With our generation headed towards a time of Amazon Prime Air and other technological advances, it’s no wonder that online classes are taking the educational world by storm.
The introduction of online classes to high school and college leveled students is quite possibly the best thing since sliced bread. In the years to come, I won’t be surprised when students graduate with full-blown online bachelors and master’s degrees.
Since we live in an age of smartphones and a social media craze, the addition of online availability to the educational world is just another step to an even more tech savvy society.
Want to take your final on your laptop at Starbucks at 8 o’ clock at night? Do it. Want to review a lecture when you can’t fall asleep at two in the morning on your iPad? Do it!
With lectures, readings, modules and other forms of class information available at our fingertips via online classrooms, students with busy lives are able to complete their school work just about anywhere at just about any time. If that isn’t convenience, then I don’t know what is.
Now, after attending a primarily community college for the past year or so, I’ve been exposed to mostly kids my age. With each quarter though, I’m noticing an older generation emerging in the classroom.
More often than not, these individuals already have full-time jobs and families to support, so being stuck on campus all day isn’t exactly ideal. With online classes, mothers and full-time workers are able to deal with schooling on their own as time opposed to having to be in class at a certain time on an appointed day.
Similarly, most college students today work for everything that they own. At least in my case I do. Working full-time without a set schedule, working a part-time job, and with two internships looming ahead of me, I can already feel my schedule cringe with the weight of more hours than I can handle. Online classes have been a blessing.
This quarter, I’ve only taken one, but the fact that I don’t need to worry about attending a third class is definitely a weight lifted off my shoulders.
Winter quarter I signed up for two online classes and only one on- campus. With my already crazy work and internship schedule, there would be no way that I would be able to fit a full-time school schedule on campus as well. With the gift that is online classes, I’ll be able to take 15 credits and only have to be on campus twice a week and still being able to work.
In the near future, there is no doubt that students will be able to graduate from college with only online classes under their belt. George Washington University is a prime example.
They have already bolted ahead of the crowd and offer a program that is completely online. In today’s world, there are two things that you won’t be able to avoid: Technology and working your butt off. Online classes are the epitome of just that. Hate or love them, they’re here to stay and always will be.