Why Online Classes Are So Popular

It’s no secret that online education is growing in popularity. The ads are everywhere, and the rise in household penetration of online availability makes it easier than ever for people to access higher education coursework from their own homes. But why else has online education taken off? There are three main reasons.

• Lower cost. Some of the cost savings with online education may be obvious: You aren’t paying for fuel or transportation to campus, there’s no housing to consider, etc. But in addition to that, many universities are pricing their online programs more affordably than typical brick-and-mortar outlets. For instance, U.S. News & World Report found that Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, recently began offering graduate education classes for the bargain price of $412.50 each, meaning that some students can complete a master’s degree for less than $5,000 over the course of 18 months. Similarly, the school plans to offer undergrad courses online for $500 for a standard three-credit course, which would be available to students nationwide. With pricing like that, it’s no wonder that so many people pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees are turning to distance learning as a viable option.
• More convenience. A typical higher education experience revolves around rigid class schedules and deadlines that can force students to sacrifice other work or free time. But online classes are the ultimate in personal convenience, allowing students to complete coursework at their own pace, log in when they need to, and figure out how to make their distance education needs line up with their personal lives and jobs. Many online courses only require students to log in a few times a week; the exactly scheduling of the system interactions is left up to the student, which means you can still go to work or take care of family and still have time to take care of your coursework. The freer structure also allows for a more independent study program, which can be of use to some students in continuing education who want to obtain a degree without having to feel like they’re repeating college over again.
• Increased access. Students at physical colleges or universities are limited to the teachers and classmates at their disposal, but online classes provide students and their instructors with a national catalog of educational information. Students across multiple states can chat online about their coursework and have access to educational opportunities regardless of their physical location or limitations. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has developed a program called OpenCourseWare, which puts a substantial amount of its undergraduate and graduate-level education materials online. It’s a move representative of the shift from physical learning to distance learning, and their online classes are an example of how students nationwide can have access to curriculum previously available only to certain people.

With all that to consider, it’s no surprise that online classes have seen a steady growth in popularity.