Advantages of Using Online Learning For Getting a Master's Degree

Many individuals who want to obtain master's degrees would usually have full-time or part-time jobs that would prevent them from taking up those degrees because they have to attend formal classes located in the campuses of universities and colleges. In addition,

some of them have to spend time with their families, and they have to perform other priorities so they could not have the time or resources to attend the formal classes of campus-based master's degree programmes. Therefore, many individuals have availed of the online learning approach offered by universities, colleges and other online schools that offer online master's degree programmes.

The professionals, employees and other working individuals would avail of online master's degree programmes because of the advantages or benefits they would obtain in  availing of an online master's degree compared to taking up the usual master's degree that is traditionally offered in a campus-based university or college. The main advantages include the flexibility of the schedule and the cost -effectiveness of the online course.

You could access your course materials and lessons online from the convenience of your home with the use of your home computer, or from any location with the use of an Internet connected laptop computer. An online master's degree is cost-effective because you do not have to spend money on car fuel and the maintenance costs of using your car for the daily commuting from your home to the school campus, or for public transportation fares in taking the bus or train.

However, the prospective master's degree student should first make sure that the university, college or online school offering an online master's degree is accredited to provide online master's degree programmes. An online master's degree programme that is accredited by a recognised accreditation body or organisation would mean that the degree programme has met or fulfilled the applicable academic standards set by the accreditation body. An online master's degree programme that has an educational accreditation also means that the validity of the degree would not be questioned if ever you apply for a job promotion in the company where you are working, or if you would apply for job with another company.

Online Learning Experience: A Tale of Two Students

Many students are of the opinion that taking a college course online has significantly enriched their academic lives because they were able to learn many skills such as navigating the Internet and using online research sources. This has enabled them to learn a lot about their course of study more than they have expected to. An article from http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/overview/reid.html relates the story of two online learning students.

Dee Baxley is an administrative assistant for The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta who has completed just under three years of her General Education degree, which inspires her to acquire more education. An experience in distance education has significantly helped her to manage her time well in balancing her studies, work and personal commitments. She has limited access to educational resources at a local library, which is why Baxley is very happy that online learning allows her access to viable options in terms of educational resources that are sourced worldwide.

Meanwhile, Russell Smith has a career on the rise as a Financial Sales analyst for Pitney Bowles working in the Southeastern Region. He allots much of his time doing trends analysis as well as reporting findings to executive officers and senior management. His educational attainment so far is a General Education major. Someday, he hopes to pursue a business degree. Smith feels strongly for combining Internet technology with educational studies, especially in the case of adults who are undergoing continuing education.

Their experiences are an example of Virtual Online Education, in which students take up credit and non credit courses from remote sites worldwide that can neither be bound by time or physical location. Essentially, this means that students come in contact with their instructors and fellow students in both real and virtual time scenarios. Using only a computer or a similar device with Internet connection and word processing capabilities, a student can send and receive lectures, assignments and educational resources. Knowledge, research and discovery are virtually at the student's fingertips in this setup.

Benefits of Using Electronic Learning for Distance Education

Distance education or also known as distance learning is an educational process of delivering or transferring knowledge to a student who is physically separated from the teacher. The development of computers and the Internet with their easy and affordable access and availability have made electronic learning or e-learning suitable for distance education. Consequently, many students who could not physically attend traditional classrooms have availed of various distance education programmes with the use of the e-learning approach.

If you are planning to take up a short-term course, or an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree on a full-time or part-time basis, but you do not have the time in physically attending classes in a classroom setting, you should consider taking up a distance education program that uses technologies based under the electronic learning approaches or methods. The two types of e-learning  technologies used in delivering distance education – the synchronous and the asynchronous.

The synchronous learning technology is the method of delivery in which the students should be present at the same time during the learning process, but they are not physically present at the same location. The synchronous technologies include educational television and instructional television, direct-broadcast satellite, Internet radio, web conferencing, video conferencing, telephone, and web-based voice-over-Internet-protocol.

The asynchronous learning technology is the method of delivery in which the students would access their educational materials on their own schedules so that they are not required to be present at the same time. The asynchronous  technologies include Internet forum or message board, audio and video recordings, electronic mail, voice mail, and facsimile.

The benefits of using the e-learning approach for distance education includes the student does not have to attend physically the classroom so that he could save money from transportation fares or car fuel costs, the flexible schedules offered by electronic or online classes, and having more time to spend for other personal activities.

Online Learning: Guidelines in Choosing an Online School

I was already working for two years in an advertising and marketing company when I decided to take up a Master of Business Administration degree because I believe that having a master's degree would offer me opportunities for job growth, career advancement and a possibility of a higher salary. But I could not give up my full-time job in the company where I worked because it was my only source of income in supporting my plan to get a master's degree. Then, some of my co-workers told me about the electronic learning or online learning programs offered by online schools.

I learned that electronic learning or also known as e-learning is the learning and teaching that uses electronic forms for delivering the education to the students. Electronic learning could be carried out either inside a school-based classroom that uses electronic methods for educating the students, or the teaching and learning for students who are not physically present in a classroom. Since I wanted to retain my full-time job and still pursue my master's degree, I decided that using the online learning approach of distance learning in which I do not have to attend a traditional classroom and  not quit my current job because I would be able to take online classes and examinations.

But before I selected a specific online university or college, I read materials from the Internet on how to choose a reliable online school. From my readings, I learned that you should choose an online learning program that fits your goals or objectives for the course you want and if it would contribute to your future career plans. Moreover, the online course should also accommodate your current work schedule and other regular professional or personal activities.

Another important guideline I learned is that the online school you would choose should be accredited by a recognized accrediting agency or organization. There are various regional accreditation agencies that accredit schools, universities and colleges in particular regions in the country, or national accrediting bodies that accredit schools nationwide, or professional organizations that accredit specific academic programs. Accreditation of an online course is regarded by employers as a sign that you obtained quality education.

College Life: 21st Generation

You probably know that you have to work toward a degree or post-college through the Internet. Maybe you attended online classes to continue their education, certification, or to improve the chances of promotion at work.

More and more people are discovering that they can get your degree from an accredited online university that offers a challenge and quality of a traditional classroom in an environment that allows them to adjust education to a life that may be too busy to conventional methods teaching.

According to recent government study, about 127,400 of the distance education courses are offered in 2001'02, and there are about 3.1 million enrollments in distance education. More than half of all higher education institutions offering distance education and another 12 percent planned to offer distance education in the next three years.

Distance education is defined as education or training courses at a distance (off campus) sites via audio, video or computer science. Golf only on campus, and classes conducted exclusively via written correspondence, is not included in the definition of the distance.

It is increasingly clear that technology has expanded the ability of students to participate in postsecondary education. Almost all types of students can benefit from some form of online education. Besides the rapid proliferation of new courses and programs, colleges and universities are leveraging the Internet to improve the admissions process and give potential students the opportunity to apply online.

Online education allows you to learn not to cause a big change in your life. You can access the class online using any Internet connection, anytime, virtually anywhere. In this round the clock access allows you to download assignments, read and participate in class discussion, faculty feedback, review and more, all at convenient times for the professional and personal schedule. Many students find this flexibility, not to sacrifice quality, helps to keep them on track toward your goals more easily than the rigid programming environment of a traditional studio.

There is also evidence that some of the students participating in higher education in your home or workplace is not otherwise enroll in postsecondary education. So it seems that technology is opening new markets for potential students, without significantly reducing the number of students who enroll in traditional schools and universities, many of them also offer technology-mediated distance education.

Distance learning is also happy with their experience of online learning in general. A large-scale national study of pupil participation in distance education addressed student satisfaction of distance education classes and, when asked how satisfied they are with their distance education classes in relation to their regular class Most undergraduate and graduate are at least as satisfied or more satisfied with the quality of teaching in distance education classes compared to their regular classes.

Maybe it's time to focus on more fundamental question of how students learn, regardless of the delivery system. Through distance learning technology is changing so rapidly that it is difficult for experts to establish educational standards that meet the current situation and future possibilities of the online learning experience.

Because experimental studies comparing distance education courses based on campus courses are based on the premise that campus-based course in pattern "of gold that may be questionable, you can leave the study is advisable. Addressing emerged about how students learn and focuses on the evaluation results will be more productive.

Many organizations in developing standards and guidelines to ensure the quality of distance education, including the Southern Regional Electronic Campus, the National Education Association and the Western Cooperative Educational Telecommunications. These guidelines cover areas such as course development, evaluation and assessment, support faculty, and institutional support. Among the benchmarks, interactivity'between students and teachers, students and alumni and students information'is the most important element for the effectiveness of distance education.

Clearly, online learning and distance education is here to stay. The benefits are compelling, especially those who managed to complete their education or adding a much needed certification to their credentials through an online educational experience.

Pros and Cons of E-Learning for Students

Advances in technology has also affected the field of education. Traditional forms of learning needed by both students and teachers only included such items as printed materials, a place where lecture can be conducted, writing instruments and paper. However, the advent of computers and the Internet has given rise to E-learning, in which electronic devices aid in learning and teaching. Although many have embraced this change, there are also educators and parents who feel that technology is not entirely helpful. This blog is dedicated to a discussion of the benefits and limitations, benefits and disadvantages of E-learning.

Below are the advantages of E-learning that will be discussed in this blog:

• Students can have the freedom to choose learning material that corresponds to their level of knowledge and interest
• Students can still conduct discussions with their teachers and fellow students even when they are separated by distance
• Structured learning modules allow students to study and learn at their own pace
• Flexibility to send and receive files from teachers and fellow students even when the parties are not physically present
• The skills learned by students in using computers and the Internet can also be used in other facets of their lives
• Successful completion of computer-based courses builds the student's self-knowledge and self-confidence

On the other hand, these are the disadvantages of E-learning that this blog will discuss:

• Students who are not that motivated to study or have poor study habits will likely fall behind
• Students may feel isolated because no face-to-face social interaction is taking place
• Glitches in the equipment used or unreliable Internet connection can slow down or hinder the learning process
• Programs and modules designed for a group of students may not be able to factor in the pace of learning and learning curve of each individual
• Some traditional hands-on courses are difficult to simulate

Online Learning for Students

I am a college student who has been convinced of the benefits of using and expanding the use of electronic or online learning for students, especially for the ones who hold full-time or part-time jobs just like me. Online learning or electronic learning uses methods for learning and teaching in electronic form. A major approach in online learning is virtual interaction education, which is instruction in a learning environment in which the teacher is providing contents of the course or lessons by using electronic methods in either asynchronous and synchronous technologies.

The synchronous technology is when the teacher and student are present at the same time and consist of web conferencing, video conferencing, direct-broadcast satellite, Internet radio, live streaming, telephone, and web-based Voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP).

The asynchronous technology does not require the teacher and student to be simultaneously present since the student could access his course content on his own schedule. This technology consists of e-mail, Internet forums, audio and video recordings, facsimile, and voice mail.

Benefits of Virtual Interaction Education

I have already started with some of my electronic classes under the virtual interaction education approach and I could really say that this online learning approach holds so much potential and offers many benefits for students. Accessing course materials on my own schedule and studying the online lessons at my own pace is the major advantages of virtual education. A course that uses the asynchronous technology is equivalent to a virtual classroom with a virtual teacher. I could communicate with my teacher in real time and get immediate feedback on the assignments and examinations that I submit online.