Online learning is motivating students all over the world to come together and pursue their educational goals. This article aims to help overcome those understandable uncertainties some students may have about taking a course online.

Let us take a look at some crucial facts.

In the context of a pandemic, economic crisis, and social instability, the students’ lives may have changed dramatically. Families are struggling with financial concerns, sickness, and loss all around the world.

We shouldn’t assume that online learning is the direct cause for less productivity and depleting motivation; it’s far more complex than that. A lack of structure and schedule often play a major factor since students are generally accustomed to a conventional schedule and routine. They no longer wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and go to school. In online schooling, it can be a little more monotonous and demotivating.

There lies a common thread between these two major factors. Emotion. Student’s are highly dependent on classmates, friends, and the environment. That lack of structure and change of scenery can weigh heavily on even the toughest minds. Online schooling participants begin to miss the school environment, motivating each other in class and finding inspiration through a campus atmosphere – much easier to take a break together, drink some coffee, catch up and pause for some fun. Crucial moments for a student’s daily dose of motivation.

And sure, the list goes on. Students may partake in a myriad of doubts like:

✓ Cost 

✓ Privacy 

✓ Accessibility  

✓ Lack of engagement 

✓ Recognition (meaning: does the institution have recognition in online teaching and programs?) 

✓ Educational structure and methods

So are online degrees taken seriously? Are online programs and online degrees is really something worthwhile?  

Online learning, like most teaching methods, has both benefits and drawbacks. Understanding these different aspects will help institutions perceive students’ struggles and ensure a positive learning journey.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a great example that dispels all the doubts about online learning benefits. We know this as a well known and recognised institution. They were quick to innovate in the face of the SARS pandemic situation. The rapid response allowed MIT to continuously provide students with education at a top-quality level worldwide regardless of their location, field of study, or work experience. 

Entrepreneurship in the Built Environment Online Short Course is their new online program, developed for anyone interested in solving problems or beginning a company related to urban growth and the built environment, including experts in design, architecture, planning, politics, engineering, real estate, transportation, or construction. This MITdesignX, housed within MIT SA+P, is aiming to design creativity and entrepreneurship.

Students can develop verifiable and relevant competencies by completing this online program’s modules and earn invaluable recognition from an international selection of universities, entirely online and in their own time. The program exists to help students, teachers, and academics contribute their expertise to innovative business initiatives and forward-thinking strategies by acting as a venture accelerator.

Here you can find a super interesting video about this program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_PZowrlfBw&t=56s

So we are witnessing the time when the education field steps into the world of innovation with its very strong intention to develop new possibilities for students’ learning that would significantly impact their motivation and open more benefits for their future carrier.