The internet’s ability to penetrate our lives
is utterly mind boggling.
Ever since the glint in Tim Berners-Lee’s
eye evolved into the World Wide Web as we know it, folks have gone bananas for
cats who “haz cheezeburgerz” and memes of an exasperated Jean-Luc Picard.
Add in catching up with friends via
Facebook and Twitter, or buying Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles memorabilia from eBay,
and it’s safe to say the modern online experience can be mesmerising.
However, it’s not just frivolous activities
that have us smitten.
Hundreds of thousands of would-be students
the world over are turning their backs on traditional bricks and mortar
universities in favour of gaining a degree via distance learning.
In the UK alone, over 400,000 learners are
studying for an online degree, boosting
qualifications, increasing their earning power and dovetailing work and
family commitments with their studies.
But what are the other benefits of an
online degree as opposed to uprooting and opting for life on campus?
The Advantages
of an Online Degree
Whether you’re just out of high school and
considering your next step, or you’ve been away from education for a while,
distance learning offers you the opportunity to study a vast range of subjects.
If you’re mad for marketing or eager to
learn economics, this method of study won’t restrict your aspirations just
because it’s conducted digitally rather than in a stuffy lecture theatre.
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| flickr: usnavy |
Additionally, given that you study in your
own time and at your own pace, you avoid the mad rush to get to campus on time
for a scheduled class.
Nevertheless, an online degree requires oodles of discipline.
After all, if you’re left to your own
devices, the temptation to “take a quick look” at Amazon, catch up on Mad Men, or
don your tinfoil hat to look at government conspiracies can quickly creep in.
It’s alright, we understand.
In order to get ahead, though, you have to
put your crush on Christina Hendricks to one side and concentrate on
supplementing your existing skills with an accredited university qualification.
Learn
How to Realise Your Potential
Considering the competitiveness of the
modern employment market, to get a foot on the career ladder you want to climb
requires being armed with a strong educational background.
With around 50 graduates applying for every job, jostling free from the pack and persuading
employers that you’re the man or woman for the role is increasingly important.
Quite simply, if a potential employer is
comparing candidates, the one with the drive and commitment to have successfully
completed a degree is likely to nose in front.
Not only that, but if you’ve gained a
qualification while working full-time, it demonstrates to prospective
organisations that you’re ambitious and have a real commitment to self
development.
That’s not just corporate mumbo jumbo, it’s
the truth.
But how do students undertaking an online
degree actually learn – what
assignment methods are employed and what interaction do they enjoy with the
fellow students?
Trade
the Campus Experience for Distance Learning
Learning on campus involves a mix of
lectures, tutorials and hushed library sessions – and distance learning is not
too dissimilar.
Although you’ll study online and interact
with tutors via Skype or forums, the teaching methods and course materials are
second to none.
If you feel like you need to chat about
what you’re learning with students in the same boat, your institution will
typically have a discussion group set aside for you to post any questions or
fears.
Although an online degree may lack the
immediate face-to-face feedback you’d receive from a tutor on campus, you’re
never left in the dark.
A dedicated team of teachers will be on
hand to ensure your online learning experience goes as smoothly as possible –
and with not a pimply high school leaver in sight ...
