The Tech of Digital Learning: How Are Online Courses Possible?

In today’s increasingly digitalized day and age, almost anything and everything can be delivered online! From online grocery shopping to paying bills, traditional processes of daily life can now basically all be achieved virtually. This, of course, includes studying and completing a degree online. Indeed, online courses are quickly becoming the most popular and effective method of study! For many students, studying online brings with it a multitude of benefits – including greater work/life balance and flexibility. However, while the benefits of online study are great, can studying online detract from the student experience? Just as importantly, how exactly has the delivery of online courses become possible? Stay with us while we uncover how online studying methods are being delivered today and why digital courses are the best way to achieve your qualification of choice!

Studying Online: What Does it Involve Exactly?

If you’re interested in studying online, it can be difficult to know where to start! A great starting point, however, is to do some research into what online courses are available to you. For a potential student aspiring to complete a Master of Business Administration, for instance, an online MBA in Australia is an excellent choice! Importantly, this particular qualification outlines study areas such as leadership and management skills, business consulting, data analysis, and strategic decision-making skills. Additionally, the career options upon completion of an online MBA are extremely varied and include upper managerial and C-Suite roles such as CEO (Chief Executive Officer), CFO (Chief Operating Officer), and COO (Chief Operations Officer).

Other potential roles available to graduates of this qualification include Human Resources Manager, Advertising Manager, Public Relations Manager, or Sales Manager, to name a few. Alternatively, the graduate could aspire to roles such as Head of Marketing or other organizational departments. 

Pros and Cons: The Great and Not So Great Things about Online Study

Pros: The Benefits of Online Study

There are many great benefits to studying online. For one, an online student is not required to attend compulsory on-campus lectures or tutorials. This means that they do not need to make time in their already hectic personal schedules to attend in-person, face-to-face classes. This, of course, saves students valuable hours by not needing to commute to and from their university campus or tertiary education facility. Further, when studying online, the course materials are made available to students via an online university portal. This means that the digital coursework can be accessed by the student at any time, whenever, however, or whenever suits them best.

If the online student prefers to study late at night – outside of business or working hours, for example – this is possible. Or, if they need to squeeze in some online study in the early hours of the morning, this can also be facilitated. The choice of when to study would depend, of course, on whether the student is a morning person (or early bird), or if they are a night owl! Of course, this flexibility also means that an online student can still meet other commitments – such as professional and work commitments while completing their qualification online. Better yet, online courses can often be taken part-time – albeit, it will admittedly take a longer duration of time to complete the required course units. 

Cons: When Online Study Can Go Wrong

It can be said – when both studying and working – that online students do tend to cram a huge workload into their schedules! Admittedly, a healthy work/life balance that includes adequate rest, relaxation, and downtime can fall by the wayside in the face of an online student’s hectic work and study commitments. This is when exhaustion, stress, and burnout can occur! As such, busy online students need to develop wellness and self-care techniques to ensure they are looking after themselves and their physical and mental health.

For example, to avoid stress and burnout when juggling both work and study commitments, it is recommended that online students learn relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness. Yoga for stress relief can also be extremely effective in reducing the effects of burnout. Additionally, eating well – that is to say, maintaining a nourishing, balanced, and healthy diet full of nutrients and natural vitamins – is equally important. Exercising regularly has also been proven to reduce the effects of stress and regulate the stress hormone cortisol.

In our digital age, there are many benefits to studying online. The flexibility that online study provides to busy working students is just one of these benefits. Of course, the reason online courses are even possible today is because of modern advancements in digital technology – which have allowed university coursework materials to be delivered to students virtually. This in turn has meant that students do not need to attend lectures and tutorials on-campus and can instead complete their qualifications online.