Online Education

Product Description
In 1996 the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign began an Internet-based teaching program, allowing students across the United States-and the world-to earn a Master’s degree from a distance. The program, known as LEEP (Library Education Experimental Project), has been an outstanding success, and as an early innovation in Internet use, provides important lessons on how to flourish in an online environmen… More >>

Learning, Culture and Community in Online Education: Research And Practice

Product Description
The rush to transition education from the traditional face-to-face to an online or hybrid environment increases each year. Universities realize online education is crucial to the future survival and expansion of their educational programs. Herein we discuss the infrastructure support that is vital to the foundation of a durable online program. The essentials include faculty training and mentoring, a campus network, secure access, data storage, fast and effi… More >>

Developing and Sustaining Online Education: An Administrator’s Guide to Designing an Online Teaching Program

Online education programs are becoming increasing popular among employers. Many companies are likely to give support to their employees who are interested in pursuing a degree or further education through online education programs. Some companies even give scholarships or grants specially dedicated for their employees who enroll into online education programs. Why many employers like online education programs and encourage their employees to pursue their degree online if they are interested to enrich their knowledge with a degree?

Traditionally, if an employee want to further his study, he needs to either quit his job or takes a long unpaid leave in order to go back to school for a degree. If this is the case, employer will need to hire a new staff to replace the leaving employee or he need to find a temporary replacement if the employee is taking a long unpaid leave. It’s inconvenient for the employers if many of their employees want to quit their job and go back to school to get a further degree for their career advancement. Employers definitely do not want to let their experience staffs to leave and keep hiring new staffs and re-train for the vacant positions.

Online education programs have provided a perfect solution to employers. Employees who like to further their study are encouraged to pursue their degree online. Employees who are taking online degree programs will be able to continue their job and their current living style while effectively manage their time for the online courses so that it won’t crash with their working schedule. Flexible, self-pace and study from anywhere and anytime are the key advantages that will benefits both the working individuals and employers. For job that need a lot of traveling, online education program fits in perfectly. It allows the online students to attend the online classes from home or while traveling.

Strong educational background that equip with the required skills in the related field will enable the employees to perform their jobs flawlessly. Now, employers can encourage their employees to earn a job related degree to gain more knowledge on their working field and be prepared for more challenging tasks. IBM, one of bigger corporate players is continuously encourage their employees especially managers and senior management team to pursue their MBA through distance learning programs. IBM commented that they needs a wide range of qualified managers at all level and that online education approach is the only one that is feasible in terms of cost, time and numbers.

Many companies do allocate scholarships and grants for their employees who are interested to further their study. Among these scholarships, some are dedicated specially for online students. Fund allocations for employees who study online are increasing showing more employers are encouraging online education to their employees.

Summary

More and more employers are encouraging their employees who like to further study to pursue their degree through online education programs. Employers like online education program because it provides a perfect solution for employers to allow their employee to enrich their knowledge in their job related field while retain their employees at their company.