Key Benefits of Online Education

Occasionally, a student will come along that has a difficult time coping with the traditional school environment.   This can be for a variety of reasons, ranging from an issue revolving around behavioral problems, to a student that simply has different educational needs than other student.  Just because a student is having this issue, it in no way indicates that they cannot be a successful student.  So, instead of parents and educators deeming a student a loss cause, perhaps the child may benefit from a more alternative way of learning with online classes.

For starters, some students simply do not cope well in a traditional classroom.  This can be from receiving negative gestures from other students such as eye rolls and frowning, which may make the student uncomfortable and disengaged from their surroundings.  When this happens, students can easily become less likely to participate in classroom activities, or even ask for help when needed.  With the alternative of online education, students who may have once been shy can easily speak with their instructors in a more private setting, which will help them get more out of the lesson.

Another issue that some students may face is the fact that they simply cannot keep up with their lessons.  This can be problematic because based off of the way that traditional schools are run, each lesson is a building block, so missing one step can ruin a students education entirely.  With online classes, students can work more at their own pace, so if they come across some information that they are having difficult time retaining, they can take the time that they need until the understand it more.

Celebrity Degrees Online

Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal 12/20/1999

Image via Wikipedia

Many of today’s celebrities are doing something others have not: They are going back to school. While some enroll in programs through local colleges and universities, others are taking to the web to obtain the education necessary to achieve their dreams. For those who have thought about online education before, but never took a step in this direction, the fact that celebrities are doing it may be more encouraging to you.

Which Celebrities Did It?

It is not possible to know all celebrities using online education to further their skills. While there are some who have publicly promoted online education, such as Shaquille O’Neal and Hilary Duff, many others are more quiet on the topic. Here are some less vocal celebrities who completed their education online.

  • Ice Cube: You may know him from his rapping days back in the 1990s or from a variety of other programs. What you may not know, though, is that he has a degree in architectural drafting. That degree is from an online educational program.
  • Jon Guenther: He is the author with more than 30 books under his belt. You may remember his Chaser series of books, and later, Soul Runner. What you may not know is that he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology recently, a degree he earned from an online program.
  • Hunter Tylo: She is known for his soap opera roles on television programs such as All My Children and The Bold and the Beautiful. You may also know her from her ability to win a significant, $5 million lawsuit against Aaron Spelling. She was a pre-law student, though, and has since obtained her Master of Business Administration from an online educational program.

As you can see, online undergraduate programs and other programs are out there for celebrities, and for you, too. The fact that these celebrities could enroll in any school but went online is motivating for many.

Onlineeducation.com: Improved Teaching Techniques for Today’s Workforce

"Online Degree Worked for Me!" Palme...
Image by DrJohnBullas via Flickr

There are many aspects of obtaining a degree online that dramatically differentiates the experience from traditional college environments. While many consider an online format to be less personal, there are actually many factors that would suggest the opposite. After utilizing a resource such as onlineeducation.com to determine the types of online institutions available, look into how each school is structured to ensure you are entering an environment that works best for you.

Take, for example, a traditional state university setting. General education courses can consist of literally hundreds of students in amphitheater style settings, making it very difficult, if not impossible, to get the personal attention they need from the professor or instructor. Students might organically create study groups with other individuals they know or meet in the class, but they are largely left to their own devices in obtaining help outside of the lecture. Conversely, online courses, such as those found on onlineeducation.com, are frequently structured with small groups that are designed to facilitate collaboration between students and to foster a sense of community that might not be achieved otherwise. Also, because of the nature of shared online communication techniques such as forums and blogs, it is actually more probable to get a specific answer from an instructor and benefit the entire group from the question as a result.

Also, considering that the workplace and business in general is becoming more and more diversified, the methods learned for online collaboration and communication are well suited to today’s business environment. More recent college graduates are finding themselves interacting in cross-state, and even cross-country situations, where online networking and connecting are both critical and essential for success. These abilities will be more comfortable for the elearner who has already utilized similar techniques for collaborating with fellow students and interacting with instructors while obtaining their online degree.