What is Online Education?
Online education or E-Learning comprises all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching resources, programs and protocol. The communication systems and information, serve as the foundation and the specific media to implement the learning process online. Online education, as a basic term, is predominantly utilized to reference an out-of-classroom learning environment, as well as in-classroom educational efforts that are delivered and expedited via technology.
Online education is essentially the network-enabled and computerized transfer of knowledge and skills to the coordinating student base. Various online education applications and processes include the following resources or teaching techniques: web-based learning curriculums, computer-based learning programs, virtual classroom devices and digital collaboration.
Online Education K-12:
Online education, although more prevalent in higher education, is also utilized by public K-12 schools in the United States of America. Although some online education learning environments take place in a traditional classroom setting, the majority of online education students attend classes from their own homes or other locations. In fact, as a result of the mitigated costs and increased effectiveness associated with online education, there a number of states in America that utilize cyber and virtual school platforms.
As stated before, online education platforms who offer educational resources for K-12 students are rarer but can be engaged as a homeschool-type system. Public cyber schools are offered throughout the country; these schools enable students to log into synchronous or asynchronous courses wherever an internet connection is provided. To implement the online education curriculum, the majority of K-12 e-learning programs provide students with technology kits that include computers, printers and compensation for home internet use.
Students enrolled in these programs are required to use this technology for school use only and must meet the weekly work submission requirements handed-out by the providers. Those teachers employed by K-12 online public schools must obtain certification in the state they are teaching in. The most notable benefit of an online education K-12 is that students are able to maintain their own pacing and progress, as well as their own course selection. These characteristics provide the student with great flexibility in regards to schedule and curriculum creation.
Online Higher Education:
By 2010, nearly 5 million students were participating in online education at institutions of higher learning in the United States. A number of higher educations, for-profit institutions will now offer on-line classes. Although these numbers dissipate when evaluated in the private sector, the availability of online courses is now becoming commonplace for many private institutions.
Online courses for higher learning are made available for students enrolled in such institutions who have priorities, such as work or families, which impede them from attending the traditional classroom setting. All online education courses offered at an institution of higher learning must have properly trained staff that is available to work with the students through a technology-based medium. These staff members are required to understand the content area and must also be highly trained in the use of the computer and Internet.