Week 1: The Internet and Education

The Internet has allowed me to finish my degree, which is something I couldn't possibly accomplish by going to a brick and mortar school while managing a hectic family and professional life. Technology has evolved so much in the last 10-15 years that you are now able to have online meetings, share documents, and even share your own desktop online. All of these technical advancements have made online classes possible.

I have had two distinct academic experiences - I received my Associate's degree by attending classes in person, and I am receiving my Bachelor's in IT degree online this summer. I strongly believe that online classes are more effective in preparing students for their professional careers. Online classes require a lot more dedication, discipline, and effort from a student than taking classes in person. In attending online classes you develop a work ethic, which will benefit you later in life. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of prejudice against online degrees. I'm not sure where that comes from, but it is definitely unfounded. Even the best schools in the country such as Harvard and Yale provide online degrees nowadays.

The fact that you can access your classes from anywhere in the world, and get an education is fascinating to me. Online learning, like the Internet itself, is a very democratic system of disseminating information. Online learning shifts the responsibility to the student, while at the same time it gives the student the flexibility to meet his/her deadlines on time without having to show up at a specific location at a specific time. Obviously, the U.S. and many other countries benefit by having a higher number of people with a college degree. An educated population contributes to the economic, scientific, and technological growth of a country. A college education also contributes to higher wages and a better standard of living.