How Online Learning Is Expanding Opportunities for Students

Title: How Online Learning Is Expanding Opportunities for Students.

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Author: Diane Moll, Ph.D.The title is: How Online Learning is Expanding Opportunities for Students authored by Diane Moll, Ph.D.

Ten years ago, if you were born in a small town in rural Zambia, or a village in northern Nigeria, your education was more or less determined by the fact that you were born there. Wherever you were you would only be able to learn what was taught at the local school. There was no school for physics, no computer lab, and no library.You just didn't have any of these if they weren't offered at that school.

These walls have fallen.

With online learning, students can now study the same courses as the students at Harvard, MIT, or Oxford with only a small data plan. The building is out of the classroom. It is a connection.

In Africa, online learning is making learning rules.Online learning is changing the rules of learning in Africa. Here is how.

 1. Breaking Geographic Barriers

The most radical change is the geographical freedom. In former times, a genius student living in a rural village would have to travel hundreds of kilometres to a university in the city, where they would face heavy expenses for staying and travelling to the university, as well as living expenses. Most never made the journey.

With that same student, world-class teachers can now teach at home.

In platforms such as Coursera, edX, Udemy, and even YouTube, there are thousands of courses available. There are several universities in Africa that have established good online courses such as the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the African Virtual University. Mud-brick homes can offer opportunities for a student to learn artificial intelligence, graphic design, or business management.

Distance will no longer be a problem to excellence.

 2. Affordability and reduced costs.

Older schooling is costly. The total cost of tuition, hostel, feeding and transportation exceed the majority of African families.

These costs are drastically reduced with online learning. An audit is available for many courses and is free of charge. The cost of certification is typically much less than regular school tuition. Online degrees are a lot more affordable even if your choice is a full online degree.

In addition to the direct cost savings, students are able to save on commuting, housing, and dining out. Online learning is a lifeline to a family who are unable to pay school fees. It offers quality education without bankruptcy.

 3. Learning at Your Own pace

The traditional classroom has a fixed course schedule. Teacher talks, all follow. When behind, you are behind. If you "catch on fast" you wait for others.

The online learning approach reverses this. Students are able to re-watch, pause and re-watch lessons as many times as necessary. If a topic is challenging you take an additional day. If it's simple, move on right away.

The flexibility is a complete game-changer for students who have family responsibilities, work part time, or who need to attend school due to health reasons. Learning should be flexible and meet the learners, not vice versa.

 5. Access to Skills that Local Schools Do Not teach

Lots of secondary schools in Africa and even the universities have no digital marketing, coding, data science or foreign languages courses. The curriculum is outmoded.

The gaps are filled by online learning. A student has the right to pursue and acquire a degree to become a freelance web developer, but it is not required that they study at a university. They can learn via freeCodeCamp, The Odin Project, or CS50 from Harvard.

No longer constrained by the local school's catalog, this allows students to expand their search for courses beyond the immediate area. If there is a skill, someone is teaching it online. All you need to do is be curious and have internet access.

 6. Emphasis on the arts and culture heritage of the area

Many youths are unable to pay school fees in Africa, so they can't go to school full-time. They have to support siblings, care for their elderly parents or maintain the family farm.

Traditional school requires students to be present for the entire day. Online education is flexible. A young mother can study after she puts her kids to bed. The farmer can watch the lectures during the dry season. A store owner can study when the store isn't busy.

No more having to stop your life to get an education. It fits in it.

 6. Building Digital Literacy

The upside of online learning is that students are digitally literate.

These are all key skills in the modern workplace, such as using learning platforms, joining discussion forums, submitting assignments via the internet and handling digital files. Online education provides students with the technical skills that employers have a high demand for, while also helping them complete the coursework.

They will acquire knowledge of how to locate information, assess sources, apply collaborative tools and communicate professionally in digital environments. These are not side effects—they are 21st century core competencies.

 The problems that lie ahead

It's time to be realistic about the challenges. Not all students will have a steady device or have power. Data is still too expensive in most parts of Africa. With online learning, self-discipline is required, which is what is taught in a classroom.

However these obstacles are not reasons to give up on the model. These are challenges to be addressed. Some solutions are already on the horizon: Solar-powered tablets, zero-rated educational data plans, and even learning apps that can be used without an internet connection, such as Khan Academy Lite.

Whether or not online learning is effective in Africa is not a question that needs to be asked. It clearly does. The issue is the rate at which we can clear the last obstacles.

 The implications of this for African students.

As a student, realize that your postcode shouldn't limit your education. Your greatest expense is not tuition, it's your time and self-control.

Don't wait for a school to create a new lab. Open your phone. Look for free courses. Learn Excel. Learn Canva. Learn basic coding. Learn project management. With the Internet, anyone who is motivated becomes a potential scholar.

Parents and governments should take note too. Access to infrastructure for internet, low cost devices and online learning platforms is not a luxury. It's the lowest cost education policy around.

 The Bottom Line

Twenty years ago, people did not think this much could be achieved with online learning and it has become a reality. It is a historic opportunity for African students to break the cycle of the weak funding of local schools and outmoded curricula.

The greatest teachers of the world are now to hand to anyone who has a connection. The only question is, will you come to learn?