TST IN ENGLISH: How online learning is challenging traditional education.

Universal access to education is an issue that annually draws attention from international organizations, but sadly it is an issue that cannot be easily eradicated. In Europe, literacy rate is not a significant problem that needs immediate solution. Schools and universities are found almost within visible radius. Nevertheless, the western communities are facing inequality in chance when it comes to education.

Geographical as well as economic backgrounds prevent students from seeking enrollment into top universities many of which are found in the United Kingdom or the United States. The tuition fees range from 9 000 pounds in the U.K. up to 40 000 U.S. dollars of annual fee to secure a place in one of the Ivy League universities.  In other words, approximate values of quality education ranges from 270 000 CZK up to 800 000 CZK of annual fee.

In addition, it should be stressed that tuition fee is only a part of the costs that students face. Living costs, institutional costs and legal costs can amount university fee to over a million CZK. It is no surprise that the majority of the students ‘choose’ to stay in countries of their origins (if from Europe) where the tuition fee is highly reduced or the bachelor education is free.

However, one is ought to ask themselves- is this not discrimination? The cases with university education clearly show how as a result of free market economy, there are not only gaps in earnings but also gaps in chances. Being born on the wrong side of this ‘food chain’ leads to fewer opportunities and harder workmanship. It is true that not all students will aim to study in the top world universities but this argument does not eliminate the fact that all are to have equal chance to succeed in this competitive atmosphere. Such equal chance, however, can only be guaranteed by providing equal environment and circumstances.

And that is exactly what online courses are aiming to do. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University are collaboratively engaging in this ‘movement’ which challenges traditional ways of education. In 2011, MIT announced the launch of MITx, a platform for online courses. The courses are free of charge and accessible to all who have access to internet, thus eradicating geographical and economic inequalities, providing equal chance to motivated students in attaining quality education.

In fact, with the launch of MITx come two success stories of Mongolian and Chinese students.  Both enrolled to undertake online courses in ‘Circuits and Electronics’. Showing exceptional results, both of the students were invited to study in Massachusetts institute of Technology where they now undertake their studies.

In addition to eradicating geographical and economic inequalities, the online courses also encourage the professors to reflect on their teaching skills and determine techniques that can be more effective in the lesson interaction. Professors and teachers now fall under Hollywood spotlight under which they can share criticisms and compare works of one another.

Nevertheless, just how effective can this new way of teaching be? Students that enroll to online course face numerous distractions of newsfeeds on Facebook, tweets from Twitter and messages from Skype. It is clear that a student watching a two or three hour online course is unlikely to remain concentrated the entire time. In fact, an MIT team testing the effectiveness of online courses found out that students watching online course ‘wander off’ 40 % of the time.

And this is not surprising considering that students are not required to undergo any quizzes on the courses and not all the information is expected to be remembered. While the launching team of the online course initiative are testing and figuring ways to prevent students from wandering off amidst the online courses, the case again highlights motivation being chief ingredient to success.

Dear readers, we live in the age of technology where distance is not an issue, idea of communication is reversed and education is under reconstruction. Although geographical and economic backgrounds can play to one’s advantage or disadvantage, it can no longer serve as an excuse. Online courses are available and they are free. If one has the motivation to study, one is going to use it to their advantage.