Good News for Distance Learners - A-levels & GCSEs are now Entering Online

What can be more exciting that grabbing the opportunity to sit for A-level and GCSE exams online that hadn’t been done before? Recent reports said that these major exams would be taken online in the coming decade. However, this has given rise to heavy arguments among administrators of the current academia.

Reports by The Independent

Independent Association of Prep Schools’ chief executive David Hancock supported the fact that online models have high chances to replace the UK education system that has full of flaws at present. Since this change can bring a massive impact, concerns have already been raised. It was just the previous week when the The Independent reported that questions must be thrown in regard to the changes so that it becomes easier to understand the realistic scenario of the students’ knowledge and understanding.

Whatever is the impact of this debate, plenty of educational programmes and systems will keep migrating online. The exponential growth of the e-learning market has stood as a clear witness here. Surveys made by the Ambient Insight Research said that the international market showed £20.5 billion for e-learning in 2010 that is highly predicted to exceed £31 billion by 2015.

A-levels and GCSEs must evolve

It’s an unquestionable fact that technology has played a key role in helping students grab more options to complete their education successfully. This is probably one of the biggest reasons why A-levels and GCSEs must undergo a thorough evolution to remain dominant among career professionals.

As per The Innovative University report published in 2011, fears could embrace educators in losing competitors if they are not able to adopt modernised teaching technologies. In fact, online education in the United Kingdom is gradually seizing the place that has been dominated by traditional learning for generations. Today, the UK distance learning programmes are receiving global attention and it seems that the enrolment rate of international students is also on the rise.

So, how beneficial can be online learning?

Well, plenty of factors are responsible behind the worldwide emergence of online education. Here are the most important ones:

Online learning is cost-effective than classroom education

• As per reports, 25 to 60% less time is required for e-learning to deliver equal amount of information in comparison to what is invested in classrooms.
• Secondly, the percentage of carbon dioxide emission gets reduced by 85% per student enrolled in an online course.
• Besides, distance learners are freed from the compulsion of travelling long distances and thereafter attending full-time classes.
• Opting for an Online School programme can help the student fulfil its educational aspirations irrespective of their financial status. This is because many well accredited and recognised online schools provide affordable degrees and diplomas with flexibility in payment. The learners are not under the compulsion of paying a big chunk of their earnings at one go. Some also offer pay per module option where the learners can undertake and pay for individual module at a time.

Learning online involves absolute flexibility

• Flexibility is the biggest strength for online learners based on which they easily complete their higher studies and gather a considerable work experience at the same time.
• Even if one misses one’s classes, he/she can access pre-recorded videos provided by the online learning institution.

Use of updated technologies

A big reason why obtaining education in brick and mortar classrooms seems quite monotonous is lack of new learning tools and strategies. Instead, online education helps students to:

• Gain access to quality study materials along with CDs and DVDs
• Socially network with instructors and classmates
• Communicate through interactive forums or face-to-face study groups

Connecting in-person

• Distance learners are given the advantage to attend live lectures online
• Participate in study groups
• Ask questions at live webinars
• Participate in online discussions initiated by academic scholars
• So, you can measure the impact of distance learning in today’s world and know as how effective it is to pursue education online under a UK university. Well, if you keep listing the benefits of being a distance learner, classroom learning would gradually seem to be an inappropriate option for you.

Sources:

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