Essential Knowledge on the Benefits of Online Degrees
As more colleges offer online degrees, there are unexpected benefits. Distance education removes barriers and enables more people to earn a college degree.
Online education has evolved from early distance learning that was accomplished via correspondence through the mail to an internet-based educational system. It allows students to earn associate, bachelor, master’s and even PhD degrees completely online. Being an essay writer online, I should say that one of the unexpected benefits of online education was its ability to remove barriers to education for those people who for a variety of reasons could not make it to a college campus.
So who are these people? Some have physical disabilities, others are emotionally challenged, and some are incarcerated because of past crimes. There are also those who are the primary caregivers to small children, commonly called “stay at home moms” although there are also stay at home dads as well. Others have work schedules or are serving in the armed forces and subject to numerous transfers around the country. Then there are veterans who may have either physical limitations or are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For many people, the online degree programs and distance education in all its forms have enabled many people who were never able to get a degree in the past to get one now. There are several key ways that an online degree makes all this possible.
Distance Learning Has Flexibility
The main benefit of distance learning is the flexibility that it offers the student. It enables students to schedule their time to go over class material at a time that is best for them. This is not to say that distance learning is self-paced as many schools and professors have schedules and deadlines that must be met but there is the ability to determine how best to meet the requirements for each course.
One aspect of flexibility that is especially valuable is the ability to travel on business and still be able to take college courses. This is especially valuable to military personnel who are serving in remote locations and even in combat zones. The flexibility of an online degree enables military service members to earn their degree in preparation of when they become a civilian again.
Distance Learning Has Accessibility
Another great benefit of online classes is the improvements to physical accessibility. For those people with mobility issues who are either confined to a wheelchair or are temporarily immobile due to injury or surgery, distance learning allows them to stay on track toward earning their degree.
An online degree is also a great way for disabled veterans to attend class while undergoing rehabilitation or adjusting to the effects of PTSD. An online class will help ease them into college and help them adjust by keeping things orderly and giving them a sense of control according to the Veteran’s Administration. It also helps those who have problems driving if they live in areas with limited public transportation.
The accessibility offered by an online degree also applies to those who have no disabilities at all. These include people who live far from colleges that offer the desired degree and those whose work schedule makes attending college nearly impossible if attempted in the traditional format of attending classes.
Distance Learning Is Economical and Family Friendly
In most cases distance learning costs the same as attending a regular class but it also offers other ways to save money. The cost of commuting to and from school is eliminated and students can go home from work and can eat for much less before logging on to class than it would cost to eat out before attending a conventional class.
An online degree program allows parents to attend college via the internet and eliminates the need to have a baby sitter while attending class. With the parent doing homework at the same time as the child, a wonderful example is set about the importance of school work and doing homework.
Online Degree Benefits Students
There are many types of students in the world, each with their own individual situation. Each type of student will find their own type of benefit. Those students who have the drive to be successful in the online learning environment will realize those benefits and reap the rewards of earning their degree. As more colleges offer online degree programs there will be more and more students who will benefit from distance learning.
