Bill Gates Praises Online Learning

In Bill Gates’ recent 2010 annual letter, he states that many different elements of the Internet, including online video and interactive lessons, should be integrated into the curriculum of K-12 and higher education courses. Gates says that there needs to be a way to organize and rate all the educational content online, so that it’s specific to the student’s needs. If students are having trouble understanding certain material in the classroom, additional information and tutorials online can be assigned to help them with their studies. And if a student is ahead and wants to learn more, then additional online material can be assigned to them as well.

Various innovations for online learning are already taking place. More colleges post their lectures online for free, some software programs mediate certain learning processes, and interactive digital whiteboards are being used to teach lessons to students who aren’t physically in the classroom. The release of the Apple iPad will also be a significant resource for students in schools, since it has enhanced multimedia and reading features.

Online education programs are growing nationwide, increasing by 75 percent from 2001 to 2008 according to U.S.News. Online learning programs are different that the traditional school system, because they don’t treat students the same as their peers. The coursework covered in these programs may be specific to the student, and will require online and classroom work. Students are able to take classes according to their schedules, and from anywhere they can access a computer. Interaction among students in greater with online learning, because they must participate in discussions in order to get credit for the course, and they also feel more comfortable contributing to the discussions since there is a sense of ambiguity.

There are many accredited online schools to help students further their education, so check out our available online degree programs.

Source: USNews.com, http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/online-education/2010/01/28/online-learning-gets-high-praise-from-bill-gates.html