Online education takes place via the internet wherein individuals can learn whichever subjects they want and earn degrees in the same. This can be done from whichever place one wants to learn from through different mediums like computer, laptop or mobile with internet access.
There are fully online degrees, hybrid education, online courses, and MOOCs. Depending on your requirements you can choose whichever type of online education you want.
The method of instruction, coursework, requirements, and technologies varies with each course. A lot of the instructors use LMS which lets them deliver materials and lectures, monitor student progress, add games or other activities to make education innovative.
The learning management software provided by each school or university varies. Most of the institutions provide a different online portal for online education wherein students have to log in and can access their coursework, classes, and assignments and also be involved in discussions.
What is LMS and what can it do?
LMS is the acronym of Learning Management System which is a software program that helps to create content, manage and organize it to courses and programs, deliver the content to the students or audience, enroll students to these courses and helps in assessing and monitoring their performance.
It has two parts- A server that performs the core components like creating, managing and delivering courses, serving data and many more. The other part is the user interface that runs inside your browser as a web portal-like Facebook or Gmail which is used by the instructors, administrators, and students.
LMS is used by various organizations such as businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, both traditional and online.
Technical requirements for students pursuing online education
Technical requirements vary with each program. High-speed internet connection and a computer capable of running the required online learning software are the basic requirements for an online program. Some courses have video-conferencing and online interaction facilities. In such cases, individuals may need webcams and microphones. Though a lot of institutions provide mobile applications, mobile or tablets may not be sufficient.
The technical requirements for most of the institutions are very less. For those students who can’t afford these, a lot of institutions provide laptops or tablets. Students can also apply for financial aid programs such as scholarships, grants, and loans which will help students cover their academic cost if they are eligible.
What all information you should know about your online courses and colleges?
Online courses are accessible and easy to get enrolled in, but there are certain factors an individual should be aware of about their course as well as the institution they’re going to enroll in. Some of them are given below.
1) Accreditation
When it comes to any type of education, accreditation is important. The importance increases when it comes to online education. It proves that you have earned your degree from a quality educational institution. Accredited degrees are very important when it comes to applying for jobs and other higher education degrees. To make sure if a school or college is accredited, you can go visit the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website.
2) Availability of programs
The course you might be looking for may not be offered by all the universities offering online courses and vice versa. In order for you to know all of this, you need to do a lot of research. This can be done by visiting the university website or other websites providing information about schools, colleges and universities, contacting the college via call or email, by going to the college itself if that is possible or by searching on the internet. For example, if you want to know the best online colleges which provide networking programs then you can search for the online networking colleges.
3) Resources provided for education
The educational institutions must provide resources for online students, in the same manner, it provides facilities for traditional students. Some of the resources you should look for are given below.
Library – It is essential for students because they need to study and research about various topics. The ones who are living far away from the college can access the online library and others can access both online and offline library. You need to inquire about these and how to go about it.
Technical support services – You may face difficulty with the software you are using or even with your system or any tech that you are using for that matter. You might need help from your institution regarding the same. You need to inquire about their service time and how you should contact them.
Instructor support – Communicating with your tutor is very important. You need to know how you can contact your tutor and ask doubts or have study-related discussions.
Campus facilities – Since you are part of the college and if you are living nearby the college, then you may want to use the campus facilities like athletics, library, gymnasium and more. For this, you have to know the timings and conditions to access these facilities and resources.
4) Admission Requirements
You can’t just apply to the colleges. You need to have certain qualifications or other requirements in order to get yourself into the college. The requirements vary depending on the institution or the programs you choose. Some of the requirements include the following.
- Proof of your secondary school graduation or college graduation.
- Results of entrance exams for professional courses like medicine, engineering and more.
- Competitive exams score.
- The applicant should pass the minimum GPA requirements of the institution.
- The applicant should have a minimum number of credits which varies with each degree.
5) Financial Aid
Students may require financial assistance for their tuition which may vary for in-state and out of state students. You need to enquire the financial aid programs offered by the college and the eligibility criteria for the same. Also, you may want to know how to be updated with your financial aid status.
Is it worth your time and money?
The main advantage of this type of education is that individuals don’t have to follow the time and schedules for classes like in a traditional college. The timings are flexible and the course can be completed from whichever place the students or teachers prefer. This helps those individuals who have a busy lifestyle like the ones who are working or have families. Since the timings are flexible, the students can study whenever they want, be it during the day or the night which in turn increases the productivity of the individual when it comes to studies.
For example, some courses in education may not always require a student to have on-campus atmosphere or facilities. So, individuals can look for the online education colleges and earn degrees which have value and will help you with your higher education or jobs.
The cost of online education is usually low than traditional education. This is mainly because online education does not require students to live on-campus and spend on the on-campus activities.
