ONLINE EDUCATION

Online education also known as ‘online learning’ or ‘distance education’ is like an angel sent from heaven in these times of economic meltdown. In such times, higher education is indispensable. But there is a catch. No good things in life are free. And certainly not education. But online education scores an advantage over conventional regular courses over many points. These are:

· Affordability - This is the biggest advantage of online courses especially for higher education where seats in university are limited and affordable to only a section of people.

· Convenience – If you are a blue- collar job and your boss is a pain in the neck, part time courses are out of question. Or if you have family responsibilities like children, parents, or other full-time course, online education is a one-stop solution for you.

· Time saving – A lot of time is saved and you can study and research taking your on sweet time.

· Opportunities for discussion- You get plenty of opportunities to interact with other students and experts. This gives a chance to know about various people’s perspectives on same subject and improves are spectrum of knowledge.

· Helps develop skills- Online education helps develop and hone our technical, professional and working skills. We also are updated about newest trends and styles in our fields.

· Interesting and interactive- For those who detest lectures, assignments and teachers. In short such courses are tailor –made for the notorious ‘back-benchers’.

These were the advantages. It is mandatory to mention some limitations:

· Limited personal interaction- As opposed to traditional courses, online learning offers little if any personal or face-to-face interaction with experts, faculties or teachers. Thus for people who prefer face-to-face interaction should steer away from such courses.

· Credibility- The credibility of such courses is less in comparison to regular courses. More often than not, regular courses are preferred to online ones.

· Authenticity- Some of the courses, departments or schools are not standard or in other words are not approved and accredited by CHEA, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or the USDE, United States Department of Education. So it is important to be cautious before signing up for any such course.