While more people than ever are participating in onlineeducation, 2008 statistics show that nearly 75 percent of today’sstudents have never taken a single class online. Some people stillfeel that online training doesn’t offer the same quality ofeducation as a traditional college, while others think they lackthe technical knowledge to handle online learning.

Those who do take classes online find that advances intechnology have made today’s online colleges more attractive thanever. For example, faster Internet connections and mobile accessmean students no longer have to be chained to their desktopcomputers, waiting for the Internet to load. According to researchperformed by the U.S. Department of Education, improvements made toonline schools have turnedonline education into a valuable learning experience.

Online learning is notsuited for everyone, but many people with time and budgetconstraints find it an attractive option for the followingreasons:

Time savings

No travel – According to research performed by the U.S.Department of Education in the late 1990s, approximately 86 percentof students commute to school (from a U.S. Department of Educationstudy “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: AMeta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies,” May 2009).Many of these students spend more than one hour a day driving backand forth between classes. Online learning requires no travel andtoday’s mobile technology means students can stay connected toschool anywhere.

Works around students’ schedules – For people with children orfull-time jobs, traditional colleges have schedules that can beimpossible to make. Online education canwork into any student’s schedule – whether they want to takeclasses late at night, early in the morning, throughout the weekendor during their children’s naptimes.

Works at each student’s pace – Many students in a traditionalclassroom setting find that their professor moves too quickly forthem, not stopping for questions or explanations. Others find thattheir classes move too slowly. One of the benefits of an onlineeducation is that students can move as quickly or as deliberatelythrough the program as they need to.

Money savings

No room and board – According to statistics provided byCollegeBoard in their “Trends in College Pricing,” study from 2009,the average cost for a four-year public education is $7,020, andthe average cost for a four-year private college is $26,273. Muchof this cost comes from room, board and meal passes – expenses thatonline students avoid.

No travel cost – Students who already save money on room andboard by commuting to school still spend plenty on travel. Not onlydo they pay for gas, but they also put costly wear and tear ontheir vehicles.

Low cost for materials – According to a Washington Post article,”Break on Cost of Textbooks Unlikely Before Last Bell, 2010″ fromAugust 2008, textbook prices are on the rise. Estimates say theaverage student pays between $700 and $1,000 per year. Manystudents taking classes online save money on textbooks because muchof their curriculum is online.

Information in this article was provided by the InternationalAcademy of Design & Technology – Online. Contact IADT Onlinetoday if you’re interested in developing marketable knowledge andcareer-relevant skills with an industry-current degree program.(IADT Online does not guarantee employment or salary.)

Courtesy of ARAcontent