Online Learning - The Most Affordable Degree

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Online education has brought revolution to the global learning system. The e-learning offered by top rank distance learning universities and colleges is attracting students across the world. Loaded with the most advanced technology professional courses are being offered. The flexibility of time, affordable university degree, and digital study material have generated learning interest among the students. As the demand for e-learning has gone up, world's top universities and colleges are aiming to provide quality study material with practical training. Online learning-what next? The question is already storming the mind of think tanks and the educationists.

Online education booming 

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Loaded with advantages, e-learning is rising as the most favorites form of education structure among the students. According to the National Center for Education Statistics more than five million students, which is 25 percent of the university and college students, have enrolled in various online courses. According to the statistics, 14 percent of the students have enrolled in traditional and distance learning courses whereas 11 percent entirely selected distance course.

Rise in distance learning

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Sensing the trend educational institutions have intensified online offering of education. According to the 2014 Survey of Online Learning schools with five thousand or above enrollments offer web learning. The survey held by the Babson Survey Research Group and co-sponsored by the Pearson, OLC (Online Learning Consortium), and Triton Partners.

Courses offered by educational institutions are adding distance learning program. This ultimately leading to the recognition along with the revenue generation. There are knowledge agencies who aim profit. These education agencies provide support for campaigning of the course and server. In return, they get a share of profit from the schools.

E-learning in curriculum 

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Massive open online courses (MOOC) offers e-learning with extensive divergent courses. It engages top educational institutions and faculty. Since it is free, institutes which for so long has ignored online learning are now integrating into their curriculum. These institutes have realized that online learning shoves off cost pressure with scope to offer varied courses. Most importantly these new age courses with digital study material and affordable university degree fulfill the aspiration of the students who aim to pursue such course at abroad.

Learning support 

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To benefit the students Universities and Colleges have taken technology to a new level. A dedicated app for smartphones and tablets been launched. Students sitting on with PC or laptop can also login to the University and College website to study. Students can interact with faculty via online audio-video mode. It helps the learner to get support from the educator.

Affordable online degree from the UK

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Most students or the employed search for a low-cost online course. As online distance learning is not cost burden, Universities and Colleges offer cheap online learning. The cost affordable courses attract students as it hardly puts the burden on their finance. In England, students and employed search for low cost online course. As online distance learning is not cost burden, Universities and Colleges offer cheap online learning. The cost affordable courses attract students as it hardly puts burden on their finance. Hence, affordable online degrees from UK is attracting students from different parts of the world.

Ascending and growing 

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Online education is an effective and career development oriented. E-learning comprises integrated system of learning with interactive high definition audio-visual graphics making online learning interesting and relevant. Universities and colleges providing professional online distance courses, a student can surely bank upon the new age learning method.


We would like to know from you. Comment below with your thoughts and opinion.


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Why learning English online is the new trend?

Are you studying online yet? If not, it is about time you start pursuing your degree online and achieve your career goals without investing excessive time or money. 

With the advancement of technology, online learning has become one of the most popular modes of earning an accredited qualification for many students and professionals across the globe. Why? Simply because it allows you to advance your education without making any drastic changes to your personal and professional life. As online courses offer a lot of convenience and flexibility, its demand has been increasing quickly worldwide.

Learning English The Online Way

Recently, over 100,000 individuals have enrolled for a single web-based course that offers English language tuition to the students. The introductory programme from the British Council, is their first attempt at MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) which provides lessons free of charge. Among the people who have already signed up for the 6 week course, students from Russia, Burma and Spain are highest in numbers.

According to the British Council, this online course is among the largest English language classes worldwide. More than 33 per cent of these English language students are pursuing the education programme through their smartphones.

Tapping Into The Global Demand

Sara Pierson, head of English partnerships at the British Council, claims that the web-based programme has “tapped into the global demand.” She said “English is spoken at a useful level by one in four people worldwide - and we know that even more people all over the world want to learn English.”

MOOCs were initially adopted by some of the leading universities in the world which offered numerous programmes online to students anywhere in the world. In fact some of the online university courses have acquired excessively high students’ base, with some institutes having over 200,000 students.

A Global Virtual Classroom

However, several educational establishments have also started to develop online courses for students. In fact, the British Council has partnered with prominent UK-based online education provider, FutureLearn, to create and deliver the English course.

Kathryn Skelton of FutureLearn commented “Learners are taking the course from countries like Burma and Algeria, where internet penetration is relatively low, yet the appetite for learning English is clearly thriving.”

The online language course has already attracted learners from 178 nations, with Spain being the highest contributor of students. The United Kingdom is also in the top 10 list. Moreover, there are large groups of students from India, Vietnam, China and Colombia as well. A study of the programme, which utilises online tutors and video to deliver course content, reveals that male students are outnumbered by female students by less than one to two. It is probably the first time they are pursuing an online programme for nearly three quarters. It was also found that the biggest group of students were educators.

You will not be required to pay any tuition fee for pursuing the course neither there will be any examination at the end. Instead you will receive a “statement of participation.”

Are You Going To Enrol For The Programme? 

So what do you think about the new online English course from the British Council? Do you think this course can help you in honing your English skills? Let us know what you feel by sharing your views and opinions in the comments section below.

How is an Online Business Diploma a better and cheaper option?

Are you set to study MBA from a reputed business school? Pursuing an MBA can be an excellent career choice, but you just might have to empty your bank account as tuition fees in recognised B-schools worldwide are increasing constantly. So what should you do? Let’s find out....

MBA is certainly among the most pursued education programmes across the globe. I believe that a degree in business can undoubtedly help you to gain leadership and managerial skills and broaden your networking. But as most brick and mortar B-schools and universities are charging excessively high tuitions, does it really make sense to pursue an on-campus MBA programme? I don’t think so. But don’t take my advice.

Why Go Online?

A new study conducted by Wharton School, one of the foremost US business schools, shows that online programmes, including diplomas and MOOCs, are more cost-effective and resourceful than traditional programmes. Karl Ulrich and Christian Terwiesch, the authors of the new report, believe that online courses like MOOCs are more productive when compared to the cost of tuition in on-campus MBA courses. The study goes on to say that online business diplomas offer you greater flexibility so that you can study at any time you want, which is a boon for most learners.

Moreover as these programmes divide study materials into different segments and deliver them through short videos/audio presentations, a process identified as “SuperText” in the study, it offers you a better learning experience.

The researchers said, “It is SuperText that poses the threat and the opportunity. The MOOC . . . is a Trojan horse: while public attention was focused on the massive and open characteristics of the courses, the SuperText technology quietly proved highly effective as a learning technology.”

Online Education...The Current Rage

Whether you admit it or not, online learning programmes have presently become a rage among learners and professionals alike. As online diplomas are affordable, you will be able to learn the core and advanced elements of business management without emptying your pockets. Perhaps the greatest advantage of pursuing an online diploma in business is that it gives you the opportunity to learn while you earn. You can easily work a full-time job and also pursue your online business programme at the same time. It gives you the scope to balance your personal, academic and professional life effectively.

Fast Track to a Better Future

What’s more, you will also have the option to top up your online postgraduate diploma in business management and fast track to the final year of an accredited MBA programme from a recognised business school or university. Thus online business diplomas are definitely a cheaper and better alternative to traditional MBA. Not only will you learn essential knowledge, abilities and skills, but you will also be able to earn a recognised qualification at minimal cost. Moreover, as online diplomas are now accepted by employers all across the world, you can easily get employed in a managerial role at a multinational organisation.

Online programmes like business diplomas and MOOCs teach you to apply business management knowledge to solve business-related problems at your workplace. With a recognised business diploma, you can increase your income, transform your career and accomplish your targets successfully.

What is the Impact of Modern Technology on Learning?

Technology has significantly transformed every aspect of our lives and now it is changing the way we learn. Technology can enable teachers and students to develop an enhanced learning experience and improve the overall standards of education.

Although the unemployment rate of young graduates has been gradually degreasing since the last 5 years, but still the numbers are alarmingly high. However, employers are claiming that there is lack of well trained candidates with required skills to fill the entry-level vacancies in companies worldwide. This scenario has become a serious threat for both graduates and companies. It is only with the help of latest technology that we can create unique learning techniques and introduce new platforms so that our graduates are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge required for the workplace. Moreover it can also help those individuals who are already working to develop additional skills and advance their careers.

Making Education More Accessible

Technology has the ability to make education more accessible, affordable and understandable, especially for those who have been marginalised till now. Education was traditionally limited to classrooms and students had to attend classes physically. As result of this system, many individuals were automatically deprived from the opportunity to learn due to various challenges and other commitments.

But with the help of technology, education has come out of the classroom and has successfully shifted to the online platform. Thus it has now become more accessible as anyone can study from online contents via their tabs or Smartphones from any part of the world, as long as they have a reliable internet connection. Now those individuals who were previously deprived of learning opportunities can participate in various online learning programmes and build their future career.

Going the MOOC Way

Massive Open Online Courses or MOOCs is one of the prime examples of how technology has transformed education. As these academic programmes are free and require minimum qualifications, millions of students, including professionals, are now pursuing MOOCs to learn new skills and acquire knowledge relevant for their specific fields of employment.

Recently, Qualt, an online learning company, launched a free downloadable app through which learners can access vocational MOOC programmes via their smartphones. Another app named Maths Everywhere app, launched by adult education charity NIACE, received the ‘App of the Year’ award in the Prolific North Awards. This particular app enables adults to learn essential numeracy skills. Platforms like these offer a highly affordable, low-risk and flexible learning opportunity which learners can fit around their present lifestyle.

The Blended Approach

Apart from the online sphere, technology can also modify education inside the classroom. With the Blended Learning approach, teachers can successfully use advanced tools to make learning more interesting and engaging in schools, colleges and universities. These tools can also empower teachers to better organise and plan their tasks and track the progress of their students more effectively.

Technology for Teachers

It is imperative that teachers and educators accept technology as a part of their teaching process instead of being afraid of it. Technology cannot replace teachers, but it can help improve teaching. Thus teachers should be determined to make the most out of what latest technology has to offer. In order to actualise this, schools must train their teachers and staff so that they are comfortable with using advanced devices for the betterment of the students.

By using technology in the right way, we can undoubtedly improve education standards for every learner around the world. Educational institutes can offer an enhanced learning experience which caters to the unique needs of every learner. This will help in creating a well trained workforce that can meet the needs of the employers and successfully face challenges of the corporate world.

What Can Be Done To Make Rural Entrepreneurship Successful In Asia?

With the growing challenges in the corporate world, most countries around the world are struggling to improve their economy. But can education help a nation in improving its economic performance?

In Asia, more than 50 per cent of the population still resides in villages and rural areas. However, this number is reducing....rapidly. Nowadays, most of the villagers, who are mostly reliant on agriculture, are now moving into the bigger cities in search of better opportunities. As a result many of the Asian mega-cities like Manila and Mumbai have become overcrowded and unsustainable. The rural migration rate is specifically high in China where almost 100 cities have over 1 million people. In contrast, the United Kingdom has only 2 overcrowded cities, Birmingham and London.

So what is the solution?

What can be done to prevent these villagers from leaving the rural areas? The answer is simple. We need to give them a worthwhile reason to stay in their villages. The key question here is how?

One of the most effective solutions is Rural Entrepreneurship, a theme which has gained prominence in the Purpose Economy Asia 100 prepared by Imperative, an US-based career consultancy.

Money comes first

Most business leaders and experts know that you need to money in order to make money. Currently Micro-Finance is the most suitable option which can enable the rural residents to start their own local business ventures. Micro- Finance, primarily Asian in origin, was propagated initially in Bangladesh by Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Prize winner. Later it became popular in India and other developing economies.

Chetna Sinha, Founder of the co-operative bank Mann Deshi Mahila Bank in Maharashtra, India, says, “If people aren't able to access a micro-finance loan, then they will go to loan sharks”. Sinha, who was titled India's Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the Schwab Foundation recently, confirms that usually unlicensed moneylenders tend to charge high compound interest rates which can range from 20 per cent to 120 per cent.

However, Micro- Finance is not the sole option for these villagers as there are several other innovative loan options available for them. Mann Deshi Mahila Bank also provides specifically designed insurance products, pension services, individualised loans and savings accounts to their rural clients. Meanwhile in Myanmar, a social enterprise named Proximity Designs offers farm finance packages which gives loans for the planting and growing season. Moreover, the payments can also be delayed until the harvest.

Even though there are many rural finance options available now, but the fact remains that the loan amounts are usually very small and the interest rates are rather high for the villagers. Hence it becomes a daunting task for them to create a satisfactory credit score and be eligible for bigger sums.

Is Finance enough for successful Rural Entrepreneurship?

No. Actually it’s far from being enough. The main challenge lies elsewhere. Most of the time aspiring entrepreneurs in rural regions feel handicapped by their lack of relevant business knowledge, skills, entrepreneurial motivation, market awareness, and leadership & communication skills.

The factor which needs the most focus here is developing adequate entrepreneurial motivation and drive. The General Secretary of Sri Lanka's Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Vinya Ariyaratne, says, “You need to change the mindset of people. That is, (teaching them) that they can do things on their own without relying on external resources to come to the village, in particular the government”.

Sarvodaya works with about 15,000 villages and helps the residents to start new business ventures by providing training, collective thinking and dialogue and establishing community institutes. Vinya Ariyaratne, who was also chosen for the Schwab Foundation's award, says, “Other organisations see poverty basically as a problem with income and straight away start microfinance and so on. But we believe development needs to encompass … spiritual, moral and cultural development too”.

What can be else done provide necessary training to rural residents on a large scale?

How can the potential entrepreneurs in villages across Asia learn about business without feeling any financial burden? The solution is right in front of us...Online Education. Earning a business diploma study online can help the villagers prepare for Rural Entrepreneurship.

However, it would firstly require the respective governments to greatly enhance the existing infrastructure in the villages, so that they can access the internet. But the good news is many villages across the continent already have internet accessibility. Hence online diploma programmes like MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) can help them to learn relevant skills and gain business knowledge that will enable them to start their own business ventures. This would in turn improve the overall economy of the region and add to the national economy as well.

As a nation’s economy largely depends on different industries that have varied effects in the global market, the education level of the citizens, both urban and rural, greatly contributes towards its economic performance. Thus developing countries need to focus on improving the education system, both online and on-campus, so that more entrepreneurs and skilled workers can be created to support various industries. Moreover, the principle that every individual has a right to education has given rise to a movement for improvement of education.

By providing higher education opportunities to the rural population through online learning modes, we can enable them to be self-sufficient and contribute to their local economy. This will certainly prove to be an effective measure in persuading the villagers to remain and prosper in their own villages.