Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people can study online. Is this a positive or negative development? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

E-learning has been on the rise during recent years. Learning new skills and earning certificates has never been as accessible as it is today. Many websites offer different courses in which everyone who owns an internet connection may access, freely or for a fee, course providers

such

as Brilliant.

org

Suggestion

Org

, Khan academy, Udemy and EdX. Undoubtedly,

this

has lowered the prices of education and lowered the barriers to entry. In

this

context, an increasing number of universities started to offer online courses, with some positive and negative facets. As stated earlier, it gives the opportunity to

enroll

register formally as a participant or member

enrol

more

affordably

that you have the financial means for

affordable

: cost saving is generated

also

by not needing transportation or relocation to nearby universities.

Furthermore

, courses, tips and other useful resources that are normally provided during lectures and practical sessions can be accessed at different times of the day, allowing workers to have a similar study experience during the evenings and the weekends. On the other hand, e-learning may be similar, but it is not equal. In fact, traditional courses give the possibility to bond more easily with colleagues and professors, which in turn can stimulate in the future possible collaborations, stimulating working networks and even founding start-up together. To conclude, individuals have more customized enrolling options thanks to the development of online university courses. Even for off-line students the advent of online courses is advantageous, because they can exploit the course’s online resources to deepen their knowledge, clarify doubts and reach their professors online.

To

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On

the other side, well-designed courses may attract more students to wiser universities, allowing them to gain more recognition while producing a more skilled workforce.

This

may be translated into an increased innovation in products and services and the creation of patents and copyrights, potentially allowing the countries in which they operate to be more productive in the long run,

hence

benefitting society as a whole