We are living in the tech-savvy era where online learning has been the greatest revolution in contemporary learning. Online learning is the process of learning or joining a course on the internet. It is relatively a new form of learning and is yet to be well received by the masses.
10 Myths about Online Education
Since it is a new concept, it has its misconceptions. Here are 10 common myths about online learning-
- The quality of online courses is lower- This is a common belief that online courses have a lower quality of education. While the academic curriculum and structure might differ from course to course, these courses are verified and undergo meticulous certification to ensure that the academic standards are met. The quality of education is as good as an on-campus course and sometimes even better. This can be proved by the point that students prepare for the toughest competitive exams like UPSC, CAT, IES, GMAT etc from onlines resources and are able to crack it too.
- Online courses are easier- Every course has its own difficulties, and so do online courses! In the traditional on-campus course, there is constant face-to-face communication between the teachers and the students, reminding them about the assignments that are due and how to go about learning. However, an online course requires more self-dedication and is a self-learning program. It can also be more labour intensive than the on-campus courses. Hence online courses are not easy and have their own challenges.
- You must be tech savvy to take up an online course- One does not need to be tech expert to apply for an online course. Basic knowledge of the computer and the internet suffice to sign up for them. Moreover, some online courses also have a list of basic instructions that you must follow in order to make the course easy for you.
- Online courses are self-paced- Like any other on-campus course; online courses also have their deadlines. The person taking the course ought to meet these deadlines. Online courses are not self-paced; they are flexible. The person can decide the amount of time he wants to devote to the course; provided he meets the set deadlines.
- Online courses can get boring- This is an extremely common myth about online courses. Online courses are designed in a manner that is completely different from the traditional classroom learning. There are various tools devised through which the student can interact with the content, the teacher and others taking the online course. Moreover, it can connect people from different parts of the world to share their troves of knowledge; which is truly an experience worth having!
- Anyone can be successful in an online course- Success in a course is only possible through hard work, persistence and determination. Online courses have their challenges and inculcate these virtues in the person. They have to be motivated and balance their time between other activities and the course. Thus, only if you are determined; your success is guaranteed.
- Employers don’t respect these online degrees– Since the online course is a new concept; it will take some time to be well received by the masses. However, employers now recognize the kind of hard work and motivation that goes into an online course and the degree that you get through the course has the same weightage as the traditional on-campus course.
- You remain anonymous in an online course- This is not true. Online courses are as engaging and participatory as an on-campus course. There are several devices for the students to interact with the other students and teachers. In fact, in many courses, the participation of the students through discussion boards determines their grades.
- All online courses are similar- The way in which all on-campus university courses are not the same; all online courses are also not same. It is up to every faculty to make the online course as creative as possible. The management of these courses may be the same, but the kind of content learned, and the experience of the course varies from course to course.
- Cheating is easier in an online course- Research suggests that there is no difference in the percentage of cheating in an online course than the traditional classroom course. Moreover, there are various devices used online to detect cheating.
These are the misconceptions of online learning. Make sure they do not dissuade you from signing up for an online course.