It’s impossible to ignore the fact that education isn’t always fair. Some schools favor students that come from certain backgrounds, while many people around the world simply don’t have access to the type of learning that they need to succeed. As time goes by, issues like this are becoming less prevalent, and this is largely thanks to tools like online learning. But how exactly are e-learning empowering students?
Let’s take a look at some of the social issues that are slowly being squashed by virtual classrooms.
Wealth & Education
It’s no secret that wealth and education have long been tied together. Even in countries that have great public school systems, the best educations are often reserved for those who have the money to pay for them. The US is a great example of this, with a college education being so expensive that many students simply can’t afford it. With many of the world’s best jobs required a degree, though, it can be extremely hard to get the education you need if you can’t afford it.
Thankfully, though, e-learning makes it much cheaper to offer courses to a wide audience. This means that many online courses come at a much lower price than their physical alternatives, even when you’re covering complex topics. This is set to break the barriers that make it impossible for many people to get the education they need or want, giving far more people the chance to expand their knowledge.
Discrimination in Education
Discrimination is a serious problem in the world of education, even if many teachers and lecturers work hard to fight against it. For example, ethnic minorities will often be given lower grades than their counterparts, even if they’ve worked just as hard and demonstrated a good knowledge of their topic. Likewise, women also often face discrimination in the world of education. This can be down to individual teachers, though it can also be something that schools fail to fight against.
This sort of problem is virtually non-existent in the world of online learning. This isn’t because the people that run these courses are so much better, but rather thanks to the fact that those marking your work and giving you grades won’t know who you are. You shouldn’t have the sidestep prejudice, but e-learning makes it easy to do so.
Positive Learning Methods
It’s no secret that different learning methods can work better for different people. Some prefer to get their head down and study by themselves, while others will prefer to have constant input from the teachers they work with. Of course, neither of these options is wrong, and e-learning gives students the chance to choose which methods work best for them.
This often goes beyond simply picking a method that will suit your habits and learning style. Along with this, you will also be able to tailor your schedule and working hours around your education, enabling you to live a normal life while you study. This is great for people who can’t afford to leave their job, while also providing those who don’t want an intense education to take it slowly.
Global Accessibility
Different countries are able to offer their citizens different levels of education. This is thanks to many factors, including economic development and money, but this doesn’t make it fair. You shouldn’t be restricted by the place you call home, and everyone should be able to access the same education, even if they live somewhere that makes it very hard to get the education they want. This is particularly important in fields like medicine, where courses like an online MHA can apply around the world and it doesn’t matter where you study them.
e-Learning has just about solved this issue. As long as you’re able to find courses that will be recognized in the country you will be working in, you can study just about anywhere in the world with online courses. You won’t need to move house or leave your country, as you will be able to do all of your learning without stepping foot in a school. This can enable people in places with very poor education systems to get the highest quality education in the world.
As you can see, e-learning is doing a lot to shape a fairer landscape for global education. Being born in the right place or having enough money is slowly becoming less important, and issues like skin color, gender, and sexual orientation aren’t problems for educators anymore. Of course, though, you still have to work hard to get the education you want.
