Why many students prefer online education

    18-Nov-2021
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Vijay Garg
Online learning is fast becoming an attractive option in many countries and offers a great alternative to the traditional brick-and-mortar model of learning. But the question remains: “what is so great about online learning and why are more people opting for it?” Here are some reasons why many students prefer online learning rather than learning in a physical classroom:
It is More Time and Cost Efficient
It doesn’t matter if you are in Asia and decide to earn a degree in Europe or want to study at a State university without leaving home. Online learning programs afford you the luxury to easily take courses without needing to move to your school’s location. Since you also don’t have to go to school, you’ll save costs on transportation or accommodation. Nor do you spend hours getting to and from school or wandering around campus.
It Offers Personalized Learning
Traditional learning programs are designed in a way that makes personalized learning challenging. In-person instruction is designed around traditional lectures, often in large classrooms with a format that has changed little in a hundred years.
However, a good online program is typically designed to combine personalized teaching models as well as technology to address each student’s needs, including their strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. Students can do simulations, rewind parts of lectures that did not make sense, work in teams in breakout rooms and make use of all sorts of technologies.
 This allows students to learn more effectively and succeed regardless of how challenging their educational needs may be. Since assignments are submitted electronically and recorded, grading is often faster. Students can receive personalized instruction and feedback exactly when they need it in order to help them learn a subject. Online programs are typically designed to carefully monitor student progress and provide a heads up when students are behind schedule.
It Offers More Flexibility
One of the significant reasons why many students prefer online learning is because of the flexibility it offers. Unlike traditional classes that have a fixed schedule, online classes are typically asynchronous and give you the freedom to organize your classes at your convenience. You can choose to start your class any time you like. You can speed up one week and slow down another week around your different life obligations. Online learning also allows you to learn from anywhere in the world. That means you can attend classes even while on a family vacation. The flexibility of online learning also makes it the perfect style of learning for students who have other activities or a job.
You are Free to Learn at Your Own Pace
One of the major turn-offs in traditional learning is that it does not adequately cater to the specific needs of each student. Online learning, on the other hand, allows you to learn at your pace.
You can take as much time as you want on a module. As soon as you understand the topic at hand, you can complete the assessments and move on to the next topic. This makes online learning the ideal style of learning for both fast and slow learners.
It gives you the freedom to slow down or speed up as you desire. You can find a great many options for majors and degrees online on sources such as the US News and Degree Planet to help you choose an accredited program that is a good fit to your requirements.
It is Suitable for Students with Health Issues
Online learning is the preferred learning style for many students. It is ideal for many students who have certain health issues such as social anxiety disorder, sleeping disorders, or some disabilities. These students often have a hard time coping with traditional classes and modes of learning, but find it more convenient to learn online or attend classes remotely. Students with limited mobility may find both getting to and getting around campus challenging.
It Gives You More Choice
One of the perks of online learning is that it offers learners a wide range of degree options and courses to choose from. There are literally thousands of programs around the world to choose from. You can sometimes work on different programs at the same time since you don’t need to physically attend classes and classes are asynchronous. This is why more universities and schools are offering online programs for various fields and disciplines. You can choose to learn to code today, study HR management tomorrow, and focus on marketing next week.
With some of the larger online programs, it is also easier to switch majors as there are more course offerings than you might find at some smaller local colleges. This can be very important if you find that somewhere along the way that your interests in what you want to study have changed.
It Makes Teacher-Student Communication More Effective
This may be quite surprising, but online learning often allows students to communicate with their teachers more easily. In the traditional style of learning, it is often challenging for students to get the teacher’s attention, especially if the class is large. It’s awkward for some students to raise their hand in class or approach a teacher immediately after class.
Also in cases where a student gets the teacher’s attention, he/she may not be able to discuss things privately with the teacher. This is where online learning has an advantage. Students who learn online have the luxury of sending private instant messages during class if there is a question or issue. They can also meet privately via zoom afterward. There are often more opportunities for connecting to your teacher and getting the necessary feedback in online programs than students think.