Regular Universities and colleges may not be as coveted as they used to be. Online classes are becoming more popular amongst students in the UK. This is especially true for today’s society that seems to be using the web more than ever.
Distance Learning is Not New in the UK
Distance learning has been a part of UK’s learning system for some time. In the past, students traveled miles to go to specific schools. This is something relatively unique to the UK compared to other countries where students are coaxed to study near their homes.
Still, commuting is no longer necessary for students because of online classes being offered by variety of eLearning platforms. Students are finding ways to graduate without physically going to the school they are attending. The commuting community is being replaced with students who work from home.
Respect for Online Graduates is Growing
There was a time when online certificates and degrees were not as respected as traditional degrees but that is changing. This is not necessarily surprising. Many aspects of society have been slowly changing. It is not uncommon to see people work online or combine regular office work with online work. Number of freelancers and people working remotely in the UK has been on a steady rise, especially for IT sector where everything from app development to online marketing has been outsourced to people from all over the world.
Part of the reason people graduate from online schools is because a lot is taking place online. Of course, there are a number of individuals refusing to accept this change, but it’s a fact of life that people are getting constantly overworked in 21st century, and many view online learning as a way to regain their free time and slow down the ticking clock.
Frustration of Being Overworked Turning Workers Into Students
There is no doubt about it, more people in this country are starting to feel exhausted. It is not uncommon for some employees to take work home and lose sleep just to keep up. These frustrations and the lack of sleep is hurting the population in a number of ways; for example, lack of sleep could cause damage to the immune system, reduce work performance and even put a strain on personal relationships.
These frustrations are making people in the workforce return to school. This dream would have been hard, especially with work, but online classes are making it easier for people to earn degrees like Master of Human Resources Management from RMIT University. HR degrees are growing in popularity because it is one of many high-demand careers.
It should be noted that this career along with many others that online universities focus on are flexible careers. Yes, students can hope to find a job in a regular company, but these jobs are also being offered to independent contractors. There are also openings at web-based companies. Perhaps this is another factor that is encouraging students to turn to online courses though there are others.
Additional Resources for Online Students is Growing
As mentioned earlier, part of the reason some people are going back to school is because good positions require specialized degrees, such as HR positions, but there are other things making online courses so appealing. There was a time when students who decided to take classes online were left without much guidance. This is changing as the number of online students grows.
Another big factor is, of course, money. Compared to traditional education, online courses and eLearning platforms are generally more affordable option, so with some basic financial planning, it’s possible to get specialized in a number of fields where traditional education would simply be too expensive for majority of people.
There is no doubt that being an online student comes with its own set of obstacles. Professors and aids are not there to help push students, making self-motivation vital for students. Thankfully, resources aimed to help online students are growing, such as online forums where students are free to discuss a lecture.
The number of people going back to school is probably not going to slow down, especially because many are turning to online courses. People can be parents, spouses, and part of the workforce while attending school from bed. The added pressure of attending school in bed is probably not favorable, but people are motivated because feeling overworked is detestable.