Online Colleges’ Scenario, Essay Example

Circumstances surrounding online colleges

Online colleges are becoming more popular because they offer the same academic courses and in some cases are even cheaper than attending campus colleges. For example, Ashford online University boasts about its affordability. According to the caption the University provides online education that is affordable and convenient. Besides access to digital tools make iteasier to navigate for people who do not have the time to attend a fulltime all day school.In today’s society where a college degree is valuable for obtaining jobs or promotion an online education is extremely convenient. There is no need to leave one’s home environment, but can obtain as high quality education as when attending community colleges or campus Universities (Ashford Online University, 2015).

According to the college navigator, however, while there are immense benefit of online education there could be pitfalls in receiving quality education if students cannot effectively applying themselves to the online learning community culture (United States Department of Education, 2015).  A major disadvantage cited relates course contact through emails with professors rather than the face to face interactions experienced in a traditional classroom. Some professors are pleasant to interact with through this modality while others are not as interactive. The accessible ones may even provide a contact home phone number where they can be reached, but it is not a mandatory practice. As such, contacting professors during online college learning could produce immense difficulties for students in this modern world culture. Another cited limitation is the potential of obtaining financial aid. Also, learning could be very isolated (Arkorful&Abaidoo, 2014).

Major strengths pertain to learner having full control over their learning environment. The technology involved in online learning greatly supports collaborative communication. Importantly, it supports networks with respect to accessing valuable information. This type of learning facilitates implementation of systems to be attached to many computer operating systems. Consequently, a multifunctioning environment is established, which incorporates numerous types of information (Arkorful&Abaidoo, 2014).

Modern educational practices recommend online learning for busy people and those who have commitments, which deprive them of leaving the home. The national communication committee advocates online learning rather than face to face because of convenience. The contention is that when students have to move from one geographic location to another it is time consuming. Therefore, part of the convenience lies in leaving work and going home to school instead of leaving work going to school and then home. While traditional face to face instructions allow students to physically contact professors since it is within a classroom environment the learning pace is highly influenced by the ability of other students in the class grasp of content. Online learning gives students the independence to set their personal learning pace maintain their own learning styles (Communication Currents, 2008).

Online learning requires technological resources inclusive of software and Internet-based tools to facilitate learning. Reasons for these resources are that they consist of the school environment. For example, in the same way as a campus, classrooms with furniture or books and mailing materias  make up the traditional and distance education culture, so are the internet, computer or software. In order to function and transmit information from teacher to students these tools are mandatory. With online learning the internet connects to the school’s website. If the virtual classroom is access certain types of software must be needed.

References

Arkorful, V., &Abaidoo, N. (2014). The role of e-learning, the advantages and disadvantages of its adoption in  HigherEducation.International Journal of Educational Research, 2(12); 397 -398

Ashford Online University (2015).Online education that is affordable and convenient. Retrieved on October10th, 2015 from http://degrees.ashford.edu/?Affiliateid=Google_Generic&sourceid=CF8352&ds_kid=43700006625511041&utm_campaign=OnCols_OnColsEx&utm_content=GenericTop&utm_source=GOOGLE&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=online%20colleges&gclid=CO7ijvKtuMgCFYMSHwodmd8LTg&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CJa5tfKtuMgCFdUaHwod0LUAgw

Communication Currents (2008).Face-to-Face or Online Instruction? Face-to-Face is better. National Communication Association

United States Department of Education (2015). College Affordability and Transparency Center. Retrieved on October10th, 2015 from http://collegecost.ed.gov/