Why Choose Online Study for Higher Education?
The origins of distance learning
Education has traditionally involved face to face teaching in the classroom with direct interaction between student and teacher. Though distance learning may seem like a modern concept, its origins date back to the 18th century, when the postal service was used to enable schooling for students who did not have access to an education centre, whether it be for money or geographical reasons. Though a forward thinking concept, this presented multiple strategical issues such as time delays and the cost of postage and so distance learning was not widely employed and traditional face to face methods continued.
It was not until many years later that technological advancements in internet and telephone created greater ease of communication than the traditional postal service. However, this still did not enable distance learning to gain widespread popularity, as though far easier to communicate by email and telephone, the level of interaction required for successful learning was still lacking.
Distance learning in the 21st Century
Nowadays, distance learning is a common concept recognised and used by many. Further advancement in technology has allowed platforms such as Zoom and Moodle to come to fruition and the nature of people’s busy day to day life leaves little room for travelling to college or university for in person learning. These new platforms bridge the gap between in person and distance learning and enable an interactive learning experience from the comfort of your own home.
The Covid-19 pandemic pushed online study to the forefront of learning for students of all ages, from primary school to university and higher education and forced students and teachers alike to adapt to the world of distance learning in a way that has not been seen before. Perhaps an unforeseen outcome of the pandemic is the wider acceptance of distance learning, where it was deemed not possible before, with more and more people adapting to this new online world.
The benefits of online study for higher education
There are so many benefits to taking the less traditional route and opting to study for your degree, diploma, NVQ, HND or whatever it may be online, some of these benefits are:
Convenience and flexibility – Rather than rushing to college after work to attend your lectures and seminars, go home, make a cup of tea, and put your feet up! Distance learning centres such as the College of Contract Management are just a click of a button away with lectures often scheduled for evenings and weekends, and don’t worry if you can’t make it, lectures are all recorded to watch later at a time convenient for you.
Accessibility – Distance learning can be accessed by anyone, anywhere in the world. It does not matter if you are at home, in a coffee shop, or in a hotel room on the other side of the world. You can access learning from anywhere, saving time, money, and energy on travel as well as the freedom to go on holiday or visit family abroad and not miss out on your learning. You will also not be restricted to studying in your local area and may study at a wide variety of worldwide institutions, broadening your choice of course and also the people you meet!
Various ways to engage – Online study means that you are able to engage with your teachers and fellow students in a greater number of ways than in the classroom. Don’t feel comfortable putting your hand up to ask a question? Not a problem, you can send a private message to your lecturer or simply drop the question in the chat box. Many platforms also allow you to communicate reactions, such as thumbs up or thumbs down, enabling the teacher to quickly and clearly gauge how people are feeling, and allowing you to express yourself even with the camera off.
Safety – Particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, online study eliminates the worry and stress associated with the health concerns sitting in a stuffy classroom in close contact with other students. You are free to learn and interact with your fellow students but with the peace of mind that your health will not be impacted. Also, any safety concerns related to travelling to and from evening and night classes, especially for parents of young students attending higher education, are eradicated.
What types of online study are available?
If you choose online study for your further education, you will not be short of available options. Choose from either traditional university degree courses or a variety of CND, HND and Diplomas such as Business Management, Engineering, or Web Development. Most courses are available on either a full-time or part-time basis, at times of day to suit your schedule, and a variety of price points and payment plans, so whatever your needs, online study for higher education is suitable for you.