Sunday, May 27, 2012

Educational Courses Offered Online

Due to ever-changing technology and consumer demand online education has become more and more popular over the years. Technology allows students to have access to their coursework, professors, and peers at anytime during the day. As long as someone has internet access and a computer they can take an online course. There are many types of online education. Colleges and Universities are the forefront of course. But many industries require their professionals to complete continuing education as well. There are many advantages to taking online classes as opposed to attending class in a lecture setting. Online courses are more flexible, typically less expensive, and less hassle then going to a classroom setting. Most online courses are at your own pace with no specific log in times. This is very important for working professionals. They want to log in and out at their leisure. Or, if they need to do their assignments in the middle of the night they are able to do so. Since there is little overhead when offering online classes, they are usually less expensive. The great thing is, the content of the courses do not change. So the student learns the same information at a cheaper price. But, one of the biggest benefits of learning online is less hassle. You do not have to drive anywhere. You do not have to worry about parking and walking to the class. And finally, you do not have to worry about not having a seat in the classroom!

In many online classes you can expect to do the same type of assignments as if you were sitting in a lecture hall listening to a professor. If you were attending class you would expect case studies, papers, quizzes and group work. This is very much the same in online courses.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Popular Challenges Faced by Online Students

While online colleges offer a myriad of benefits, such as being able to study on your own time, remotely, and while working, there are a few drawbacks that many online students face. The most common problems are presented below, along with solutions to counteract them.

1. Procrastination- As online college students are expected to be self-starters, procrastination, a problem that affects many of us, can get in the way of reading materials, or handing in assignments on time.

Solution: Counteract this with discipline. The easiest way to exercise this skill is with a plan.

2. Lack of Solution Supervision- No one will be breathing down your neck, per se, to get things done. Online lecturers will likely schedule assignments, timelines and course materials to exercise. Conforming to this schedule is entirely up to you.

Solution: As mentioned earlier, a plan of action turns daydreams into reality - one step at a time. By assigning portions of assignments and studying daily, you will avoid last-minute panic.