The other day I was drawn into a
conversation about online education. -a very lively argument between two
enlightened souls, one of them praising the concept and the other vigorously
opposing it. It had to be that way for the discussion to be lively.
This discussion set me thinking.
And many factors that I did not even think about on the subject earlier suddenly
came to light. I must confess that I am a very strong advocate of quality
education. The end is what is important and here the end is when the student is
satisfied with the content of the course and the method of coaching. 
Whether it is a boon or a bane,
it is a fact that the Online education in the United States takes a growth rateof 21%, exceeding the 2% growth rate in overall college education. This form of
education leverages on various factors like the knowledge of industry experts
for whom time is at a premium and hence can participate only in online modes
like chat and Skype in pre arranged time slots. Online education also allows
students to choose from a wide variety of alternatives available. Flexibility
on timing, spacing out their sessions and the great advantage of e-learning from home makes online education attractive. Corporate learning is also done
online whenever it is convenient. This allows professionals to attend to the
regular duties and attend courses during evenings and on holidays. 
Now let us look at the flip side.
Is it all hunky dory? I would say no, definitely not, especially when it
concerns students, it requires a lot of discipline to stay to a routine when
there is no constraint of adhering to a schedule that is structured. It is left
to the student to make his own schedule. Is this desirable? Technology
advancement notwithstanding, the lack of face to face interaction is definitely
a negative factor though the tech savvy will argue that with modern aids like Skype
and Video Conferencing, these negative effects are neutralized. There is also a
tendency to put off things because one is the master of his or her own time.
Online education is also imparted
to small children in school, but I presume this form is resorted to as
additional to regular school to take care of specific areas like math and
science.
However, I would like to drive
home the point that no form of education can be said to be superior to others.
Each has its advantages and drawbacks. The success of the choice depends on a
host of factors like availability of courses and faculty, the capacity to pay
education fees, the time available to the student and the confidence of the
student himself on whether he/she will be able to sustain and pursue his
course. So like anything else, education also gives you a variety of choices.
Chose what suits you best. You are the best judge
