This articled appeared in the Urban Journal June 2003
Benefits of an Online Education
by Dona A. Vassall-Fall, Ed.D.
As we move forward in the 21st century, those who wish to further their education should look into the
option of doing so online. Many colleges and universities now offer online education as an option for
receiving a degree. Gone are the days when you would have to attend evening classes or take a
correspondence course if you wished to continue your education.
Today, anyone who is self-motivated can obtain a college degree. All that is needed is a computer and an
Internet service provider. What many people do not realize, however, is that you do not need to own your
own computer. Many of the schools that offer online courses have their system set up so that you can
access their courses through any computer. In other words, you can go to the library or a friend’s house
and use the computer.
Studying online requires that you do a lot of writing since you are not sitting in a classroom and talking to a
teacher. All of your communication with your teacher and the other students in your online class are done
through writing. If your writing skills are not strong, you may want to take a refresher course before you
start your course of study.
In an online course you will receive lectures, questions and assignments as you would in a regular
college course. You will also be required to log in to your “class” several times a week and to contribute to
online class discussions on a regular basis. Some colleges and universities have online libraries and
other research services available to their students. This enables students to have access to materials
that they might not otherwise be able to find.
One of the benefits of taking courses online is that you can work and still continue your education. In fact,
to be working is a plus and a requirement for some online programs. Some programs encourage you to
apply the concepts learned in class to your experiences in your work situation.
Another benefit is that online learning is very flexible. You do not have to be at a particular location at a
particular time and you are not required to log on to your computer at a particular time either. You can get
your work done whenever you have the time in a given 24-hour period.
There is also the fact that you can remain “anonymous” since you are not physically present in a
classroom. This cuts down on the problem of discrimination that some people face when in a regular
classroom situation.
You should know that online courses offered at reputable colleges and universities are taught by highly
skilled professionals. They are usually college professors, CEOs, CFOs or business owners and have
masters degrees or doctorates in their field. They also undergo intense training to prepare them to teach
in the online environment.
The availability of online learning makes education much more accessible to everyone today. I would
recommend going to the library or going online to research the many opportunities that exist. This is a
great route to take if you are interested in continuing your education.
Dr. Vassall-Fall is president of Learning Link, a consulting firm that promotes education, diversity and cultural
understanding. Contact her at info@learninglinkco.net. www.learninglinkco.net.
Click here to go back to News page.
Benefits of an Online Education
by Dona A. Vassall-Fall, Ed.D.
As we move forward in the 21st century, those who wish to further their education should look into the
option of doing so online. Many colleges and universities now offer online education as an option for
receiving a degree. Gone are the days when you would have to attend evening classes or take a
correspondence course if you wished to continue your education.
Today, anyone who is self-motivated can obtain a college degree. All that is needed is a computer and an
Internet service provider. What many people do not realize, however, is that you do not need to own your
own computer. Many of the schools that offer online courses have their system set up so that you can
access their courses through any computer. In other words, you can go to the library or a friend’s house
and use the computer.
Studying online requires that you do a lot of writing since you are not sitting in a classroom and talking to a
teacher. All of your communication with your teacher and the other students in your online class are done
through writing. If your writing skills are not strong, you may want to take a refresher course before you
start your course of study.
In an online course you will receive lectures, questions and assignments as you would in a regular
college course. You will also be required to log in to your “class” several times a week and to contribute to
online class discussions on a regular basis. Some colleges and universities have online libraries and
other research services available to their students. This enables students to have access to materials
that they might not otherwise be able to find.
One of the benefits of taking courses online is that you can work and still continue your education. In fact,
to be working is a plus and a requirement for some online programs. Some programs encourage you to
apply the concepts learned in class to your experiences in your work situation.
Another benefit is that online learning is very flexible. You do not have to be at a particular location at a
particular time and you are not required to log on to your computer at a particular time either. You can get
your work done whenever you have the time in a given 24-hour period.
There is also the fact that you can remain “anonymous” since you are not physically present in a
classroom. This cuts down on the problem of discrimination that some people face when in a regular
classroom situation.
You should know that online courses offered at reputable colleges and universities are taught by highly
skilled professionals. They are usually college professors, CEOs, CFOs or business owners and have
masters degrees or doctorates in their field. They also undergo intense training to prepare them to teach
in the online environment.
The availability of online learning makes education much more accessible to everyone today. I would
recommend going to the library or going online to research the many opportunities that exist. This is a
great route to take if you are interested in continuing your education.
Dr. Vassall-Fall is president of Learning Link, a consulting firm that promotes education, diversity and cultural
understanding. Contact her at info@learninglinkco.net. www.learninglinkco.net.
Click here to go back to News page.
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