The Internet has provided today’s students with an abundance of information. It is easily accessible than ever before, and a person needs a couple of seconds to know just about anything. According to a report by Business Insider, on an average day, there can be as many as 2.3 million Google searches per minute. With this magnitude of instantaneous knowledge and learning, it is only natural that the Internet has introduced many forms of online education. Be it a quick search from one’s phone or enrolling in an online course, anyone can now learn about any subject from anywhere in the world. This is a tremendous leap in the education sector, not only does it benefit students, but it makes a significant difference for adult learners as well. To know more about the various facets of e-learning, here are the four quadrants of online learning one should know about:
- Self-Education:
Self-education provides students with an opportunity of researching and learning about any topic that interests them. There is an extensive supply of extensive educational content on the internet, which can be utilised by self-motivated and curious students. There are countless study portals and sites which provide a collection of articles, videos, tutorials, online journals that can educate an individual on just about anything. There are also sites which offer a free selection of courses for all levels on a variety of subjects. Aspirants also use Self-education for the preparation of competitive exams like JEE, CAT, IES, CLAT, etc. With such self-education enabling platforms, students who wish to become knowledgeable in a particular area can access a vast array of free online courses for research and education.
- Online college courses:
Categorically known as Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), online courses are classes offered by universities on a large scale and have no limited enrollment. Students can choose to take these courses either for career or academic advantage. While MOOCs are not necessarily applicable towards earning a degree, many students resort to MOOCs to earn credits or to meet prerequisites for their official degree programs. Whether an adult looking to augment their education or a student seeking flexibility in class schedules, an online degree course enables an individual to earn a degree without going through the constraints of campus learning. MOOCs have made a significant contribution in bringing degree courses to anyone who’s keen enough to enrol in one. There are online degree courses offered by Ivy League universities like Yale, Harvard, Colombia, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Online courses have become increasingly popular in the last decade, and almost every credible and notable institution now offers degree programs to students of distance learning.
- Supplemental Online Education:
Supplemental online education is a collection of online resources that students can use to support their education. Available from preschool all the way to high school, online classes supplement the basic school curriculum. Supplemental online education is a perfect alternative not only for students who desire to extend their learning in a specific subject, but also for those who are struggling in a subject and wish to receive further education and assistance. However, the supplemental online education is not just limited to subjects pertaining to school/college; many online vocational training certifications are available for a variety of career options like nursing, information technology, web design, and business administration. Students can also use supplemental education courses for the preparation of competitive exams like JEE, CAT, IES, CLAT, etc.
- Online Public/Private K-12 Schools:
Limited only for elementary, middle, and high school students, numerous online learning options are available for students who find it difficult to catch up with the school curriculum. Not only this, many schools are adopting smart class models in which online education is used in classroom learning as well. These smart class models focus on making learning fun and engaging with interactive tools like videos, games, exercises, etc. The government has also launched the SWAYAM scheme, which aims at bringing online education to India’s remote classrooms. Online education for K-12 students not only focuses on the school curriculum, but also provides training on additional vocational subjects.
Irrespective of what stage in life one might be in, online education has made learning possible through its four quadrants. It is remarkable in the fact that one can learn vast amounts of information at one’s fingertips at one’s own pace. From kindergarten to high school, graduate programmes to vocational training and other supplementary education, there’s an online education solution for practically every need. The internet has thus effectively reduced the world to fit into a single screen, and with it has also opened up countless avenues for individuals to improve their scope of learning.
