Interest and participation in online learning continues to grow globally. Though the increase in demand is undeniable, creating compelling offerings that appeal to prospective students is an ongoing challenge for many providers. Many players are vying for a piece of the online education market, from local and national universities to emerging online education giants and newer non-degree providers. Like traditional classes, online classes can have a varied workload depending on the course’s difficulty. Online classes also allow the user to take up more than one course at a time. It allows them to maximize their productivity. This way, the user can plan their time that will enable them to balance work, school, and family.

Moreover, these classes can be accessed anytime by the students and teachers. As a result, it enhances the teaching-learning process and makes the class interactive for students. When students are more involved in the learning process, they are more likely to perform better. The magnitude of these market shifts and the increasing competition they herald suggest that online education providers may be compelled to go beyond incremental improvements and initiate big, bold moves to survive, grow, and thrive.

Here are five advantages to studying online.

• Career advancement and hobbies. Studying online gives you more flexibility. …
• Flexible schedule and environment.
• Lower costs and debts.
• Self-discipline and responsibility.
• More choice of course topics.

The forces propelling demand have been accompanied by rising standards for online education quality. For example, new offerings are blurring the lines between degree and nondegree learning, creating a new category of educational competitors. Google’s Grow with Google program, in partnership with Coursera offers courses in high-demand areas such as user experience design and data analytics and has made significant gains in enrollment. These programs give prospective learners cost-effective, expeditious options beyond a degree program. Traditional digital-education providers that are primarily degree-focused may want to consider including such offerings in their strategies to compete and grow in the online education space.

Greater demand and rising quality standards also suggest that students are growing savvier about the returns of their educational investments. For some prospective students, especially those moving into high-paying fields such as IT, the opportunity to learn high-demand skills is more important than a program or institution’s brand. Some of the advantages of online schooling include

Flexible schedule and environment

By studying online, you choose your own learning environment that works best for your needs: be it your bedroom, your study, the café across the street, or your local gym, listening to your instructor’s lecture podcast as you run on the treadmill. Isn’t that awesome?

Taking an online course also means that you don’t have to commute to class, which means less time spent on the bus and more study time sitting on your couch, the sound of a crackling fireplace in the background. You no longer have to worry about driving in the snowstorm and missing an important class!

Lower costs and debts

Studying online means that you pay the tuition fee, possibly book supplies, an online application fee, and few other items. You don’t, however, incur the costs of housing (which can range from $10,000 to $12,000 per year) and transportation, which translates to lower debts and more savings.

Self-discipline and responsibility

Who says that having to be more self-disciplined is a disadvantage? It is true that studying online requires more self-motivation and time-management skills, because you will spend a lot of time on your own without someone physically close to keep you focused on deadlines. Look at it this way: your online course will not only teach you geology or poetry, it will also help you become more self-motivated, a trait that will make you stand out in the workplace and beyond. It will look great on your résumé.

More choice of course topics

Let’s face it, when thinking about what to study, besides for interest and career opportunities, where to study is also a deciding factor. This may limit the choice of subjects or courses to take. Studying online at your own convenience allows you to no longer worry about class location when choosing what to learn next. By taking an online course, you can really focus on the subject you are interested in and choose from the variety of online courses and programs.