Are you thinking about going to college? Are you considering increasing your knowledge in your current degree? Do you want to continue learning in your career field? Do you work full time and think you don’t have time to continue learning? There are a lot of questions to consider when thinking about furthering your education, but the where and how is an easy one! Online education is growing by leaps and bounds as our society is spending more time in the workforce and less time in traditional classrooms.
Online courses are less expensive, easier to attend, and most times offer a wider range of course options. Here are some advantages to taking an online course:
Less Expensive
College can be expensive. It is estimated that the average student loan debt is more than $35,000 after attending a traditional college or university.
Online courses offer a more economical way to earn your degree or further your education. Students only pay for the course and books for online courses as opposed to overhead, faculty, campus amenities and more. In addition, students can take fewer courses over a longer period of time to achieve the same results.
Learn Anywhere
With an online course, students are not tied to a classroom at a specific time on a specific day each week. Students can learn from the convenience of their own homes, a library, or a coffee shop and can ‘attend’ classes any time of day.
The flexibility of online programs is ideal for students who are working or taking care of a family. Students who struggle with learning are able to work at their own pace and review videos and materials to help them advance. Online courses also benefit those students who may struggle with large lecture type classroom settings, as well.
Improve Self-Discipline
It’s true that self-paced learning requires a level of discipline. However, this can be learned throughout your coursework as you manage your time to effectively turn in assignments and complete quizzes and tests by your deadline. In addition, end date extensions can often be granted to those students that need a little more time to complete their assignments.
Online courses offer shy or more reluctant students the opportunity to participate in class discussions via discussion boards more easily than face-to-face classroom sessions. Some students report better concentration in online courses due to the lack of face-to-face activities.
Greater Options
Opportunities for continuing education courses online far outweigh those offered in a classroom. Online courses make way for self-paced learning without the need to hire an instructor or provide classroom space at a school. This opens the doors for a vast amount of course options to be offered online.
This mean that no matter what the student desires to study, from Pharmacy Technician to Project Management, they can find the courses or programs they need online. More and more programs are being added daily to accommodate this growing opportunity.
Work & Study
Rarely does a student fresh from high school take on an online course. The majority of online students are between the ages of 25-35 and are currently in the workforce. Taking online courses at your convenience means the ability to maintain your current job. There are no scheduled classes to work around. Your studies can work around your job.
According to a 2014 survey by Babson Survey Research Group, approximately 33% of college students were online students. That number has grown in the past five years to a striking 6 million online students, as more and more adults balance work and study opportunities.
Career Advancement
Online learning is an important tool to further ones career and gain new skills that enable advancement within an organization. Well-structured courses provide a benefit to employees and employers alike.
Continued education shows ambitiousness to current and prospective employers and a desire to remain informed and prepared for any new challenge faced in the workplace. In some cases, an employer may pay a portion of the tuition for employees to further their education in a field that coincides with their job title.
Online courses are rapidly gaining support from both colleges and employers and the trend is expected to increase. Students entering an online program today will likely find the job market even more welcoming when they complete their course.
For more information on online course options contact ProTrain at (804) 381-5781 or visit us at www.ProTrainEdu.org.