, images and streaming video. It also includes technology processes and applications such as video tape, audio tape, CD-ROM, satellite TV, local intranet or extranet, computer-based learning and web-based learning. Many e-learning processes are guided by information and communication systems either based on local networks, free standing or internet in networked learning.

Online education can take place inside or outside the classroom. Its pace can be self-set, synchronized or instructor-set. Online education is best suited to flexible and distance learning. It can also be used alongside face-to-face learning whereby it is known as blended learning. Online education is almost the same as multimedia learning, computer-based instruction (CBI), technology-enhanced learning or computer-aided instruction (CAI).

History

Online education is a general term describing educational technology that technologically or electronically supports e-learning and tutoring. E-learning can also be interpreted to mean energetic, exciting, enthusiastic, extended, emotional, educational and excellent as well as electronic, going by the “e” at the beginning of e-learning. This interpretation is inspired by the new developments and applications that e-learning continually exhibit. It also brings media psychology and learning in the broader picture. “e” has also been suggested to imply everyone, everything, engaging, easy.

Online education is classified as synchronous or asynchronous. Asynchronous e-learning entails taking a course whose material is delivered at the student’s convenience. The student is availed with information pertaining to their course, timetables and course outlines whenever they want it and wherever they are. Synchronous e-learning is comprised of students being online at specific times. Online courses are best suited for students whose family commitments or work schedules can’t allow them to attend normal classes in schools. It is a lucrative way for these people to be able to attain their educational goals and advance in the careers of their choice.

Online education allows the student the leisure of taking part in classes from the comfort of their homes or offices. It requires self-drive and discipline because there are no teachers around to keep checking on the student’s progress and understanding. Online education requires motivation and the student must be goal-oriented. E-learning students are expected to take their assignments which may include essays, exams, quizzes, research and even group projects. These assignments should be completed and submitted within the given timeline. In addition, e-learning students need to take part in on-line activities and discussions even if they are extra-curricular.

For one to be an online student, they need to have basic computer skills. These skills include; use of e-mail, search and navigate the internet, attaching of documents and other files in an email, knowledge and ability to use Microsoft office especially Microsoft word, power point and excel. The student also ought to know how to download and save files, as well as have knowledge on other computer applications and packages. Online courses are tasking, and they need dedication because a student is responsible for their learning.

Online education avails more subjects for study by the students. It enables people who find access to education through attending classes difficult, to pursue education. Online education has ensured access to education by people living with disabilities, people with developmental or medical challenges, and people living in remote locations. E-learning has also ensured that learning institutions are not crowded because not everyone is compelled to attend classes physically. People perceive online education as a positive development in the field of education. These people include students who are major beneficiaries of its existence as well as their affiliations. E-learning has enabled parents take their courses from home as they look after their children. In offices, continued work and productivity are ensured since employees do not necessarily have to take leave of absence to go and attend classes. They conveniently go through their syllabus after work and even attend to their assignments.

Causes and Consequences

Online education was started by corporates in 1980s. In the corporate world, it was used to train employees using computer-based programs. This practice faced the limitation because technology was inadequate. The invention of the internet years later set forth efficient growth of online education. The internet was used by companies to train their employees who resided in remote areas, or the companies’ branches away from the headquarters. Employees would be able to chat with the trainers and even ask and answer questions with regards to the training. Companies realized that online training cut their costs significantly as it was not necessary to hire more trainers and incur transport costs because employees would be trained online.

In 1994, CALCampus introduced the first online curriculum. CALCampus was established in 1982, and it took in the World Wide Web into its mission. Currently, it offers high and secondary school courses. It was an example emulated by universities and colleges who began establishing their e-learning programs. Over the years, online technology and the internet has grown online education by leaps and bounds. New ways of multimedia changed the way people use the internet to pass information. As a result, online education has become more accessible and more efficient.

Online education has influenced people who have undertaken it and those who are close and around them. E-learning has come with numerous benefits. Students are provided with various choices on how they wish to study. There is a wide variety of available schools and programs from which students can choose. This array of choices creates flexibility for people who are committed elsewhere. Online education offers students enrolled on it a networking platform as they can reach out and converse with each other all across the nation. In addition, these students can complete tasks and their courses with their pace and their timing. E-learning connects students with the best tutors and lecturers from all around the world. The variety in schools and programs available for prospective online students provide them with options from which they can opt for what can best work for each one of them. These testing and teaching options ensure effectiveness because someone is motivated to excel in an area chosen by them. Studies have shown that online students often outperform their counterparts in traditional physical classroom.

Despite the benefits of online education, there has been criticism on the same. Some people have pointed out that online education is a disruptive innovation within education in college, university and higher levels. Online education is perceived as a disruptive technology because it replaces the traditional learning with a new model of learning which is more accessible to an upcoming population and eventually seeking to dominate the industry. Additionally, discussions and consultations take place via emails and virtual discussion forums in online education. Unlike in traditional learning where the interaction of students and teachers is physical, online education students lack team building and social component that happen informally in traditional classrooms.

Most online students have the notion that online education requires less effort and time compared to traditional courses. This notion is misleading because online students have equal coursework with their peers in traditional classes. An online student will excel if they dedicate themselves to their coursework and attend to their assignments and participate in online discussions. The same goes for students in traditional classes but because they have more time, they can allocate enough time to each activity and perfect on the same.

Online students cannot completely rely on their teachers and lecturers. This is because they are both far apart, geographically and most of the times they correspond during specified times. Unlike students in traditional education who can interact with their tutors even after classes, online students do not enjoy such privileges but they are required to motivate themselves to complete assignments and take their exams. In online education, there is a high rate of drop out and failure. Studies have indicated that online students are more likely to drop out of school than their peers in traditional classes. These studies indicated that the course completion in online education is 82% whereas in traditional education it is 90%.

Values

Convenience, quality of learning material, affordability, and facility in scheduling are the reasons behind the value of online education. Online education provides the student with the mandate to control their education. All adults, working or not, naturally appreciate having control over things going on in their lives. Online education is mostly preferred by working adults, people with family obligations, interests or hobbies which demand commitment and dedication in their respects. Online education carries the profound sense of accomplishment that goes hand in hand with the completion of a certificate, diploma, degree or masters despite the format with which it was acquired. In addition, online education is valuable to professors and lecturers who are required to advance, educationally in order to be promoted or change jobs. For these persons, the values of online education are immediate, real and manifest themselves in a practical manner. Online education fulfills the desire in a student to be a better person through personal fulfillment and education in a way that might have nothing to do with graduating and getting jobs. For these people, online education is an avenue to achieve personal growth, and no monetary value can be compared to its intrinsic value.

Values and Policy

Most governments have encouraged adults who have other commitments to continue with their education through online education. With the on and off economic recessions, more people are taking online courses in order to advance in their careers and others to change careers. Diplomas and degrees attained from online education are often as valuable as those attained by students in traditional classes. A tuition fee for online students is cheaper compared to that of full-time students attending traditional classes. Costs for an online student are also reduced because the students can study from the comfort of their homes. They then do not have to bear the costs for a room or buy supplies or meals. This disparity is however not uniform as there as online programs whose tuition fee can be as costly as traditional programs.

Online education provides students with the advantage of not taking electives. A student pursuing a degree in online education can take the minimum number of units in their class. This student will graduate with adequate knowledge that will help him or her excel in his or her career and chosen field of study. This policy ensures online students have saved time and do not take part in lessons that they deem unimportant to be able to concentrate more on the classes they want to take. Online education students have to have a strategy, just like their counterparts in traditional education, to excel. Online students are required to read the syllabus as it is the source of material for their courses. These students also need to plan for studying time away from family, work and other commitments. Logging onto the course portal for not less than three times a week will ensure that an online student is abreast with what is going on in their respective courses. Whenever an online student encounters difficulties, they should make sure they have asked their tutors questions and clarifications. Lastly, online students ought to make connections with their fellow students. These connections make it easier for someone to study and revise as they can consult and discuss within the learning community founded by extended connections. With the modern technology and even smartphone applications, connections ensure that these discussions are happening in real time.

For some people, online education is yet to gain their acceptance. This struggle to find acceptance is partly contributed by the fact that many people are skeptical about change. Most people would rather take traditional education way even if they are employed, or they have other commitments just because they are negative about the change that is online education. There might be no reasons behind this kind of negativity. For some people, online education just is not suitable for them. Some people find it challenging to motivate themselves. Therefore, they cannot get through online education because there are no fellow students and physical teachers to constantly motivate and encourage them to take their assignments and prepare for their exams. These people would rather take time off their jobs and even hire nannies to look after their children so that they can be able to attend traditional classes.

Conclusion

Online education is not a replacement of traditional education. It is a form of education to ensure that people who cannot afford the time to attend full time classes under traditional education have a chance to complete their studies and graduate. Online education also came to aid those students who might not have the full tuition fees to cater for the more expensive traditional classes to be able to pursue their careers. It also provides lecturers and professors an opportunity to study and advance educationally while doing their jobs. Online education is different from distant learning. Distance learning comprises of students who are far from institutions. These students would want to study from specific institutions but because of distance they are not able to. Online learning can be taken by both students who are at a distance from learning materials as well as students close to schools.

Online education has become popular with time. In the United States, online education is gradually becoming main stream. In Europe and other regions, e-learning is slowly catching up with the traditional education. It is without a doubt that for one to excel in online education, they ought to have self-discipline, motivation, and be results oriented. There are no physical teachers or classmates to attend to one’s immediate concerns and queries.