The more I think about this, the more passionate I feel about it!
Since practically the very moment that
we are born, the concept of getting an education is drilled into our minds.
Hearing this as children is often boring and pointless. However, as we grow, we
understand more and more the need to further our educations. Why? Because, as
Nelson Mandela boldly declares, “Education is the most powerful weapon which
you can use to change the world.” Who wouldn’t want a better world? In that
case, if we want this world to change, we need more people to become educated.
Does it not make more sense, then, that we give more people the ability to
obtain a formal education and receive a degree of their choosing?
The problem is that this is not always
possible. This world has become an increasingly demanding and difficult place
to live. Many lack the time and ability to dash back and forth from work and
family to classes and exams. Can I even mention how impossible it is to
complete homework in this type of situation? For many, this type of lifestyle
is overwhelming. They have no choice but to give up.
That’s where online classes come to the
rescue! Some universities are even offering degree programs online. With these
programs, there’s no dashing to and from a campus. Everything needed is there
at home on a computer. It’s simple and much more convenient! Not only that, but
online courses also allow students of whatever background to learn more about
the use of technology, which is much needed in this day and age.
To some, this is a cause for concern. Although
I find it to be an excellent idea, there are many educators who believe
otherwise, arguing that complete online programs make it so that students don’t
learn how to collaborate with others as one would in a traditional program
offered on a university campus. I, however, beg to differ.
I have had my fair share of college
courses online. A graphic design class that I took during my first year of
college required that I post my projects online and then go on a certain
webpage once a week to chat with the instructor as well as with the other
students. We vocally critiqued the work of each other, shared thoughts and
ideas in terms of improvement, and received feedback from the instructor.
Although we all lived in completely different places across the United States,
we were brought together through an online course through collaborating and
constantly communicating. I was amazed how much I learned from that experience
about working with others as well as graphic design itself even though the
course was online. I have no doubt that other programs can do the same for
others as they did for me.
Although students may have a wholesome
collaborative experience through complete degree programs online, many are very
skeptical of academic honesty. This may be true, but online programs actually
share the same problem as all
colleges, including prestigious universities. David L. Jaff, MS, of Stanford
stated that between 75 and 98 percent of college students admitted to cheating
in high school (Jaff). There was even an incident in which dozens of Harvard
students were caught cheating on an exam (Pérez Peña, 2013). In that case, why
point fingers at only online courses? Cheating happens on all college campuses.
It isn’t solely an issue online.
Some may even dare to accuse students of
online programs of being “lazy.” Try telling that to my friend, Daina! She is a
good friend of mine who was recently diagnosed with Postural orthostatic
tachycardia syndrome, also known as POTS. Because of this disease, she is
plagued with constant and extreme stomach pain, an abnormally rapid heartbeat,
circulatory complications, and persistent fatigue. She is unable to stand for
long periods of time and walking is often difficult for her. She is only
twenty-one years old and wants to attend culinary school. Unfortunately, this
disease has confined her to her home and attending classes is not possible for
her. What would she do without online courses? She is currently taking these
classes, which help her to keep her mind sharp and even distract her from her
constant discomfort from POTS. She doesn’t know for sure how long she will be
this way, but thanks to online degree programs, she could still be able to earn
a degree even as sick as she is.
She is not the exception either. Another
one of my friends was also confined to her bed because she suffered from
stomach paralysis. Although she was always in bed, she was still able to earn
her high school degree through online programs. She was able to achieve this
dream before she passed away only a few months later. How devastating would it have
been to be kept from achieving such a dream simply from being too sick to
attend classes? Many others share these circumstances, and it is only fair that
they too be given a chance to change the world and reach their dreams through
their education. How so? It’s easy – through online school programs.
In essence, preparation for receiving a
degree online is not much different than receiving one on a college campus.
They make students who live in more difficult situations much more able to
access the work necessary to obtain a degree. They present a good,
collaborative environment while teaching them more about technology. The only
difference is that these classes take place within the walls of one’s own home.
They give many who want to be at school, especially those who are ill, the
chance to still make their dreams a reality. Let us give to as many as possible the
opportunity to achieve their goals and earn a degree. By doing so, we are
better able to accomplish as Nelson Mandela said and help change the world.
Works Cited
Jaffe, David L. "Academic
Cheating Fact Sheet." Perspectives in Assistive Technology. Web. 26
Jan. 2016. <
Pérez Peña, Richard. "Students
Accused of Cheating Return Awkwardly to a Changed Harvard." The New
York Times [New York] 17 Sept. 2013: A12. The New York Times. 16
Sept. 2013. Web. 26 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/education/students-accused-of-cheating-return-awkwardly-to-a-changed-harvard.html>.
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