What is an Online Education?
The Need for California Education Online
As little as 15 years ago, distance education was extremely limited in its scope and generally consisted of receiving a book in the mail along with a packet of reading and self-testing materials. Students would read through the textbook on their own, have little or no communication with an instructor to help them understand the material, and then take the self-assessments and send the results back to the hosting school for grading which would then award credit or a certificate of completion. This was incredibly limiting for adults seeking to further their education or young adults who had other difficulties attending a traditional university.
The last decade, however, has seen such a phenomenal advance in technology and opportunity that many universities across the country are now comfortable offering a good degree of their courses through online study exclusively, allowing students to interact with their teachers and peers completely online and receive a degree for their hard work when they are finished.
How California Education Online Works
California education opportunities come together using a variety of technologies including streaming video, discussion boards, video chats to create virtual classrooms, podcasts, e-mail and file transfers. All online classes will use one or several of these technologies in order to facilitate discussion, lectures and testing.
Students sign up for available courses at their own pace based on their comfort level and the schedule that their other obligations in life allow for. They complete the class according to the instructor's instructions, usually over the same period of time as the traditional schools use - Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer terms - and receive credit toward their degree upon successful completion of the course.
The Courses/Degrees available
There are many different types of programs, certifications and degrees that can be achieved online, either in part or completely without ever setting foot in a brick and mortar classroom. The educational list includes:
- High School Diploma/GED
- Associate's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree
- Doctorates
- Certificates & minors
Who Uses It
Over the course of the last few years, online education has been growing faster than regular enrollment in institutions of higher learning. There is no reason to believe that this trend will decrease. There are currently more than 4 million students taking at least one course online, which represents more than twenty percent of all higher education students. There is sufficient reason to believe that with the struggling state of the U.S. economy, the number of students enrolling in education will increase significantly, and that online education enrollment will increase significantly beyond that as well.
People enroll in online education exclusively or in part for a variety of reasons:
- They work a full-time day job and cannot attend regular classes
- They find their learning style better suited to a self-study environment
- Physical, emotional or mental handicaps present difficulties with traditional education
- They prefer the opportunity for an accelerated pace available through online education
- They do not live close enough to the university or degree program of their choice
Whatever your reasons for wanting to pursue an online education, California Education Online is here to assist you with finding a connection to the proper resources and school that will meet your needs. All it takes is a few basic pieces of information in our no-obligation form to get you started. For more information about the getting into online education, make sure to read through the requirements.
