Purpose

Online learning has many uses - not only in education, but also in public health, business, and by individuals and families.

Education:


1. Online learning makes education more accessible to students. Today, there are many non-traditional students who are interested attending school and earning a degree. These students may have full-time jobs, may work odd hours, may be raising a family, or have other time constraints. Online learning allows these students to structure their education around their other commitments - not the other way around. Instead of meeting for classes on a set day and time in a face-to-face setting, students in online classes can simply access their class through the Internet when it is convenient for them.

2. Online learning provides individualized education that accommodates a variety of learning styles. This form of instruction takes a more student-centered approach than traditional classroom learning. By using this approach, students are more actively involved and engaged in their learning and they have many more opportunities to seek out information for themselves. Their instructor will act as a guide to help them, but the student will interact with information on their own in the manner of their choosing.

3. Online learning enhances students' information technology skills, which makes them more marketable when they apply for jobs in the future. We are living in an age of huge technological advances, and they are only going to continue. Students who have experience utilizing technology will have an edge over those who do not. Online learning incorporates many different types of technology including blogs, educational apps, and social media.

Watch the following video to learn more about the significance and purpose of online learning:


Business:

Quite frequently, companies will use online learning to train their employees and teach them about new products, best practices, and techniques. Large companies, especially those with sales staff, use online learning to educate their employees about new product developments. This can be used in place of large meetings that many employees would be required to travel to, thus saving the company time and money. Many companies use platforms that support online learning, such as Blackboard. Edmodo, and Classroom 2.0, to not only teach their employees, but also to allow for communication and promote discussions among them. Employees can share their knowledge of a particular product or a sales technique with their colleagues, which will build the knowledge base of the entire company.




Public Health:

It is essential that public health officials have a means to communicate health information to the general public.The World Health Organization (WHO) has a website that provides the latest health-related information, statistics, and research and is available in many languages. Users can search this website by health issue, country, or health-related program/project. This is a very quick and easy way to educate the general public about the latest health issues.

World Health Organization Website:  http://www.who.int/en/

Individual use:

Anyone can participate in online learning as long as they have a computer, laptop, or portable device and an Internet connection.There are so many web resources available that online learning can often occur for free, at any time, using a web browser of the individual's choosing to search for resources and information. Individuals can watch videos, listen to audio files, read articles, and communicate with others online. There is almost no limit to the resources individuals can access online to enhance their knowledge!

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