There is no denying how much distance education has grown over the past couple of decades. You can attribute this to various technological innovations that help deliver effective and efficient instruction and learning processes. One of these innovations is the Internet, which has streamlined the delivery of these processes. Hence, we formally refer to it now as online education.
The ones that benefit the most from online education are people living in third-world countries. They can overcome geographical limitations since they can enroll in online education programs of schools on foreign shores. Online education likewise erases financial constraints given that it costs less than traditional, campus-based education. Still, it is worth asking whether these countries are in a position to access education delivered through this innovative concept or not.
It is not surprising, then, how online education has become a divisive topic among many. Some criticize and call it a mediocre form of education that is only good for providing a remote learning experience. Others refer to it as a bearer of assimilated education that is primarily Western-dominated.
Online education banks heavily on 21st-century information technology (IT) to bring virtual classrooms worldwide with speed and efficiency. However, in a similar vein, it poses a challenge to potential learners. It is easy to deliver online education to places in need, but the target recipients may not be ready for it.
These people could barely access basic needs like clean water and electricity, so how do you expect them to access computers and the Internet, much less hone their computer skills? It seems those who stand to benefit from online education are still city dwellers with financial means, who are already educated and are merely acquiring new or enhancing their skills.
Still, many look to it as a hopeful medium to boost developing countries access to education.
The Challenge of Online Education for the Masses
At its initial rollout, online education offered a great deal of promise on the premise that distance education providers will be able to reach every learner, including those from developing nations. Although it was a concept that started as far back as the early 1700s, it was not until about three hundred years later when the idea of Internet-based education was brought to the forefront.
However, despite it being a promising solution for global education, a challenge arose. How can its proponents bring online education to those who live in geographically, topographically, politically, culturally, and financially isolated places?
Certain nations resorted to modular programs or correspondence, which required meeting with instructors every so often to answer the previously mentioned challenge. Nevertheless, while the teaching-learning experience demands less physical interaction, it is not as efficient as going one-hundred-percent online. The implication is that the country itself must develop the learning program and deliver it to these people.
Developing nations with a human resource of great potential can benefit from distance education schools with programs that can overcome these challenges. The government plays a primary role in addressing these needs by providing distance education infrastructures, whether online or modular. Everyone involved must give attention to the basic needs, and they must modify the education systems to make distance education accessible.
The uplifting of the conditions in developing countries lies in its people’s empowerment, and empowerment is possible through education. And fortunately, the concerned organizations and institutions achieved appropriate measures to turn things around and make online education possible and more accessible to third-world countries.
Rising to the Challenge of Online Education for Third-World Countries
As you can deduce in the preceding section, technological infrastructure barriers inhibit developing regions’ full participation in online education. We commonly refer to that problem as the digital divide. Nevertheless, the advent of smartphones and its technology’s continuous development has made digital learning possible to become more than just a feasible scheme these past few years. Thanks to mobile broadband technology, even the remotest rural regions now have access to the Internet.
Governments in third-world countries that are strapped for cash can now bridge the digital divide and provide online education to their constituents. They realize that online education is a much cheaper and more prompt solution than building actual schools. Whether online education in third-world countries will continue to thrive or not is still up for debate.
Still, reports from developing countries show the there is massive room for growth for online education. As trending reports from these countries show, online education has gained traction in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa despite importunate technological hurdles over the years. Some observers tout Africa as the most go-getting online education market on Earth.
That is not necessarily because online education is a superior form of learning, but because it is proving to be a balanced, practical means to expand educational opportunities. In India, the population boom has increased the demand for education, welcoming online education with open arms. What these mean is that the efforts to effect the proper measures have been successful.
The current world situation has shown how valuable online education is. Since most students cannot attend physical classes these days due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools have used the Internet extensively for virtual courses. What is more, the digital forms of education are continuously undergoing development to ensure social equality and educational quality between first- and third-world countries.
Hence, those in third-world countries no longer need to resort to unscrupulous methods of obtaining college degrees. It is unfortunate how some people from these regions have taken the bait and bit into the allure of fake degrees so that others will consider them “educated.” However, thanks to online education, these people can now enjoy real education at its best.
Impact of Online Education on Developing Nations
Believe it or not, online education in third-world countries is proving to be beneficial not just to students but to companies, too. In the almost 20 years that Internet-based education has been in effect, companies in developing nations have taken advantage of technology to contribute even in small ways to the global economy. What do we mean by that?
In the present scheme of things, countries can attract investors’ attention by showing how well they conduct their businesses. That is why rich countries are getting more prosperous – the modernizations they applied to their companies do much to rake in money. In turn, they can contribute much to the global economy.
On the contrary, if a country uses a grassroots approach to conducting businesses, it will naturally not attract investors’ attention. That is typically how the world’s economy works. And this is where online education comes into play.
Multinational companies invest in businesses in different parts of the world as long as countries can prove that they have a capable workforce. Otherwise, these companies will take their businesses elsewhere. Now, in their desire to have multinational companies expand their enterprises to third-world countries, these developing nations endeavor to upgrade their workforce skills. They do that by having their workforce sign up for online education as a modern training method.
So, how does online education benefit companies in developing nations when used in training the workforce? Here are some of the advantages:
- It is cost-effective.
- It develops productivity and performance.
- It makes information easily accessible.
- It enhances the entire training experience.
- It increases employees’ ability to retain information.
You and Online Education
We mentioned earlier that some people from third-world countries buy fake degrees to show off to others, especially employers, and give the impression that they graduated from college. It does seem like a viable solution. And with the proliferation of diploma mills that sell fake degrees online, it looks like the most uncomplicated way out of their problem. However, those people fail to anticipate the repercussions of their decision.
For one thing, employers know how to handle fake degrees. They know whom to call to verify and validate school documents’ truthfulness that job applicants present to them. They also know if the name of the school on the degree truly exists or not. In short, applicants cannot fool these employers with fake degrees.
Nevertheless, it is possible to buy university degrees online. You only need to make sure you are dealing with a legitimate provider, one that prominent online universities accredit. Now, you may ask, “Is there such a thing?” Yes, and in fact, you will find all the information about buying accredited degrees from credible online providers by visiting buyuniversitydegrees.com.
Why would you need to buy a degree? There are many reasons why you should consider it. For instance, purchasing an authentic and verifiable degree is the best solution if you are from a third-world country, and online education opportunities are subpar. Buying a degree is also a good idea if you want to certify the new skills you have developed through various work experiences, but you do not have the time or money to attend classes. And if you are already working, buying a degree means you never have to take time off from work and miss a huge chunk of your paycheck.
Yes, there are plenty of advantages if you buy a degree. Best of all, you will avoid the hassles and legal accountabilities that may result if a potential employer discovers that you presented him with fake degrees online.
