Though online education was taking place before the pandemic too, this mode of education became extremely popular during the pandemic.
When Covid-19 hit the world, educational institutions found themselves in a dilemma. All the academic activities had to stop due to social distancing measures. In that chaos, online education became a savior for the students and institutions.
Since 2020, 98% of the universities have shifted their studies online. Before this, only 19.5% of undergraduate students took an online course.
Undoubtedly, students struggled to get accustomed to having classes, preparing and submitting assignments, and conducting meetups and exams online. But with time, everything fell into its place.
Today online education is more than a necessity— it has become a choice for students, professionals, homemakers, and moms alike.
According to e-learning statistics, students can retain 20% to 60% more information through online education. What other factors promote online education as a viable option besides retention?
You will know about all the reasons in the article below.
Choose to Study the Course of Your Choice
One of the reasons for choosing online education is that you can choose the course of your choice.
Since online education has no geographical boundaries, you can apply to the degree program even if your desired course is offered at university thousands of miles away on a different continent. However, you must meet the admission requirements.
For instance, you want to enroll in a master’s in marketing analytics program offered by a prestigious US university. Will you give up your dream of becoming a creative marketer just because you can’t physically attend the classes? Of course not.
With the availability of distance learning, enrolling in online masters marketing analytics programs is quite possible. You need to go through the admission requirements of your chosen college, and Voila. You are ready to embark on your journey of becoming a professional marketer.
Location Becomes Irrelevant
Gone are the days when you had to cancel all your trips and vacation plans to take classes at the college or university. Online education has made location and geographical boundaries quite irrelevant now.
You can be on the other side of the world enjoying your vacations and still follow your degree’s pace with an online education mode.
Often these programs allow you to listen to recorded lectures at your convenience. So, there is no need to be present during the class either.
In case of any query or ambiguity about the study, you can contact your instructor through email or a messaging app.
Study at Your Own Pace
In the case of physical classes in a university or college, you have to match the pace of the rest of the class. Even if you don’t understand a concept or take more than average time to finish a chapter reading, the rest of the class does not wait for you.
The professors continue to deliver lectures according to their syllabus and timetable. Contrary to this, in online education, you can develop your schedule according to your pace of learning.
Study Alongside Work and Family Responsibilities
Managing your responsibilities or working alongside education can be very challenging. Often, the tussle leads you to drop off either working or the idea of continuing your education.
For many people, this situation is a crossroads. Because of life responsibilities, they cannot quit working or leave their family.
Online education is extremely helpful for people whose work, and life responsibilities bar them from attending classes at a university.
Professionals who have full-time jobs cannot leave their work to continue their education. Similarly, single parents don’t find a chance to continue their education unless they do so through online education. So it won’t be wrong to say that remote learning is helping a larger part of the population to continue their education.
Online Education Is Affordable
Like other services, education is expensive too. Many costs are involved in continuing education, including the mounting tuition fees of university courses. But online mode makes education somewhat affordable.
Many factors support this claim. In online education, you don’t have to bear the transportation or dorm accommodation costs even if your college is in another city or country.
Moreover, there is no need to pay for food either. Education resources are free, as most are often present online in cloud storage and student portals in pdf form. Online education also prevents you from incurring various miscellaneous expenses during on-campus education.
On the part of institutions, online education also saves many of their expenses. They don’t need to spend on physical infrastructure for organizing offline classes, such as procuring projectors, sound systems, seating, etc.
Reduces Stress and Better Performance
In the case of offline classes, you are taking one class after the other. The strenuous routine fatigues your body and mind. When you come home, you are so drained of energy that you can no longer concentrate on anything.
On the contrary, when learning online, you can take intermittent breaks and walk around the house. This exercise reduces stress and increases your focus. Ultimately, your performance improves.
Online Education Is More Effective
Traditional education systems have become obsolete, though they are still used in institutions. It focused on collective education instead of individual assessment.
In this regard, virtual education is revolutionizing the educational landscape. It focuses on individual assessment and learning experience.
Distant learning programs often involve frequent individual assessments, professional coaching and seminars, and course gamification. These interactive and creative learning strategies increase student satisfaction more than physical programs.
Connect With People From Different Parts of the World
Online education is not constricted by physical boundaries, which means that your interactions and networking with students across countries and continents are not restricted.
You can connect, share your academic and non-academic experiences, and learn about each other’s culture, good practices, and many other things.
Similarly, you can learn under the supervision of teachers and supervisors who are industry specialists and are at various levels of their professional careers.
Conclusion
Online mode of education is no longer a necessity; it is becoming a choice, a preference for many people. Its flexibility, boundaryless nature, affordability, and accessibility make it a desirable mode of education for students globally.