Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Is Online Education A Better Option Than Classroom Learning?

Today, technology has joined hands with education. The concept of conventional learning in classrooms for long hours is gradually losing its importance with the initiation of technologies that has made students and career professionals pursue higher studies right from their very own homes. However, distance learning is not something that emerged lately. In fact, it has been three to four decades when online education spread to different corners of the world. Today, the majority of schools and colleges offer distance courses on almost every subject to people from all walks of life.
Debates have always come up between online and full-time courses. Several academicians have opined that online courses cannot be so effective in providing quality education to students. Full-time or traditional courses on the other hand have been considered ideal for making students and working professionals gain knowledge to the fullest. Well, it's not true.
The primary base for online education is the internet which is the biggest source of gaining knowledge. Students pursuing an online course gets the opportunity to browse numerous websites and gather information on diverse subjects. Moreover, degrees earned through distance learning are always accredited. Working professionals today prefer to opt for distance learning courses in order to balance work and career. This has popularized the distance MBA programs among the working professionals who can now work for almost the entire day and thereafter take his course lessons from home.
Moreover, distance learning courses are always cheaper than the full-time ones. There are no costs for travelling and neither a single penny for tuition. The amount you are required to pay is only for the course which you need to pursue online. In fact, you can download the study materials then and there instead of spending loads of cash for buying books.
Today, the majority of institutions and universities offering MBA courses use several technological strategies to make students grasp their lessons with ease and perfection. Teachers make use of social media sites, virtual classes, chat discussion forums and audio-video presentations for conducting classes. These are the most effective teaching procedures in comparison to those used by teachers in traditional schools and colleges.
Social networking has brought stunning impacts on the career professionals in today's world. Students now prefer to create profiles in social networking sites and study by interacting with teachers and others. As days are passing, the importance of social networking is rising. In fact, this might emerge to be the most successful tool for fulfilling career goals of students as well as working professionals in the near future.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

How Online Correspondence Courses Are Changing the Face of Education

Correspondence courses are a great option for anyone who wants to take classes at their own pace. Going back to school can be difficult when you are an adult. Many people who have not finished their schooling wish they could go back, but there is always something standing in their way. College schedules do not leave enough time for work or family commitments. After years in the workforce, many adults feel out of place in a traditional classroom. Correspondence and online courses, however, can open up new worlds of opportunity for adults who want to continue their education. Because correspondence students work from home, they are able to schedule their schoolwork around their other commitments. Because they can work at their own speed, they can match their pace to their learning curve, giving themselves time to get back into an educational mindset.
The Advantages of Online Education
Online education and correspondence courses have come a long way over the last decade. Advances in communication technology have increased the interaction between students and teachers and have even allowed students to participate in forum discussions with each other. Email, instant messaging and online video chat can be used make the online classroom much more interactive and dynamic. Students can gain all of the advantages of one-on-one interaction, while still being able to work at their own pace, from the comfort of their own home.
Many students first considering correspondence courses are unsure if they can study their desired field online. Many trades are traditionally taught through hands on study that cannot be replicated on the computer. Most of these trades, however, also require students to study a theoretical component. Many online schools offer classes that cover the theoretical part of hands on education. This means that students can complete all of their coursework online before taking their practical classes at a local trade school or community college. That said, there are many courses that can be fully taught online and most students can complete their schooling without ever having to take a traditional class.
What Classes are Offered Online?
The range of correspondence courses offered by online colleges is nearly as great as the range of courses offered by traditional schools. High school diploma courses are some of the most popular courses offered by correspondence schools. Many employers will not even consider hiring someone without a high school diploma, and successfully earning this diploma can open up hundreds of new job opportunities. Other popular courses include such diverse fields as hotel and restaurant management, writing children's books, medical office assisting, wildlife conservation and floral design, among many others. Chances are that if you are considering a career change, the courses you need will be found online.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Benefits of Online Distance Learning for Non-Profit Professionals

Non-profit professionals need access to some sort of training or classes to sharpen their skill-set and continually improve upon their professional competence. Many non-profit organizations regularly arrange classes or training sessions to educate their employees to enhance their effective management of various events and its guests. However, it is not always possible for non-profit volunteers to participate in workshops or classes physical constraints like long distance travelling, lodging, and time. In such circumstances, organizing an online distance class/workshop proves to be highly beneficial.
Creating online classes is extremely easy - you just need to get hold of a Cloud-based class management software to start imparting education over the internet. Anyone, any time can attend your non-profit educational classes since it doesn't require you to travel or lodge away from your home. .
Some other key benefits of organizing a distance learning course are as follows:
Preparing & Conducting Classes Online
You can easily start taking classes via a variety of online Learning Management Systems (Moodle, Sakai, etc.). These online Learning Management Systems can be accessed free of charge. It lets you conduct one or multiple classes or training programs, easily and quickly.
Simplify the Registration Process
People can get bored with a lengthy, time-consuming registration process. Converting to an online registration system lets people complete the sign up process in relatively no time. Non-profit professionals can access the registration site, 24x7 via their PC to fill up and submit the completed the form instantly, without any time delay.
Accept Payments Online
It becomes a hassle free procedure for people to pay their registration fees online rather than visit in person to submit the same. A number of online payment solutions are available in the marketplace that you can integrate with your training events website. This will allow prospective participants to send money via their credit cards, PayPal, wire transfers, and so on. Cloud-based payment solutions are easy to manage and require no additional person to handle the same.
Enables Increased Interaction
Online classes offer a great scope for busy volunteer management professionals to connect, interact, and discuss vital issues in a common platform. The Learning Management Systems come with the option of creating an online forum wherein the members can talk amongst themselves to share practical knowledge and learn from others. Online forum s are excellent platforms to bring together diverse people from multiple locations under one roof to chat and discuss several volunteer related issues and other resources directly relevant to the real-world challenges faced by non-profit professionals.