 Online learning is here to stay, and I don’t see how online learning will die. Everywhere you go, there are advertisements for online education courses and degrees. Technology advancements and internet access provide individuals with the ability to complete all of their higher education through online programs from bachelors to masters to doctoral degrees. No matter how much instructors do to make face to face courses, interactive learners enjoy the flexibility and convenience of online learning. Let me explain why online learning will not die anytime soon. The future is written Whenever I board a plane and grab the airline magazine, guess what advertisement I see? Online education degrees and executive programs providing flexible schedules and on-demand courses. Flexibility is what everyone wants. Flexibility to get to work, to get groceries, to be with their kids, so why not education. Online learning provides individuals with the opportunity to be flexible with their education. Education is already onboard Universities are quickly jumping on the online learning bandwagon. There isn’t a university out there that doesn’t have some type of online education program or courses available. Online education brings in additional revenue from not just local students but also students abroad. Given the demands on learner’s time and need to graduate at a faster pace, online learning is the present and future of education. Technology is advanced that no learner has to walk into a classroom. The bandwidth is good enough to have online video interaction either through asynchronous or synchronous. If you have not registered for an online course, then you’re missing out on the flexibility and instant access to education. Are you ready for the future of online learning? Dr. J Real TalkLearning and Development Specialist. Discussing business, ed tech, and life. Follow me on social media @DrJRealTalk
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 Online learning is the umbrella under which other names such as e-learning, mobile learning, blended learning, and online education fall together where the main component of all of them is technology. If there is no technology, there is no such thing as online learning. The advancement of online learning provides higher education and K-12 institutions online courses where students now have the option to not set foot into a physical school or campus. In this post, I provide three concepts on how to explain online learning to your mom. The Brief History One could argue that online learning started over a hundred years ago when the universities would mail their lessons to students, and students would mail their completed assignments back to the university. In 1960 the University of Illinois created an intranet system for its students that linked terminals to its students for access to course materials. In 1986 when the Electronic University Network created its first online course and in 2002, the OpenCourseWare Project from Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT) provided free courses and lecture material free of charge in what is now called Open Education Resources. Fast forward to the 21st century, and students know to turn on a computer and have immediate access to an online course, and instructors can teach without having to step inside the classroom. How Online Learning Works Online courses are available through learning management systems (LMS), both of which are under the umbrella of online learning. LMS is a software application that allows instructors to deliver, track, report, and administer online courses. Popular LMS software includes Blackboard, Moodle, Blackboard of which many university institutions and K-12 institutions use for their classroom purposes. Once courses are posted on an LMS, students have access to the online course content and communication between the instructor and classmates. Benefits of online learning Online learning provides tremendous benefits, including lower-costs, flexible schedule, comfort, and learn whatever you want from where you want. When students take face to face courses, they have to set their schedules around the course because they must be physically present. An online course provides students with the flexibility to take the course at their leisure from the comfort of their own home. The savings cost of an online course compared to a face to face course depends on the institution, but you do save on gas and mileage. Online learning is not difficult to learn once you know the background. When it comes down to it, online learning is growing, provides students the flexibility to choose their schedule, and provides institutions the ability to reach more students. Ask your mom if she now understands online learning? To learn more about online learning check out the course from Learngenix. Dr. J Real TalkLearning and Development Specialist. Discussing business, ed tech, and life. Follow me on social media @DrJRealTalk |