The internet is an extremely useful tool for communication, sales, and even education.  Not only does it open a world of resources for students looking to find information and interact with others across the globe, it can also be a means of continuing one’s education through formal classes offered by colleges and universities.  In fact, there are now institutions of higher learning that operate exclusively online.  It’s a brave new world of technological innovations comingled with the craft of teaching, which is why it should be carefully considered as an alternative to traditional schooling.  Here are just a few of the pros and cons you might want to weigh before you opt for the keyboard instead of the classroom.

PROS:

1. Ease of use.  The best reason to embrace this technological leap in learning is the ease of use.  Online classes can be taken in the comfort of your own home, cutting down on all kinds of expenditures.  The work can be done at the user’s pace, making it ideal for students who have to work or those with a family.  Single parents, in particular, have found salvation and a chance to improve their lives through the advent of online educations.
2. Lower cost.  Because these courses require no teaching schedule, but rather only that an educator set, monitor, and grade assignments, the cost can be seriously reduced as opposed to traditional classes.  This savings is often passed on to students.  So if you simply can’t get the loan you need to pay for attending a university, consider an online school as an alternative to simply dropping out.
3. Time-saver.  Since you can more or less set your own schedule for assignments and study, and you don’t have to waste time on traveling to school each day, taking online classes is a great way to free up some time that would otherwise be spent in scholastic pursuits.

CONS:

1. Lack of interpersonal interaction.  Although online classes can make your life a lot easier, they can’t hope to offer everything a classroom can.  Lectures often provide more information than what is available in the class text, and teachers can weave in their own knowledge, experience, and analysis to give you a clearer picture of the importance of a particular topic.  On top of that, students can ask questions to clarify.  And of course, material is often more interesting when it is delivered in a conversational and interactive form.  Plus, getting to know the teacher gives you an opportunity to share your interest, meet a mentor, and possibly even influence your grade for the better.
2. Less direction.  Without a teacher to explain the finer points of assignments, you can easily feel like you’re stumbling around in the dark, only to end up misunderstanding and ultimately failing to meet requirements.  Of course you can often communicate with an instructor through email, but you’ll never garner the same kind of understanding that you would through face-to-face interaction.
3. Lack of recognition.  Although many online institutions are becoming more recognized and some are even accredited in the same way that other universities are, you might still have trouble when you go to get a job or try to attend a traditional school for your next degree level.  There is still a certain amount of stigma attached to online schooling and you might hit a professional wall when you walk into interviews with a virtual degree.

Mike Thimmesch writes for AdvanceMe, the nation’s leading merchant cash advance provider and credit card factoring company.

Although teachers have no doubt become weary of students texting, tweeting, and updating their Facebook pages when they should be focused on learning, the downside of social media to the field of education is small in comparison to its potential benefits. Educators with a finger on the pulse of current cultural trends can easily spot ways to utilize social media within the classroom as a way to engage students on level they can not only relate to, but that will pique their interest. And it can offer a wide range of options for integrating lessons in any subject with the technology of today and tomorrow, giving students the skills they will need for future success as well as a new creative outlet for their particular talents and inclinations. Teachers who utilize social media in the course of education will see an increase in participation and collaboration in the classroom and probably a rise in grades to go along with it.

In terms of getting your students to show an interest, social media can prove an excellent tool in your arsenal. Kids who are already using social networking will no doubt be pleased by the opportunity to display their expertise and use their knowledge in order to excel. They will be more interested in whatever you’re trying to teach simply because they are familiar with (and enjoy) the medium. Those who have not integrated social media into their lives (probably because their parents have kept them away from it) will likely be excited to “get connected”, as their classmates are. Social media is a great way to get kids engaged with a subject and help you to connect with students on their level.

It can also allow students the opportunity and the means to interact with one another in a more collaborative way. One of the many ways that children learn is socially, and they can learn a lot from each other even as you teach them the ins and outs of mathematics, history, science, or language. In many ways, the ability to interact with peers is just as important as learning the facts that you impart daily. The advantage of group activities is that students are able to find ways to work together and use their strengths to help others to succeed. Social media helps them to do this on two levels. First, they are able to participate in team-work, which allows them to gain a better understanding of both the subject (through peer explanation) and the medium they’re using. And second, they have a chance to shine and gain social recognition through self-expression and their own contributions to the final result of a particular project.

In short, using social media as a means to further education is a great way to get kids involved and help them to interact. Even students who are unfamiliar with social networking or those who balk at group activities can find interest through this form of learning and interaction. And it can bring benefits to you, as well. Not only will you feel great about connecting with your students and seeing them get excited about the subject, you will also learn a new skill and probably garner a deeper understanding of a topic you teach by seeing it explained in a different way.

Mike Thimmesch writes for Ask Deb, where you can find Wingstop Coupons, Dominos coupons and tons of other great deals on your favorite eating and shopping establishments.