Technology Allowing Education for Little to No Cost

When people think of a normal education they think of going to a classroom, listening to a teacher and taking tests. However, with more and more information being available on the Internet, online classes have become popular. Online classes are becoming more available and at a much more reasonable cost.

I go to college out in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, which is about 6 hours from my home. I must live out in Pittsburgh year round, pay to travel back and forth to and from home for holidays, as well the cost of tuition. Being a full time student makes it hard to manage your time because of activities and jobs. The costs of a good education adds up very quickly and can become very expensive. It can be challenging to have a job to help compensate the cost.

Over the summer, I took a few online classes. This allows me to have a job during the day and then work on my studies at night. Online classes were also more reasonably priced and I did not have to worry about travel costs or living costs.

I learned just as much from online classes, if not more, because I have to sit down and teach myself the information. There is a teacher to help guide the course and ask questions. However, having the self-discipline to take a course independently forces you to focus and memorize the information. Every assignment has its own due date and I have to make my schedule work to get the assignment in on time. This allows me to have flexible hours to get the work done especially if I worked ahead. It is nice to be able to work on assignments during my own time instead of having to be at an  8am class  every day where I am half asleep trying to take notes. I learn a lot during physically attending the class room, but most of the learning comes from  studying the material at a later time.

More and more universities are offering online classes each semester and a larger variety of subjects are also being offered. This can allow students to study whatever they wish and get a quality education. Some colleges and Universities, such as the notable, Penn State University, allow students to earn their degree through online classes. They call it Penn State World Campus. Other colleges and universities even have their online courses available at no cost to the student. This allows anyone who wants an education to capitalize on this opportunity.

With all that is available on the Internet, the ease and accessibility of online classes can be very beneficial to those seeking a solid education with a  busy schedule. By having courses available for little to no cost there is almost no excuse for people no tto take advantage of this great opportunity and receive a great education.