In this era of computers and mobile phones and everything being online, online education is also setting its feet in the world of academics. But the question that comes to our mind is that what exactly is online education? Online education is when students gain knowledge through internet on their phones, laptops or computers. This sounds unconventional but has a number of advantages like flexibility, both for students and teachers and knowledge reaching distant places as neither students nor teachers have to visit each other.
Online education has become a trend after the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, when the entire world was locked within their houses, online education became the only mode of studying for students. And with this, the relevance and importance of this mode of education was realised. It came into the knowledge of the world about the added benefits online education has.
Some of the advantages of online education is that is provides immense flexibility and students are open to knowledge 24/7, giving them the liberty to study according to their choice. Also, this saves time as one doesn’t have to travel for school and also give students an open environment to learn and grow, outside the four walls of classroom.
Though this is a lot away from the traditional mode of learning, the quality of online education is never compromised as the technology has advanced a lot. Online education is infact more interesting as it includes presentations, animations, videos that makes learning a fun process. Also, students can connect directly with their teachers via chat, which means that the student-teacher relationship is maintained. Online education can be imparted through a number of platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, MS Teams etc. Now, let us have a detailed look into online education.
Online Education Courses
With increasing popularity of online education, students get confused with what course to pick. In order to clear this confusion, here is the list of some most popular online courses that are valuable enough to help students compete well for the jobs in real world.
| Top Online Master’ Courses | Specializations |
| Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) | 24+ |
| Master of Computer Science Application (MCA) | 8+ |
| Master of Commerce (MCom) | 3+ |
| Master of Arts (MA) | 9+ |
| Master of Technology (M.Tech) | 7+ |
| Master of Science | 7+ |
| Master of Executive MBA | 6+ |
Top Online UG Degrees
| B.Sc Programming and Data Science | – |
| B.A Journalism and Mass Communication | – |
| Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) | 12+ |
| Bachelor of Arts (Hindi) | – |
| Bachelor of Computer Science Applications (BCA) | – |
| Bachelor of Commerce | 3+ |
| Bachelor of Tourism | – |
| Bachelor of Arts in Tourism Management | – |
Top Online Diploma Courses (1 Year)
| Diploma in Digital Marketing |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication |
| Diploma in Data Science |
| Diploma in Programming |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Advertising and Brand Management |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management |
| Post Graduate Diploma in International Business |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing and Sales Management |
| Post Graduate Diploma in NGO Management |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Logistics and Supply Chain Management |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Travel and Tourism Management |
| Post Graduate Diploma in Retail Management |
| PG Diploma in Finance and Accounting |
| PG Diploma in Public Accounting |
Top Online Certificate Courses (6 Months)
| Certificate in Hospital and Healthcare Management |
| Certificate in Digital Marketing |
| PG Certificate in Agriculture Policy |
| PG Certificate in Gandhi and Peace Studies |
| Certificate in Tribal Studies |
| Certificate in Tourism Management |
| Certificate in Russian Language |
| Certificate in Arabic Language |
| Certificate in Library and Information Sciences |
| Certificate in Information Technology |
| Certificate in Peace Studies and Conflict Management. |
Now, when we know about the top online courses spread over various streams, let’s look at the details of some of the most preferred online courses.
- Post- Graduation Courses:- Students go for Post graduation programs after completing their graduation. These days, a number of colleges offer online Post Graduation programs to which students can enroll. The best part of doing online post graduation is the flexibility that students can get as they can continue doing their jobs along with their studies. But, one should take care of the fact that the college they choose is UGC or AICTE approved. And then, one can get a post graduation degree without affecting their job much.
- Under Graduation Courses:- After completing 12th, students can get themselves enrolled in online under graduation programs. This will be extremely beneficial for students as by pursuing graduation online, students can get involved in internships and other activities, which will help them have a better career.
- Digital Marketing Courses:- With the world getting Digital, marketing has also taken a digital turn, introducing digital marketing. These days, Digital Marketing has become a most sought after course as it offers great jobs in the field of marketing. Getting enrolled in such a course can help students climb up the stairs of success. This course is offered by a number of colleges in online medium, providing students with the skills along with flexibility in schedule, making it the most demanded online course.
- Communication Courses:- Communication forms the basis when it comes to job market. With it being a core skill, many colleges are offering communication courses so that students can shine in their jobs. So, students who wish to master this skill can get themselves enrolled in such communication courses which will equip them with this important skill.
- Diploma Courses:- In this world where skills get sold, it is important to develop as many skills as possible. One such way to shine in the professional world is to pursue diploma course online with or without doing any major degree side by side. This will help students gain more skills and set their feet in the practical world.
- Spoken English Courses:- English is a language understood across the world, making it an important language to learn. Students, without investing much time in learning this language can do so by getting themselves enrolled in online English speaking classes which will help them learn this language and communicate effectively.
Online Education Colleges
With the increasing popularity of online education, many colleges have started offering courses online, making it easy for students to learn and develop skills. In this segment, we have listed some of the best colleges that offer online courses to students.
| IGNOU | Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open University) | School of Open Learning, Delhi University |
| Symbiosis Centre of Distant Learning | Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University | Amity University |
| Sikkim Manipal University | National Institute of Internet Marketing | National Institute of Information Technology |
| Jaipur National University | Chandigarh University | University of Mumbai |
Online Education VS Traditional Education
After learning a lot about Online education, confusion might arise about how are these modes of education different. In order to clear this confusion, this segment will bring forth the difference between Online education and Traditional Education.
| Online Education | Traditional Education |
| No regular classes | Students have to attend classes regularly, being present in physical mode. |
| Basic requirements are computer and internet connection. | Hard copies of books, notebooks and pens are required |
| Students can attend classes according to their will as online education provides flexibility. | Students have to stick to a schedule. |
| Students can get personalized attention of the teacher. | In physical mode, it’s hard for teachers to attend each and every student personally. |
| It provides immense exposure and students can connect to a number of people across the world through internet. | Lack of exposure as students meet the same set of children everyday, limiting their circle. |
Online Education VS Distance Learning
Though both these modes appear to be same, there are some major differences between the two. Some of these differences are:-
| Online Education | Distance Learning |
| No physical exams | Exams are held in offline mode. |
| Enhanced flexibility as students can attend classes anytime and the duration of courses is generally not a criteria. | Courses are completed in set duration. |
| Online Learning material | Traditional sources of learning like books. |
Online Education Advantages
- Quick Skill Development:- Students can get themselves enrolled in short term courses or Diploma courses that are offered online that will help them develop skills to shine in the professional world.
- Flexibility:- Students have the liberty to choose the time and duration of the course, making online learning a flexible process.
- Affordability:- The quality of Online education generally remains same as knowledge is imparted online only. This gives students the liberty to choose the best course that is also affordable.
- Exposure:- Students can connect to a number of people worldwide through internet, giving them a lot of exposure to communicate outside the boundaries.
- Full Attendance:- In traditional Education, a good attendance record is mandatory to appear for the exams. However, online education provides students the opportunity to access to classes according to their availability, cancelling out the need to attend lectures regularly.
- Time Saving:- Online education saves a lot of time and money as one does not have to travel to attend online classes, which can be done by a simple click of phone or laptop.
Online Education Disadvantages
- No physical meetings:- As online education takes place on screen, there is little to no possibility for students to meet in real and interact.
- Extended Screen time:- Online education can be tiring as one has to stick to screen to learn which can be very harmful for one’s eyes.
Online Education:- Resources
One can get to learn and acquire skills online through a number of Resources. Some of these resources are:-
- Live Lectures by the Faculty:- The college to which students enrol themselves conduct online classes which are offered by expert faculty of that college. Students can attend these lectures and also question them through online mode only.
- Recorded Lectures:- The colleges also provide recorded lectures to students to which they can listen anytime. This helps students as it acts as a doubt clearing session to which students can access anytime.
- Online Learning Material:- Students can study from soft copies or e-books that are provided by college. This reduces the burden of buying books and carrying them and also makes learning accessible anytime.
Is Online Education the Future ?
With almost everything taking place online, education too has taken a turn from traditional system to online mode. These days, more and more colleges are offering courses online because of its popularity among students.
Keeping in mind the advantages online education has, like flexibility, affordability etc., Students prefer online education as it gives comfort along with skills. Moreover, it acts like a boon for working professionals as they can add skills through online education without affecting their job.
A survey suggests that more than 30% students prefer online education which hints at its growing demand, though gradually. So one can say that Online Education may take over traditional ways of learning, making it the future.
Online Education Career Opportunities
The question that comes to our mind regarding online education is that whether pursuing education online is valuable or not. The answer to this question is that it is very much valuable in the professional world and students can apply both for private and government jobs after completing their education online. Some of the jobs that one can do after online education are listed below.
- Media and Communication
- Management
- Bank
- Railways
- Architecture
- Writing and Advertising
- BPO
- SEO Optimization
- Public Relations
- Product Management
- Software Development
- Human Resource etc.
Conclusion
In this article, we have discussed in detail about online education, making clear every point. With all the points discussed above, it can be said that online education will soon take over traditional modes of studying, making it the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is Online Education
Answer. Online Education is defined as the way of education that is acquired through electronic devices like Mobile Phones, Laptops etc. via internet.
Q2. Is Online education free of cost ?
Answer. Online Education can both be expensive or free of cost, depending upon the way one chooses to learn online. Colleges generally charge fees for online education whereas websites like Udemy, Edurev etc., offer some courses free of cost.
Q3. Is Online Education beneficial ?
Answer. Yes, online education is very beneficial as it provides flexibility in learning and make students well equipped with skills that provides them great jobs in the real world.
