When most people think of eLearning, they think of modern-day technology used to attend courses required to obtain a degree online. However, the idea of long-distance learning isn’t new at all. As early as the 1700s people were lured by advertisements in the Boston Gazette to sign up for weekly shorthand lessons sent out through the United States Postal Service. Over the next couple of centuries the practice caught on with reputable institutions from Europe to Australia.
Home computers only made distance learning easier. The ability to email one’s assignments resulted in a more economical, convenient way for students to attend college, or even go back to school to complete their education or earn additional degrees. The first fully online school of higher learning to achieve education was Jones International University in 1996, and by 2005 more than 3 million students in the United States alone were enrolled in some kind of eLearning program.
Two Types of eLearning
The two primary forms of eLearning are called synchronous, which means everyone is online and present at the same time, and asynchronous which allows students the freedom and flexibility to learn at their own pace. Whether a course will use one or the other depends on the type of material being taught, the school resources, and some courses may incorporate features from both types of learning to offer students the best teaching available. However, both types offer similar benefits to students, including the ones listed below.
- Bigger classroom size – Most classes attended at brick-and-mortar universities are limited to the size of the location. If the room where the course is being held only has 20 desks, then only 20 students have the benefit of taking that class. Where physical campuses often increase class size to decrease payroll and better manage their budgets, online campuses are able to take in a larger class size because most everything having to do with the class, from the registrations to the final report card grades are kept online which requires less physical space.
- More diverse classroom – Because students don’t have the cost and stress of traveling away from home to attend school, more students have the opportunity to sign up for classes. Through online study groups and meet-and-greet sessions you have a unique opportunity to connect with other students from around the globe without ever leaving the comfort of your home computer or other internet-friendly device.
- Equal opportunity for education – Students unable to attend college or university classes due to things like disability, sickness, lifestyle, or anything else that would normally handicap their chance for a higher education degree have the same opportunity as everyone else to attend schools that offer eLearning. This is especially true for game designer schools like www.animationarena.com who train students for careers such as video game design, computer illustration and animation, or web design and programming. As careers associated with industries like agriculture and retail are being phased out, these technology-related careers are a more stable choice for new students, whether they’re just graduating high school or an adult looking to change careers.
A man once described as having an unquenchable curiosity, Leonardo da Vinci was quoted as having said, “Learning never exhausts the mind.” In addition to online classes offered by colleges and universities that count as credit towards a degree, many of them offer a limited amount of free classes available for download on your computer and taken according to your schedule. While these classes are primarily for your own entertainment, you should grasp the opportunity to learn something new whenever possible.
Even though they won’t be accepted at other colleges, you may even be able to list some on your resume or CV. Even if you aren’t looking to switch careers, it could be the difference between you and the other guy when it comes time to promote someone at your job to a higher position! Whether your goal is to obtain a degree or just to test the waters in a career that’s more technological than your current line of work, when you choose to attend classes offered through eLearning, you will be offered a lot more than brick-and-mortar schools. Like any situation there are disadvantages that will differ from one student to the next, but the benefits outweigh them every time.
About The Author:
Freelance author Jason Munroe began his first worked online as a researcher. His initial career proved a great foundation for the transition into writing career he enjoys today. Whether he’s writing about training your new puppy to potty outside or how to turn video game playing into a career in video game design, he always uses his skills as a researcher to produce written products that are fact-based with a touch of conversational style.
