How Online Education Can Help Your School Provide Better Learning Opportunities?

In the last few years online education has become an integral part of the learning experience as more and more students from around the world are now pursuing online programmes. However, there is still some scepticism remaining among a segment of education experts and institutions. Some educators believe that online learning provides valuable education and significant teacher-student interaction. On the other hand, some teachers think that online education is inferior to traditional classroom learning and contest associations with external for-profit providers.

Implementing Online Learning

For instance, most of the faculty at the School of International Service at American University were apprehensive about collaborating with an external provider to deliver online graduate education. Most of the teachers wondered how learners could benefit by not attending face-to-face interaction with professors. However, as the online programmes were implemented, the educators discovered that digital learning has its own set of benefits and could actually help students learn better.

But a huge investment of innovation and resources is required to achieve success and to make sure that institutes meet their objectives. This is important as administrators and faculty are committed to teach those learners who are unable attend on-campus classes for different reasons like location problems, family or professional responsibilities etc.

TheSchool of International Service introduced an online master's degree course in International Relations (MAIR) in May 2013. Now over 100 students have already taken part in real-time online classes from more than 13 nations and 26 states. Around 33 per cent of the students are either retired or active duty retired U.S. military. The school manages the admissions, offers curriculum and course content and organises with the university to determine different policies regarding the online programme.

Offering The Right Platform

The educators and faculty take around 7 to 9 months to prepare for the online course, which includes developing study materials so that the learners can study at their own pace by watching videos, lectures, simulations and presentations.

The institute has also collaborated with 2U, which offers online platforms and allows educators to provide live and pre-prepared coursework. Both students and teachers have said the online programmes offer high levels of satisfaction. A recent survey in the school found that around 94 per cent students claimed that the online master's programme is highly recommendable and they would surely suggest it to a friend.

Merging On-Campus And Online Learning

The school eventually invited online learners to the campus for an immersion programme in September. For the first time, students met with their fellow learners in person, whom they have met via their online programmes. The students also interacted with the faculty face-to-face and participated in academic and career advising sessions.

Although there are many challenges in developing and delivering an effective online master's degree programme, but with the right technological platform and trained professors and faculty, any institution can achieve its goals.