Online Education

Today, the Internet is being used more and more in the academic world to facilitate learning, training and education. Online education is the fastest growing form of learning today, and its applications are spreading into even the most technical of fields. Even the basic college experience has been changed dramatically, favoring more elements of online education than ever before.

When I first went to college in 1997, email and other basic Internet functions were already gaining large-scale popularity, however, education was still limited to the traditional lecture, classroom discussion, and textbook formats. Within the four years it took me to graduate (okay, five years), I saw an enormous increase in the use of online elements in my own education. Virtually every class I took the last year I spent in attendance had a significant online portion to the class. Often times the online elements were optional, yet I always found them an extremely useful tool as a compliment to the lectures and textbooks.

Not only has online education changed the college experience significantly, it is also playing a large role in many other forms of training and education. Many certifications, licenses, and specialized training programs are using online elements to facilitate their education as well. For example, most nursing programs, graduate programs, medical schools, law schools, law enforcement academies, other government training programs, and even many vocational training programs have online portions to their curriculums.

There has also been a rise in 'Online Universities', accredited educational institutions that offer degrees and certifications solely by way of online education. People today can earn an associate's degree, a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, a doctorate, even a degree in law or a registered nurse certification. Some of these programs, such as nursing, require a certain amount of physical attendance at a specified location to conduct training, but many of them are conducted entirely online.

The rising popularity of online education is not without its criticism and potential drawbacks. Many people argue that removing the live 'face to face' interaction of traditional education will impact they way we are able to socialize effectively. These critics suggest that the communication skills learned in discussion and lecture formats are part of the educational experience, and should not be overlooked. There is also some criticism about the ability to regulate online education, and fears about cheating to obtain degrees without earning them.

In spite of the drawbacks and criticism, online education continues to grow at a rapid pace, and will most certainly remain a strong part of educational and training programs of the future.