Online Degree Program Information
While the concept of distance learning is not recent, the use of the internet to earn degrees online is a relatively new concept. The beginning of what would become a revolution in education started in the middle of the 1990s.
It was during this time that high speed internet connections became widely available. In addition to this, the increase in personal computers and html tools set the stage for the online education programs that we see today. There are a number of things which has led to the success of online degree programs.
One these these factors lies in the low cost it takes to get an online college program off the ground. Compared to the costs involved with operating a traditional university, the internet is extremely cheap. There has also been a demand from students themselves. There is a large market for students who cannot afford to go to college, or must work a full time job while they do so. Due to this demand, most traditional colleges now offer online courses for their students. Even if you are attending a local college, your instructor may require you to go online in order to get assignments.
A number of studies have been done to compare the results of online classes versus those of traditional classes. In some cases, the results for online exams were a bit better than those from traditional classes. At the same time, some studies have reported that there are few differences between the exam results of online classes and those of classes which are offline. In addition to this, other studies have been conducted in which students in offline classes performed better on exams than students who were online. Anyone reading this article may be wandering why there are so many contradictions in these different studies.
To clear up this problem, a psychology class was held both online and offline at the same time. Both classes lasted about fifteen weeks, and one chapter would be completed each week. Students received a list of concepts which they were supposed to study and understand. The online version of the class was much the same way. However, since it was online, things were done in an electronic manner. The reading assignments for both classes were exactly the same. The goal of this study was to determine which method of teaching brought about the best results.
The grades from these classes were analyzed. The results of the test showed that the students in the classroom environment performed better than their online counterparts. However, this does not mean that online classes are ineffective. The large number of results that have come from tests show that in some cases, online students may before better than their offline counterparts. Overall, both methods of teaching may be equal under certain circumstances, while one may be better than another in other situations. One of the problems with these tests is that they do not look at the learning variations between each student.
Some students enjoy learning in an online environment, while others do not. It makes sense that students who enjoy using online colleges will perform better than students who prefer being taught in a traditional classroom environment. The growing number of students who are attending online colleges is evidence that the programs can be effective. However, it should be noted that these programs are not for everyone. The problem with the psychology exam between the online and offline students is that even though students were allowed to choose which class they wanted to attend, this choice may not have suited their learning style.
While traditional colleges will always play a role in educating members of society, online degree programs are simply an extension of them. Many people assume that online colleges will replace traditional institutions. While this may be possible in the distant future, it is highly unlikely. Though the internet will become more interactive, there will likely be people who will choose to go to classes in person. All of the current evidence shows that online colleges are here to stay. However, there will always be a market for traditional schools. Not only can these two educational models coexist, but they may be able to blend together to create a unique learning experience.