People & Lifestyle
How can you start higher education online?
Higher education refers to the systematic education process that is offered by post-secondary institutions such as Universities, Colleges and Professional Schools. On completion of studies, students are awarded degrees, diplomas and certificates, all depending on the level of study.
In Africa, higher education is a crucial aspect necessary to address key socio-economic development issues. Even with the government putting major efforts to raise the education bars, there is still a lot that needs to be done. The quality of education and research offered is low, thus requires to be addressed.
The African Continent is quickly catching up with the trend in online learning and e-learning. This is because even with the existence of physical campuses, many people are unable to access them due to various factors such as high cost of education and inability to balance between work and physical lessons.
Universities around the world have taken advantage of the virtual environment learning. The availability of internet connectivity around major towns in Africa has allowed many students to pursue their education goals in more efficient ways, through the many available e-learning modules.
The distance education guide Africa is a website that offers guidance and solutions on the process of online and e-learning. It mostly advices African students looking forward to improving their knowledge, skills and fully achieving their education goals through the numerous opportunities offered via e-learning.
The following five segments in this article are focused on addressing various factors related to online higher education.
1. COVID-19 In Relation To Higher Education
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, learning was disrupted in major institutions of higher learning around the globe. This led to research and academic centres being forced to seek alternative learning solutions for about 80% of the world’s students.
Even before the Coronavirus epidemic, the state of higher education in Africa had not been impressive. Now with the pandemic significantly affecting several social engagements, the situation has by far worsened and affected numerous people around the world.
A survey targeting role players in the higher education sector in Africa, such as students, researchers and academics was carried out by Nairobi-based Mawazo Institute amidst the pandemic. The results indicated that 83% of the study participants faced disruption of their study routines. 39% of them had registered online for the e-learning lessons.
Many learning institutions of learning were closed, leaving learners and teachers with the alternative of going virtual. Most institutions of learning have since introduced online classes for ongoing modules. Generally, most students have expressed some form of satisfaction and commitment to the virtual classes.
Although there are a lot of challenges that need to be addressed, for instance, most instructors and learners barely have adequate resources that make the process of learning online effective. The issues range from limited internet access to inability to afford data needed to access the e-learning platforms.
2. Why Study Online?
Online studying could be a valuable alternative compared to the traditional face to face way of learning. Virtual learning has offered people interested in furthering their education with a less costly, more accommodative and effective way to pursue their dreams of accessing higher education.
UNICAF is Africa’s largest online platform whose sole purpose is bridging the gap to access to quality higher education by students. Since e-learning helps to close the education inequality, many learners have enrolled for various programs that are offered.
Online studying has several benefits to it. The 5 points below highlight how studying online can benefit you.
• It is more efficient in terms of costs and time that would be taken commuting to school.
• Ability to choose a learning environment that suits you best.
• It allows for both work and school, thus a great way to advance your career.
• There is an option of scheduling the duration of modules to your flexibility.
• There is geographic flexibility since you can learn from any location, as long as you are connected to an efficient internet source.
3. Finding Accredited Institutions for Online Learning
Many factors motivate people to enrol for online learning. Most learning institutions offer blended learning. It is, therefore, important to ensure that you find an accredited institution that will offer you the best online learning experience.
Through the accreditation process, independent accrediting agencies carry out many evaluations as criteria to know if a school’s academic programs meet the desired academic standards put in place by the governing education bodies.
Before settling on an online school, go online and research on the best institutions specialising on the particular field you are interested in. You should also remember to check if a particular program you could be interested in has been accredited.
Choosing and attending an accredited online institution enables you to obtain high-level skills and knowledge. The verified academic credentials you will be awarded will enable you to benefit from recognition by potential employers and other learning institutions you could be interested in joining later.
4. What is Online Business School?
The Online Business School is a UK based online platform that offers cost-friendly study programs to different learners from around the globe. The school offers various online modules for both its undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Online Business School has a wide selection of undergraduate courses that interested students can easily settle on. The school also works closely with Ofqual, which acts as a regulating body to ensure the quality of tests given to students is well observed.
It also collaborates with several other bodies such as ATHEA Recognition, the Learning Resource Centre and Qualify Recognition, all in a bid to ensure the institution’s credibility.
The school ensures that the quality of education offered is top-notch and meets all the academic standards. After completion of studies, the students are awarded a diploma certificate that can be used to apply for an undergraduate degree or masters studies in various higher learning institutions in the UK.
5. Who can study at Online Business School and Why?
Online Business School accepts applications from students situated in every part of the world. It is an ideal online learning institution for African learners looking to explore various high-quality education programs and sharpen their skills.
The school ensures that no physical limitations are coming into play to affect people who are interested in enrolling for the different programs since they are all virtual. There are other benefits of studying at the school, and they include;
Flexibility
As long as you are connected to a working source of the internet you can study from anywhere. Online Business School allows you to choose a course tailored to suit your needs the best. You have the option to study from home or any physical location, and structure your study time to accommodate your schedule.
Affordability
The school offers different costs depending on the course. The advantage is that all the programs offered are cost-friendly. Immediately you pay for the course, you able to access the learning material. You can also organise with the school for a payment plan if you are unable to pay immediately.
Support Offered by the School
The school ensures that all students are offered support whenever needed. Students can request to get assistance from the school’s online tutors at any time. The help varies from needing help with the assignments, to topics you have not understood fully.
Online Business School has a functional website; studentsupport@onlinebusinessschool.com, through which students can reach the support staff conveniently.
Conclusion
Most people are choosing to enrol for online learning due to its flexibility; thus allowing to juggle between work and schoolwork and also due to how affordable it is.
Online Business School, for example, is popular for its online courses, especially in Business Management and IT. Choosing the school means you secure a place for higher education and you even pay less compared to high level universities.
On distance-education-guide-africa.com you’ll get more insights.
In addition, as reader of this article you’ll get a 40% discount on Online Business School tution fee for undergraduate courses.
Author bio:
Jens Ischebeck is an Africa focused distance education specialist. He helps young people to get the good education they deserve by using online courses and even earning an online degree.
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