Online Higher Education in the 21st Century
The twenty first century presents unique challenges for higher education. Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) are seen as the major driving force of the future economies of countries around the world. While complexities of the society are enforcing the need for more education, ICTs are increasingly expanding the reach and range of educational institutions by making it possible to access any course from anywhere in the world and at anytime. They offer the possibility of drawing students from many countries who are studying the same course together at the same time. They also serve both the ‘free market’ (i.e. those markets where people are able and are prepared to pay the full cost of accessing services) and the ‘social market’ (i.e. those in need of on demand education and training, and do not have the resources to access or pay for such services, but who for reasons of both social justice and long term national economic development need basic education, upgrading or retraining).The scope of education is being dramatically increased from a specialized activity for young people to a lifetime need for everyone. The wealth of nations will depend increasingly on knowledge based high-tech industries. This means that education and trainings are essential elements of the new information age not just in the pre-work years but throughout lifetime. Thus, ICTs offer the promise of not only widening access, but also improving the quality of learning by making it relevant to the skills and knowledge needed in an information society.What is emerging today is education in four kinds of campus settings:
-Campus based education (conventional universities etc.)
-Dual mode education (Traditional universities offering online courses as well)
-Off campus education (open universities and distance education institutions, etc.)
-Global electronic campus education (virtual universities, electronic based consortia/global networks, etc.)There has been a tremendous growth and diversity in the number and types of learners, the learning outside traditional classrooms and also in the variety of providers from typical single mode and dual mode institutions (open universities/dual mode universities) with the purpose of increasing the access of corporate organizations to higher education in the aim of upgrading/retraining their workforce.By using ICTs, formal universities are being transformed into distance learning institutes. They are starting to lecture on and offline to meet the growing pool of part-time students and open another potentiality. On the other hand, distance learning institutes are aiming to make it possible to teach and learn beyond spatial/time limits.Behavioral and social issues play a huge role in the uptake of online offerings so do the economic issues that rule the implementation of online business models. The learning community would move beyond the classroom walls and would no more be dictated by the classroom schedule. Systems would no longer be age or time based. All boundaries related to distance, time, location of study, age, language, and culture would disappear. Individuals/groups that constitute the learning communities would be able to interact with each other across the globe. In other words, ICTs can personalize the prevailing impersonal studies by making dialogue teaching forms possible, and enabling them to be transmitted via data networks.The exponential growth of information and communications technology (ICT) over the last 10 to 15 years has had a profound impact in every walk of life. Given the impact of ICT on many businesses and industries, it is being seen as major change agent in the field of higher education too. ICTs are predicted to revolutionize the way education is delivered. Computers are increasingly becoming powerful with technological breakthroughs in satellite, fiber optic and wireless technology. Software developments such as multimedia authoring systems have made it easier to create digital material such as computer simulations and educational material. Consequently, there is great interest in virtual education, which is based on the idea of a widespread and significant application of ICT on the core activities of education.Many institutions worldwide, but particularly in North America, Australia and New Zealand, the United Kingdom and several other European countries such as Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands have taken early lead and invested heavily in online education infrastructure.It is clear that ICT capacity will continue to expand at a rapid rate throughout the world and will drive opportunities for online education. It will be in the interest of nations and institutions to embrace online education system.On the other hand, virtual education requires a stringent set of conditions to work efficiently and online accreditation must embrace multiple standards of learning if it is to be universally accepted. Thus, traditional education settings and processes will not disappear, nor should they.As today’s children become tomorrow’s college students, providing alternative (online) learning environments will become more and more important. With the changing face and needs of society, quick adaptation would be the key to success. While universities need not abandon their rich traditions, they must become more adaptable and flexible to survive. For institutions that refuse to change, the outcome is quite clear: public support will fade and they will eventually cease to exist.
Online Loans – A Breakthrough From The Stressful Traditional Lending Process
Each one of us need money at times to satisfy one or the other need which could not be met solely by depending on savings. Loans in such circumstances will be a perfect solution. You have two alternative options to borrow loan from the finance market. Let me explain them to you in a more elaborate form.Imagine you are standing in a long queue just to submit your loan application form, drifting from one lender to the other whole day in search of information about the loans offered by them. How does it sound, it would pretty tiring and stressful.Now, imagine you are sitting in front of a computer which is equipped with internet and now you can access infinite number of lenders and can submit your loan application form online without moving from your home or office. Fill in a small application form and leave the rest on the lender; let them find the perfect loan for you. Isn’t it easy, using internet to apply for a loan from your home or office’s computer.If you have to decide which option is best for you, which one will you choose? I am sure; most of you will opt for the second option. Online loan
. The main reason behind this is that we all look for the best alternative which offers the convenience and ease to apply for a loan.The “online” concept has revolutionised the entire finance market. Thanks to internet, it has lead to the introduction of online loans. Online loans provide borrowers expediency to apply for a loan. Online lenders are popularly known as modern lenders who have given a breakthrough from the hassles and stress which use to exist in the past to the loan applicants in the UK.Online lenders have an edge over the traditional lenders. Online lenders can be approached at any time, they offer 24 hours service. A borrower need not approach each and every lender personally. With internet, he can access infinite number of online lenders. Online lenders cater to the diversified needs of the UK residents. They offer loans ranging from secured loans to unsecured loans and home equity loans to business loans. Online lenders have a loan for everyone; they offer specific loans that match with borrower’s individual circumstances. You may be a self-employed or a student, online lenders offer loans to all.Bad credit is not a problem. Online lenders understand the fact that it can happen to anyone. Online lenders offer specially designed loan to people who have faced bankruptcy, arrears or defaults. They offer adverse credit loan, bad credit personal loans and many others.Online process of applying for an online loan is simple and hassle free. A borrower needs to fill up an online application form with some personal information such as name, loan amount, loan purpose and phone number. This information will help lenders in finding the best and most appropriate loan for a borrower. Majority of the lenders ensure safety of personal information but there are some fake online websites which may misuse your personal details, so make sure to check the reliability of the online lenders you are applying for the loan from and make sure to read the Data Protection Act (DPA) statement before you apply for a loan.A borrower can also apply for online loan quotes which are available for free or nominal charges, but, make sure that the loan quote does not carry any obligation. Collect loan quotes from online lenders who can offer you with the loan you are looking for. Compare the loan quotes on the basis of loan term, loan amount, interest rate and fees charged by the lenders. A thorough comparison will help you find the loan which matches your personal financial circumstances to the best. Before, applying for an online loan, do read the terms and conditions mentioned in the loan agreement.If you find it difficult to decide which loan is best for you. You can seek for help from online loan advisors who work for online lenders. They can offer you useful advice which may guide you in finding the appropriate loan.Make a thorough research before applying for an online loan. A little effort now will help you save good sum of money in future. Enjoy the ease of applying for a loan with online loan.
Choosing the Right Business Loan For Your Company
Operating a business takes money and just about everyone has heard the expression you have to spend money to make money, but where do you get the money if you aren’t independently wealthy, or established? A business loan is the answer to most business needs. It doesn’t matter what size a business is, almost every business owner at some point has to consider a loan. A business loan can help a business get started, expand once it’s on its way and growing, or get a business through the tough spots that happen occasionally. Deciding on a business loan is a key step, but which loan is right for you and how do you decide between the many different various types?Skip the Loan and Use PlasticSome business owners opt for a slight variation on a business loan and choose to use credit cards to back their startup, expand on an existing business, or help their business through a tough stretch. The positive reason for using credit to fund your business is that it is often easier to get, or already existing in a personal credit card, but there are a couple of serious negatives to using this type of business financing. The first negative is that unless your existing credit line is unlimited there might not be enough funding on your credit cards. The second negative to using personal credit cards is that your personal and business cash flow is not separate. This can create havoc if you need to use your credit for important personal needs and it can have a similar effect on business funds if you suddenly have to tap into your credit for personal reasons. Lastly, the interest rate on credit cards is normally much higher than any of the various types of business loans.A Bridge Between Credit Cards and Business Loans: Lines of CreditA line of credit operates much the same as a credit card. You apply for a business loan line of credit and based on your qualifications you are approved for up to a certain amount. You are not charged on the loan until you actually use the money and are only charged for the amount you actually use. Another similarity between lines of credit and credit cards is the loan is often an unsecured loan meaning no assets are used to guarantee the loan such as homes, cars, the business itself. However, unlike a credit card business lines of credit have interest rates much closer to a traditional loan level.On the downside those interest rates are usually variable like a personal credit card and go up or down over the period of the loan. Another downside to lines of credit is that like a credit card your payments will usually be only a little more than the interest rate each month.This may seem like a plus at the start because the monthly payments are so low. The catch there is that lines of credit to not extend forever. There is almost always a set number of years for the loan amount to be available. At the end of that time (and sometimes within the last two years of the payback) money is not longer available. After that period, the payments are higher to make sure the money is completely paid back by the end of the loan.If you have the discipline to make yourself pay more than the minimum every month in order to pay down the loan, this can be a good loan to get. It allows for times when money is tight. You can pay the minimum at those times without risking a default on your loan.Traditional Types of Business LoansEven if you do not have an extensive amount of credit, and if you don’t think a line of credit is right for you, all is not lost. There are many more traditional styles of business loans to choose from:- Working Capital Loans: These loans are what most people think of when they consider getting a business loan. They come in two types, secured and unsecured. Unsecured versions of working capital loans are usually only available to those business owners with stellar credit, a sound business plan, and an established business with a proven track record. Startups are usually too risky to be granted unsecured working capital business loans. Secured working capital loans are a little easier to get although the amount of collateral needed to obtain these loans is often based on the credit of the borrower. These loans make it possible for all types of business to conduct their affairs on a day-to-day basis with available cash. Loans are commonly secured with homes, and other valuable assets.- Accounts Receivable Loans: These are short term types of financing available when you hit a tough spot and now you have money coming in at a particular time. Your business’ records of accounts receivable act as a security for such loans. On the downside the interest rates of these short term loans are usually higher than a long term standard loan, and you can end up in a vicious circle of using your assets (receivables) before you get them and then not have money left before your next income period. This type of loan should only be considered in a select few types of cases of emergency such as the need to meet payroll, purchase inventory at a value, or other necessities.- Business Only Loans: This type of loan is applied for using the capital and assets of the business alone and not any personal credit or credit history of the owner. It is only available to a business with a solid record of reliable income, the long-term prospect of fluid operation, and very strong business credit scores.Other Function Specific LoansThere are times during business operation when you need a loan for a specific type of purchase such as to buy new or replace old equipment, the purchase of real estate for the business, or other dedicated needs there are loans designed to be separately available for just those times.Getting The LoanThe best way to ensure success in getting your business loan is to be prepared. Enter your bank with a well-formulated business plan in hand and make sure your credit is up to par. If you know of any spots on your credit history, be prepared to explain them. Lenders are human too, and know that there are situations that are unavoidable but if you can prove your trouble is in the past and you are on more solid footing it will help a lot in getting the loan you desire. Letters of explanation to go along with your loan package help if there were situations such as illness, or caring for a sick loved one that caused problems in the past.One of the things that stops most people from attempting to get a loan is fear of rejection. Knowing what to expect can alleviate that fear.