28 November 2013

Online Education Attaining Importance on a Global Scale

Do you know that online certificate programmes are gaining immense popularity owing to the rising demand of skilled professionals in top-notch organisations? Since employers are now looking for candidates possessing time management skills as well as the ability to work independently, pursuing online courses has emerged to be a priority for new age learners.

Supporting this viewpoint, the associate dean of academics of Northwestern University, Joel Shapiro said that online certificates are currently proving valuable in the world of education. Online certificates are “part of the unbundling of education that is happening now”, he said.

Shapiro further said that although people have been talking more about the Massive Open Online Courses, certificates obtained through online education are also an integral part of this new learning trend. In fact, students who proceed to enroll in online courses usually do not have stringent entry qualifications and this helps one to easily enroll in an online course under a recognized university from any corner of the world.


Keyboard: Stockvault

Jim Fong who is the director of the Center for Research and Consulting said that a good number of individuals today have been found to make use of their certificate course work towards earning a master’s degree. In fact, today’s university deans say that online courses can help students to:

-       -Enhance their knowledge

-       -Master a specific skill

-       -Build advanced industry practices

-       -Meet requirements for a graduation programme

New learning experiences for online students

The temporary dean of Metropolitan College, Tanya Zlateva, said that it would be best if community colleges can provide training for online courses. This would instead be “a quicker fix for the changing workforce”. On the other hand, MOOCs have attained global popularity and has consequently raised awareness of online courses. The amazing combination of graphics, music and movies is making online course pursuers gather rich learning experiences unlike what can never be achieved in brick and mortar classrooms.

Apart from these, what has been found is that new age learners are getting too keen to know about the key benefits of pursuing a course online. 

So, here are 4 big benefits that are sure to make you a successful online learner. Have a look:

1.    Managing time & money – Online courses are designed in such a manner that one can sustain equilibrium between his/her work and study hours. In fact, online learning providers not only give students the opportunity to take their own pace in completing the course curriculum but online learners also enjoy the liberty to study from anywhere they wish. As a result, they save both time and money.

2.    Learning unique ways to learn – What’s best about studying online is that it doesn’t typically involve books. Instead, online students grab the opportunity to make use of new learning tools, gadgets and software applications that help them learn with more pleasure. Besides, they keep interacting with their instructors and campus students through online discussion forums which rather help in sharpening their communication skills.

3.    Thinking critically and developing interest – One of the biggest reasons behind the global popularity of online courses is that they are created with the intention to make students think critically. This is why online learners develop interests in preparing their lessons and even remember them without difficulty.

4.    Staying energised and motivated – To become an efficient online learner, you must be self-disciplined. In fact, this would surely help you remain motivated towards your lessons. Individuals after returning home from long hours of work will not find it monotonous to attend online lectures through pre-recorded videos provided by their online learning institution. Remember, an online learner can never succeed without having self-dedication.

So, if you have plans to complete higher studies, whereas you are working for long hours, there is nothing to worry. Just look for an accredited university offering online courses, explore the website of your concerned institution to the fullest, research well on their course offerings as well as fee structures, and then proceed to enrol in your desired course. 

Well, good news is that employers are accepting accredited online university degrees and therefore you can proceed with confidence to complete your higher studies online. All the best!!




Author’s bio:
The author Emily Parker not only calls herself an educationist but she also takes pleasure in writing blogs and articles on various topics in regard to education. In one of her articles, she has focused on how online education has achieved worldwide importance and why employers are accepting online certificates. To know more, you can always connect with her through social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

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