The Educational Revolution: Online College
Degrees
We are living in a time that should go down in history as the
beginning of the Educational Revolution. You probably remember
studying about the industrial revolution in school. Great
industrial and mechanical advances forever changed the way we live.
The educational revolution should have the same kind of a large
scale impact on society. What exactly is the educational
revolution? The shortest answer is "distance learning". You may
call it E-learning, web based learning, Internet learning or any
number of various descriptive terms.
What it amounts to is attending school on the Internet.
Mainstream colleges and universities are rushing to create online
degree programs at a breathtaking rate. These distance learning
programs allow busy people to obtain a college education without
physically attending school. The college course work can be
completed on almost any Internet connected computer.
This trend is most certainly going to continue. It is more cost
effective for the colleges, universities and trade schools to
operate online learning programs. It should therefore be more
affordable for students to attend distance programs than it would
be to travel back and forth to a college campus.
It is extremely convenient for the student. You can attend or
complete your college course work almost any time you wish, 7 days
a week - 24 hours a day. If you suddenly feel the urge to get up at
3am and "attend" college in your underwear, you now have that
option. In our busy world, people have to divide their time between
work and family, as well as many other obligations or
interests.
In the past, there may have been little or no time for busy
people to attend college. Now, they set their own schedule. They
don't have to leave their family. A single mother or father could
complete their degree while staying home with the children. Those
with physical limitations can now attend college without the normal
obstacles they might otherwise encounter.
If your employer approves, you might complete some of your
college studies while at work. Many employers are now offering
tuition benefits to employees to help them earn or finish their
college degree online. Companies can attract, create and maintain a
more educated workforce by helping cover these costs. You should
ask your employer if they offer or would consider offering tuition
benefits.
This technology is still in its infancy. The Internet itself is
a relatively young technology. The advances that will be made in
the coming years are sure to be nothing short of amazing. Virtually
all forms of media and communication might someday be assimilated
into the Internet. Television, radio, telephone and many various
forms of communication may well evolve into a single entity.
Colleges and universities have been leading the way to make wide
use of this technology. Many trade and career schools have also
started to adopt distance learning. Eventually, K-12 schools will
also take full advantage of online learning. Doctors and hospitals
are also starting to develop and use similar methods to assist with
diagnosis and patient care.
Many of us may live to see the day when classroom images and
sounds are "Beamed, 3-D style" directly into our homes. We may see,
hear and interact "virtually" with our teachers and fellow
students. The same might be applied to our work situations. There
may come a time when you go to work "virtually". Perhaps we will
even go to the doctor "virtually".
But, it is education that lends itself most easily to this kind
of technology. Therefore, it will be the first industry to develop
and make full use of it. The possibilities are truly exciting. This
will bring higher education to the masses. Distance learning has
not quite advanced to the "3-D" level at this point in time. But,
you can complete your college degree or career training on the
Internet Now. It is happening every day. It is becoming more and
more affordable. Distance learning is allowing people to advance
their careers or to change careers by obtaining their college
degree on their own terms.
This is indeed the beginning of the Educational Revolution.
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