Importance of Online Education in Today’s Time

The rate at which technology is developing is impressive! What the world has entered into is known as the fifth industrial revolution. Here, human beings and machines create magical innovations for the world. The end goal of every change is to allow work to be done efficiently and effectively. The internet enables people to connect across the globe; it has drastically reduced the time taken to do almost every task and is accessible to most. Before the pandemic of coronavirus, both offline and online education was being given all over the world. However, due to the epidemic, the world witnessed an unprecedented lockdown. Since knowledge is essential for human development, almost all Universities/Colleges/Schools resorted to online education. In this light, let us now try to understand the importance of online learning in today’s time.

1.  Study while you work – Generally, if we divide the world’s population, some complete their studies and then work, and others might work for a bit, after getting their degree, only to leave the job later to study further. Employment is essential due to basic economics, but so is further education. Some may never be able to quit their job to study depending upon their household income and background. Others tend to leave their jobs to study further because it is challenging to give your best at a job and simultaneously take offline classes. Online education offers students a platform that allows them to work alongside their studies. The time and duration of classes can be according to the student’s choice, which gives them enough flexibility to bring out maximum productivity in a day.

2.  Accessibility – Sometimes, students find themselves incapable of applying for a particular specialized course since the country where such a University or college is located, seems out of reach. Such problems can be easily addressed with online education. In online learning, students are not bound by geography when they decide to study. They can choose their desired University/College, the course, and the course fee from amongst the innumerable options available online. Not only does this make the entire process more comfortable but also cost-effective. Since the internet is available almost everywhere, students can take their classes from anywhere. This kind of flexibility allows an individual to enjoy learning rather than treating it as an obligation.

3.  Student-Centric Approach – Unlike the traditional offline teaching methodology, online education focuses on a less student-to-teacher ratio. Since there are fewer students in an online class than an offline one, the teacher can give each student undivided attention. Many online platforms are being used by Universities and Colleges online, which have various options for interacting with the teachers. Personalized classrooms allow fewer distractions and more productivity. Some students usually hesitate to ask questions in the offline education system because they get scared of what they think of them. The online education system allows them to get over such inhibitions. This, in turn, helps students to not only grasp the concepts but also develop their communication skills, which are much needed in today’s time.

4. Affordability – Whenever a student chooses an educational institution, he/she must keep in mind the accommodation expenses, commutation expenses, and tuition fees. If the same student opts for online education, then only the costs that they would have to bear in mind will be the tuition fee. Secondly, because there is a wide range of courses, from different educational institutions, available online, the course fee is also affordable as compared to traditional offline courses. If a student wishes to obtain any certificate course along with a degree, online education will be better suited for such a student.

5. Online resources – Online education provides online books, notes, and whatnot. The funds are plenty, and they are all stored. So, even while travelling, students find it easy to open their online platforms and study, as they don’t need to go with their books everywhere. In case a student is absent in a class, recordings are available online for their benefit. The best part is that there are plenty of free online resources available for students.