Online Education Extends Reach To Develop Countries!

Abolish poverty may have been their main target, but achieving education has always been a primary concern for the developing countries. Constant societal and political turbulence, however, have been impeding and postponing progress for a long time. Thousands of people from these countries are choosing online courses to get rid of these years-old curses that have been keeping them away from a prosperous life.

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Development is more about improvements…

Building a nation involves a range of tasks. It was never only about boosting accounts. Healthy children, educated and aware citizen, efficient workforce – all these are important factors that a nation needs to focus on as it walks toward a better future. The aids that have been offered to these countries, therefore, are always more about helping them to bring about significant changes in health and education and also train the future generation so that they help the country make progress forming a competent workforce. The world famous learning institutions are taking important steps in donating education and helping talents from every corner to help them find a shining tomorrow. For instance:

• Supported by the nonprofit Generation Rwanda, Kepler University, has launched a special programme for students in Rwanda. They are offering a bachelor’s degree programme based on MOOC’s study material. Completion of this course will bring them an accredited degree by a U.S University. 

• In India Jaaga, a business developer and centre for arts is starting a one-year programme to help the Indian tech-market get an efficient workforce. Their training programme is bascically aiming at generating expert computer programmers. 

•  This one particularly is an individual attempt by a professor of electrical engineering at the University of El Salvador named Carlos Martinez. He registered around fifty students to take the edX version of MIT’s class on circuits and electronics in the fall of 2012. 

The philanthropic and non-profit movements taking place in Africa, Indonesia and Southeast Asia, China, as well as in South America are of great significance in this connection. It’s an era of democratic education where opportunities are being offered to everyone. Online education makes learning available for all. It is because…

• Online learning has discovered the most convenient ways for the new age learners to achieve knowledge. Now, you can pursue courses under the world class universities and that too sitting at home. It’s an option that comes exclusively with distance learning and was something beyond imagination in a foursquare structure. 

• It’s an initiative to help education reach further intellectual dimensions beyond a small classroom. It’s connecting you with world famous institutions and also with the famous experts of your industry so that your career benefits maximum from your investment. Apart from achieving degrees today you gain advices, tips and important information through your classes online. 

• Attaining degrees no more demands sacrifices. With studies online now you can easily keep your professional and personal commitments. It’s great news for working professionals who had to bid farewell to academic life after joining a work. Moreover, people who couldn’t afford to pursue education for lack of recourses now have best institutions at their disposal. 

With affordable courses online, now higher education or attaining skills to improve performance are no more financial burden. And the institutions today are designing courses specially to fit the pocket and lifestyle of the people from developing region. Moreover, the attempts taken to make study materials free for all the e-learners is a landmark initiative that reassures a commoner’s right to education. 

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Education: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!

Education is important for one and all and it’s been around for quite a long time now. In this field, a lot of things have changed in the last few years. Technology has advanced with time and these various technological innovations have actually made the field much more superior and promising. So, how the education sector has changed with time? How it was a few weeks back and what happened to it now? Let us see the milestones of education and how it got transformed with time.

• Education in ancient times 

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The Hieroglyphics in Egypt and the Phoenician writing in Greece evolved with the development of writing around the globe. Homer used writing tablets and the Romans started using wax tablets as well as metal styluses to write in order to wipe off the surface and write in it once again. The Greeks then started using textbooks and so on, the Romans opened schools for the children and aimed at teaching them the acts of socialisation. The Royal Library in Alexandria was built by the Egyptians and it is now considered to be the largest as well as the most significant libraries worldwide. In India, Nalanda University started to provide the graduate and post graduate learners with degrees.

• Education in Middle Ages 

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In France, England and Italy, the first universities were developed. They were considered to be medieval institutions at that time and were basically the centre of art, medicine, law and theology. “Gramaticam Latinam” made up the core students’ learning experiences. It consisted of logic, geometry, Latin grammar, rhetoric, geometry, astronomy, and music. In the various medieval institutions, the lecture format got started. The lecturers started reading from the texts and taught the learners who took notes on their notebooks. Johaness Gutenberg created the printing press and simple changed the way of reading through textbooks.

• Education in Renaissance 

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Scientific and pre-professional trainings were started and peoples were taught and trained to become doctors, lawyers, etc. The Renaissance period emphasised on the study of five humanities called poetry, grammar, rhetoric, moral philosophy and history. The scientific methods were developed to focus on the important contributions of anatomy, astronomy and biology.

• Early Education in the US 

In Massachusetts, the Boston Latin School was founded and it gradually became the first public school in the United States. And it is still there as the first school in the US. Horace Mann, the Secretary of Education designed a state-wide system for all the professional educators. In the mid 19th to mid 20th century, the McGuffey readers were popularised. “Literacy, hard work, diligence and virtuous living” were idealised by textbook leanings.

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• Contemporary Education in the US 

The education laws got developed with time. In 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provided the federal aid for public schools. The college resources got strengthened and the students got financial aid. Computers got introduced in education and in 1960s, the educators at the Dartmouth included computers as an important academic machines. Tablets and Smartphones got released and it totally changed the norms of education. The popularity of MOOCs grew with time. Students from all over the globe started applying for degrees from universities worldwide. Social Medias and networking profiles helped people to gain knowledge and communicate with each other. This helped them to learn more than what one can learn in a brick and mortar classroom. There was an effective growth of open content through Wikipedia and other similar sites.

• Education in the coming years 

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It is believed that open knowledge, from the various Open Education Resources (OER) on the web will gradually lessen the demand of textbooks. There will be an increase in demand of highly specialised learning and the programmes offering these skills will grow in time. The role of educators will never get diminished but their roles will be changed with time. Technology will help the educators reach out to more learners and this way, they will make learning an effective and affordable mode of learning. Professional training will grow with time and there will be new ways of training the learners.

U.S. Universities Retains The Leadership In Global Educational Scenario

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International student flow to the colleges and universities of the US has been increased by a record rate of 7%. The increase in number of international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities in the 2012-13 academic year has reached 819,644, as per the Open Doors’ report. The report shows that the number of such international students is more than 55,000 compared to what it was in the previous year. And, this increased student flow is mainly from Saudi Arabia and China.

Consistent International Student Flow

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Moving ahead, what is more striking in the revelation of Open Doors’ report is the consistent expansion in the international student flow to the U.S. educational institutions for seven consecutive years. There is even 40% increase recorded in the number of international students studying in the U.S. compared to the one noted a decade back. The increase is, however, is steady for the past three years. According to data, this huge international student flow contributes about $24 billion to the U.S. economy.

Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Evan Ryan looks at this huge craze for U.S. education quite positively and says, “International education promotes the relationship building and knowledge exchange between people and communities in the United States and around the world that are necessary to solve global challenges”. Throwing light to the standard of U.S. educational excellence, Institute of International Education President, Allan Goodman said that international students coming to the U.S. are exploring excellence of U.S. education, and getting guidance of some of the finest professors and research laboratories of the world. On the other hand, Americans are equally benefited from the multicultural influence global students transmit to enrich its culture, thus making a larger community.

Focusing on the attitude of huge 90% American students who do not find profitable enough to study abroad, Goodman said, “we need to increase substantially the number of U.S. students who go abroad so that they too can gain the international experience which is so vital to career success and deepening mutual understanding.”

Education that is Worth Investing

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Goodman points out that the consistent increase in international student flow to U.S. colleges and universities shows the conviction by international students and parents that U.S. education is somewhat worth investing. He added, “US higher education offers an unmatched range of nearly 4,000 colleges and universities of all sizes and types, with an extensive variety of course offerings, fields of study, and price points”.

The USA is already famous for its educational excellence apart from being the largest economy of the world. The nation holds the reputation of having several universities that are best in the world. For obvious reasons, students worldwide cherish aspiration of pursuing their higher studies from famous US universities. The number of international student population to US universities is the largest in the world. And, the nation continues to hold and even grow the mark of excellence its education standard possesses.

Distance Education Opening Fresh Avenues Toward Knowledge

Millions of people these days think Distance Learning or Education is the most viable process to earn knowledge. To encourage simplicity and integrity in learning experience, a large section of learners and teachers are opting for an education system that promises to convey knowledge through interactive discussions beyond foursquare constructions and fat text books. On the contrary, it chooses to discuss knowledge through Internet, electronic conferencing, software programs, and new supplementary electronic resources that offer fresh zeal to the age old system.

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ICDE’s Fresh Attempts: Education to Pace up Development

• The Standing Committee of Presidents (SCOP) of the members of (ICDE) the International Council of Distance Education has been offering an exclusive forum for presidents, rectors, and senior policy makers to exchange their views and opinions on open and distance education with a focus on the latest trends.
• SCOP since its initiation has witnessed major changes in the educational sphere. And they think that the increasing popularity of the alternative ways indicates a tendency of distance education through online becoming a mainstream practice very soon. This year in their conference organized by Universidade Aberta do Portugal (UAb) in Lisbon, they focused on the host of new challenges and chances of connecting distance or online learning with the top universities of the world.
• Pierre Mairesse, The Director, European Commission, who is dealing with the issues regarding European strategies to encourage distance education and lifelong learning, opened the conference. Besides talking about the advantages of distance learning his speech also presented the details of EC’s recent initiatives to help education reach a larger audience residing in the different parts of the world. According to the speaker, the prime intension of the initiatives is to facilitate the education system utilizing the advantages of digital revolution.
• ICDE, The International Council for Open and Distance Education in the world conference held in Tianjin, China emphasized the issue of post-secondary education with full integrity as demand for quality education and higher learning is increasing among the young population across the world.
• More than seven hundred participants across forty countries listened to Paulina Gonzalez-Pose, Chief of Section for Higher Education at UNESCO as she highlighted the necessity of online and distance learning for better opportunity and access. But not only online, according to her a combination of online and campus learning will be rational approach toward the success. “Blended learning is a new form for higher education”, she said. She also added that “At no time in history has it been more important to invest in higher education – towards an inclusive and diverse knowledge society, to advance research, innovation and creativity.”
• Yang Zhijian, President of the Open University of China, currently boasting more than 3 million pupils in distance education, explained their efforts regarding online offerings to augment affordability, accessibility, and quality.

Nations Playing a Vital Role in the Movement are:

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The US

The United States of America is highly appreciated around the world for its undisputed leadership in online education. Hundreds of colleges and universities with online curriculum offering numerous online courses to the students worldwide have gained considerable attention from the nations far and wide. According to a study in the year 2011 conducted by the Sloan Consortium, over five million students in the country have signed up for minimum one online course. The country is not only leading in terms of enrollment but also presenting some outstanding delivery model for rest of the countries interested in digital learning.

The UK 

 The United Kingdom is one more name that has been successfully providing online or distance education to thousands of people around the world for a long time. The nation observed a significant rise in interest regarding the new education system over the last few years. An investment of around £100 million was recommended by the government’s Online Learning Task Force to help the nation develop a better online learning platform for the students worldwide. To avoid the increasing educational expenses and loan debts, a huge amount of students are showing interest toward learning through internet or distance education.

The Australia

Earning degree at home and at leisure time has attracted the Australian students to a great extent. After the economic turbulence during the years 2008-09, the decision of earning degrees putting careers on hold seemed quite impractical to them, so the new age learning system very obviously appeared to be a rational choice for the most. The interest regarding online education has grown impressively in Australia over the last few years by almost 20%.

Developing Countries like India, China, South Korea and Malaysia have also shown some significant progress in online and distance education. Affordable education, enhancing knowledge and working simultaneously, earning degrees from the prestigious universities from the world, and a network around the globe are the major drivers helping distance education to reach a higher level popularity in the countries from developing region. As the top universities around the world come forward with unique facilities, more people from all parts plan to boost academic qualification with the advantages of new age learning. 

Online programmes by the end of this decade hope to make a profit of US$1 billion in revenue, which shows the rising demand for distance education in India. China, at present is home to around seventy different online colleges. South Korea with high-tech industry and an impressive high-speed internet access calls distance education a ‘smart learning’ option for the Gen-i. Distance education in last few years has turned out to be a phenomenon with a flock of energetic learners around the world. The convenience and ease it added through making course materials available through internet and offering degrees at home have successfully broadened the appeal of learning and teaching.

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Teachers Following Education Through Popular Online Tools

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Distance education, practically, arrived to remove the geographical differences in between learner and institution witnessed a billowing surge in popularity as internet services added new dimension to the existing form. And now, the participation of the learners in the new age education system turns euphoric as social networking sites join the force to enhance the experience.Social media has the potential to facilitate communication, sharing, and collaboration; and therefore, amplify the endeavors to educate. So, the educators and employers find it useful for providing information, knowledge enhancement and execution of devised strategies to manage a larger workforce in a global arena. 

Education professionals think it’s effective    

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The rising popularity of social networking sites and universal interest in student-centered trainings have successfully attracted the attention toward applying popular online tools to enrich distance education. Today, it’s a hi-tech component of virtual classroom that contributing remarkably to higher education. According to a study regarding social media adoption conducted in 2011-12 by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth found that using social media was a common trend among for the four-year accredited institutions and all the colleges and universities were using it in the U.S. The study even confirmed that a lot of higher-education specialists using social networking sites for marketing and communication. More and more educators are intending to adopt it in the training and learning process.

Twitter tops the list of best destinations gaining huge attention   

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Twitter is definitely one of the important names that are gaining huge popularity among the academic professionals to make education even more exciting. The reason behind this popular tool getting attention from teachers could be varied like its simple interface, brief and quickly grabbing messages, trendy and easy to use platform for students and learners across the world. Moreover, it’s a common space for like-minded people who are able to meet, talk and discuss with each other in a very compact and straight-forward way. More precisely,

• The smartest way of informal learning is celebrating the freedom to teach and learn briefly in 120 characters through Twitter.
• A collaborative classroom is enhancing expertise of the employees around the world by updating the latest information regarding the technology and industry.
• It’s not anymore about teachers delivering lectures alone, learning through Twitter is about active participation of the students and educationalists in a discussion panel engaging reaction across the world.
• It’s more about developing a professional learning community where almost everybody can successfully contribute to the enlightenment.
• And most important this new way of receiving and providing knowledge is opening fresh avenues for developing countries to seize the educational opportunities the global industry is offering right now. Like educators in the Caribbean region, who have been trying hard to grapple with the new age learning system are engaging social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube for delivering more effective instructions to their students.
• Through making it available and accessible for everybody Twitter is promoting independent and critical thinking all over the world.

Educators, worldwide, are trying to bring the power of Twitter’s live communication into a learning space to make education more interactive and engaging. In addition to that, Twitter is even helping teachers to a great extent to enhance their mentoring skills and understand their pupils better. In fact, collaborating, sharing and discussing education through Twitter have made teaching profession sensational more than ever. 

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