Online Education

Although there are many advantages of an online education, there are also some disadvantages. The fact that you are working on your own could very well be one of the major disadvantages of taking online educational classes.

Consider the busy lifestyle of most people. Between work and family responsibilities, the average person has little time to dedicate to outside pursuits even when those pursuits could mean a better job, more money and better benefits. Simply finding the time to attend regular classes may be impossible so an online education becomes a viable option. But the same reason that online education is a great option – lack of time – is the very reason that online education is often difficult.

When you’re attending a traditional class, you go to school at a prearranged times. You are expected to be in class and you are forced to keep up with your instructor’s assignment schedule or risk failing the course. With an online education, there is probably no one checking your progress on a regular basis. You may be given some guidance along the way, but you and you alone are usually responsible for working your way through the course. Since you can work at your own pace, some people find themselves putting the work off until they don’t have enough time to finish the requirements.

If there are no time requirements, the opportunities to put off working on the material is even greater. You can literally go for weeks or months (or even years) without finishing the material to get credit for the course. You’ve paid for the opportunity to learn, but a lack of motivation is often the downfall of those who seek out online education.

Another major disadvantage is the lack of interaction. You aren’t in a classroom and don’t have the opportunity to hear questions and discussion from other students. This isn’t always an issue, depending on the subject of the online education course you are taking, but it could be an important factor in deciding whether an online education is the best option when seeking out opportunities for learning new skills or gaining new training.

About the author: Matt Norman is the founder of Easy Distance Learning a website providing information on learning online

Distance Learning – Post Graduate Online Education Degrees

According to the Survey of Earned Doctorates, Visit Here http://special-online-education.blogspot.com

as of 2004 there was a 3.4 percent increase in doctorate degrees awarded in the United States. In June, 2004, a total of 41,155 research doctorate degrees were earned by postgraduate students. The recent increase in doctorate degrees awarded after a decade of decline can be partially attributed to the convenience of distance learning postgraduate online education degrees.

Postgraduate degree programs offer students an opportunity to explore a subject to attain the highest levels of proficiency in that area of study. Courses can be based upon a curriculum or independent study and research. A recent study released by both Penn State University Outreach Marketing and Communications and University Continuing Education Association revealed that distance learning is anticipated to grow ten times quicker than on-campus education over the next ten years. Further, about 45 percent of college enrollment are adult students who frequently prefer distance learning opportunities to classes on campus. Sun Chairman Scott McNealy states, “Technology has to play a huge role in education. (It’s) changed commerce…publishing…banking. It’s got to change education big time.”

Distance learning postgraduate online education degrees afford busy students the opportunity to earn doctorate degrees at their convenience, without having travel to and attend traditional classes. By the time students intend to pursue distance learning postgraduate online education degrees, they are usually computer literate, self-motivated and able to manage their time properly. These are all essential elements to success in virtual classrooms. The two basic types of postgraduate degrees students may earn are professional doctorates or research doctorates.

Professional doctorates. The United States requires terminal professional doctorate degrees to perform in certain fields, such as dentistry, medicine, law, chiropractics, occupational therapy and psychology. Prior to entering these professional doctorate programs, students are required to complete a bachelors degree, preferably in a related field. Professional doctorate degrees, such as J.D. and M.D., usually do not require students to complete a thesis, although some do require an original research paper to be submitted. Doctorate degrees usually take three years to complete after postsecondary education, although distance learning postgraduate online education degrees may be earned more quickly. Because online education courses are often geared for the busy adult learner, students can progress at their own pace.

Research doctorates. The research doctorate that is most commonly earned is a Ph.D. The time is takes to complete research doctorate degree programs can vary quite a bit, depending on course pursued. It is common for students to take two to three years to complete coursework and three or more years to conduct pertinent research. The benefit of a Ph.D. is that a holder is qualified to pursue an academic career as an expert in their field. Distance learning research doctorate degrees are conveniently pursued online and can be easily worked around professional schedules.

Honorary doctorates. These degrees may be awarded for substantial contributions to a field and are not necessarily academic.

Financial Aid. Federal financial aid and loan programs may be applied to distance learning postgraduate online education degrees. Employers may offer tuition reimbursement for coursework. Private loans may also be secured to pay for higher education. Students have several options available that can help them finance their doctorates.

Thesis. Some postgraduate doctorate degrees require students to write a thesis. The learner defines their own area of research and takes years to write a detailed paper, which may be made available as pertinent information to other students in the field.

Coursework. Distance learning postgraduate online education degree programs offer students ongoing guidance through coursework, email, virtual lectures and online discussions. Students are, however, expected to work independently and use a variety of research resources to complete their course requirements.

Online Students. A recent national study entitled Degrees of Opportunity revealed some interesting facts about online students. Eighty-nine percent of those surveyed felt that the benefits derived from higher education are equal to or even greater than the money, time and effort involved. Lyungai Mbilinyi, Ph.D and author of this report, stated, “Eighty-one percent associated higher education with a sense of personal accomplishment and seventy-eight percent believed education would better develop their talents or pursue their interests. Despite the assortment of obstacles many adults face when considering a return to school, the overwhelming majority believe the resulting benefits have made it worthwhile.” Finally, eighty-four percent of enrollments in higher education programs are non-traditional students such as distance learners and adults with jobs. Students who participate in distance learning postgraduate online degree programs are not only seeking better positions, but the increased knowledge and self-esteem that comes with an advanced education.Visit Here http://special-online-education.blogspot.com

Online Education has been around for a several years and has
been the target of many skeptics. Many skeptics feel that there
is not enough interaction with the teachers and other students
to make a virtual campus as educational as a traditional campus.
They also feel that the material is not as educational. While
this is dying out as a topic on the critics list, because they
are being proven wrong, I felt this was pretty interesting. I
have attended both types of universities, online and
traditional. I have to disagree with all of the skeptics
statements.

I personally attended a traditional campus throughout my
freshman year. During this time, I don’t think I spoke to ten
students and I was never able to contact my teachers. After
sitting through a two hours lecture that they called class, I
usually was so brain dead from trying to soak up all of the
information or too tired to think of questions that I had. So, I
would go home ponder on the lecture and come up with questions.
At this point it was too late to ask them. How does this benefit
anyone? I don’t think it does.

However, when I began to obtaining my online education as a
sophomore, I found there was so much more interaction. I could
e-mail my teachers and get a response from them usually within
twenty four hours. I also found that I was not embarrassed to
ask any questions. As a student, I often wondered if my
questions were stupid or ridiculous. I was always afraid to ask,
for fear that I would get laughed at by other students or that
the teacher would look at me and say, “Duh.” Which never
happened, but it was always in the back of my mind. I have had
discussion through chat sessions, e-mails, and phone
conversation with hundreds of other students throughout my
sophomore year. I personally have enjoyed the experience so much
that I have decided to continue my online education and obtain a
four-year degree.

The material that has been covered in my online education
institute has been as challenging, if not more so, than when I
attended a traditional university. I have had a large increase
in my GPA as an online student. This is mostly due to the fact
that I can review the material as many times as I want and add
to the material whenever I want. In my freshman year at a
traditional university, I spent many hours sitting in a
classroom listening to lectures. After I left the lecture, I had
several questions, as I stated above, which never got answered.
The other problem was that the teachers speak very quickly and
it is almost impossible to catch every point that they make. The
next time I would go to the class, the teacher would have a pop
quiz or a test on the lecture. I did not score very high on
these.

After I thought about my personal experiences with online
versus traditional education experiences, I began to wonder how
others felt that had been in both atmospheres. I began looking
at forums and talking with other students at my online
university. There are hundreds of students that feel they are
getting a better education at an online university than they
were at a traditional university. But I guess the critics have
to have something to talk about.

Online education is not easy. It takes a lot of self-discipline
and responsibility, but it does work. My personal experiences
are proof that you can get a decent online education. Is it for
everyone? No, there are many people out there that need to have
the classroom atmosphere for different reasons. Traditional
classrooms offer a motivated work environment instructed by an
educator. Some people need that in order to complete their
degree program. They need to have someone motivate them. They
need to have a teacher tell them that there assignment is due on
a daily basis or weekly basis. That is not a bad thing. But,
that doesn’t mean that online education is any worse or better
than a traditional classroom either.

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