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Pursuing an online degree gets negative feedback from the traditional folks who prefer the old-fashioned way of spending every minute of their day in a brick-and-mortar institution. Yes, you may miss out on the campus experience including meeting new people and cutting classes. But getting a degree online has a variety of benefits you may not be aware of.
Immersive Class Discussions
An online degree, be it a bachelor’s degree in computer science or an online masters degree in education, offers access to discussion forums that give you a chance to gain an in-depth understanding of how your classmates are processing the materials you are learning from the coursework. With a traditional classroom setting, the chance to discuss the materials learned on a daily basis is minimal since students typically shy away from the opportunity to ask their professors and fellow classmates.
Enhanced Virtual Communication
When interacting online, it’s easier for students to loosen up their tone and topics. This encourages honest and constructive feedback. Of course, online educators and staff should see to it that communication between students does not come across as arrogant, confusing, or critical. In addition, online degrees provide the opportunity to become introduced to and later on, effective in, using new and upcoming communication technologies.
Broadened Information Retention
If students cannot retain the majority of what they learn in school, education would be pointless and the future would look dim. Information retention from a robust online program capitalizes on the power of multimedia by way of live or recorded lectures, webinars, and detailed infographics. Multimedia tools have been scientifically tested and proven to increase information retention by embedding sensory signals that can later be tapped into in order to recall a particular subject or topic.
Flexible Schedule
The vast majority of people who are pursuing online degrees are stay-at-home parents, full-time employees, or self-employed businesspersons. Regardless, the common denominator in these demographics is time – or the lack thereof. An online degree gives students the power to plan their lectures and assignments around the rest of their day or week. This allows them to continue working and saving money or care for their growing children or disabled loved ones.
There are many more long-term benefits to pursuing a degree through the web, such as lower tuition costs and greater ability to focus. And thanks to a growing number of schools providing advanced courses, it’s now possible to work towards higher education that will increase your job prospects and earning potential.
This article was contributed by guest author Meghan Belnap.