Part time courses are on the rise and students are taking them up as an alternative to full time courses. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
Distance learning is fast becoming a new normal, as growing numbers are opting for this method of garnering skills, and is affording umpteen benefits. However, it remains to be seen whether pros of this pattern exceed the traditional educational pattern.
Undeniably, this method of acquiring skills, especially professional, has ushered in an era of great convenience for those engaged in overwhelming professional routines but need to augment their targeted competence in their field of specialization. Now, they can effortlessly enroll and educate themselves in the required area of specialization aligned with the future goals and ambitions without compromising their work and current obligations. It has been observed that most highly placed professionals have been able to chart their ascent to the top management by embracing this way of bolstering their academic credentials.
Moreover, one can evade entrance tests and steep competition for meager offerings of regular study and instead embark upon their endeavor of obtaining knowledge of the realm they want to advance in. To corroborate, in countries like India facing a dearth of places in traditional institutional set-up by virtue of rising population, more and more learners are reaping rich dividends extended by such a system and circumventing the stress of additional tests.
Nevertheless, the shortfalls often quoted, despite being less convincing, reflect the fears that learners might not be able cultivate required dexterity in their domain as compared to their counterparts studying full-time, for they give a chance to meet industry experts, participate in field work, and learn about diverse approaches, a miss.
Overall, although there are some pitfalls of studying in such settings, there are benefits galore like flexibility and lack of competition, and thus, easily outshine the former. This way of gaining knowledge is bound to become ubiquitous in the future.
