Courses Students Prefer To Study Online - And Why They Are So Popular
There is little mystery to why eLearning is so popular, offering students a myriad of benefits traditional courses cannot. From cutting out travel time and costs, along with the added benefits of being able to learn within your own comfort space, there are many people who prefer to learn online simply due to the medium’s sheer flexibility. Not all courses are equal on this digital plane, though, as there are some online courses that receive more attention from students than others. And as eLearning becomes more viable as courses adapt to the internet, it will become easier for course providers to analyze which courses are popular and why. So, here are the top ten courses students prefer to study online.
1. Childhood, Primary, And Secondary Teaching
Child care courses: Courses in childhood, primary, and secondary schooling have become quite popular, as figures from Open Universities Australia have shown that students over the age of thirty tend to steer towards them for a career change and personal gain, rather than the often already achieved financial gains.
Most online course providers allow students to complete the practical training components of the course without needing them to step foot within a university campus, with the course offering students a multitude of pathways to become traditional or online educators, being able to choose subjects within their teaching courses that interest them.
2. Community Service And Counselling
With an ever-growing and ageing Australian population, it is easy to see why this course is among courses students prefer to study online. Educating students in case management and support roles, an online course in Community Service and Counselling opens a diverse range of career pathways including child protection, family welfare, disability services, and health services to name a few. Most students are attracted to this course in order to make a difference in the lives of others, often moving forwards to study a Bachelor of Social Work.
3. Information Technology
Information technology is a fast-growing sector with online courses offered by many contemporary online course providers set to become more popular in the near future, as primary and secondary schools incorporate coding and elements of data management into their curriculum. Students are mostly attracted to the course due to its benefits within the workplace.
Workspaces are becoming more automated and dependent on technology and those who manage technology are seen as more competent and tech-savvy than their non-IT colleagues, which is invaluable in this competitive digital age.
4. Digital Marketing
Understanding digital marketing and its implications with social media and their mediums will give most digital marketers the edge when developing eMarketing plans and identifying key trends. Samantha from SEO Brisbane, an experienced digital marketer, says that digital marketing is constantly evolving, as is the internet: It grows alongside the medium, increasing in work positions and the need for properly trained professionals, leading students to take up digital marketing in the solid belief of being able to find employment.
5. Photography
Many students have a flare for photography and all of its technical aspects. Closely related to photojournalism and art courses, students seeking to expand their understanding of framing, composition, lighting, and focus are naturally drawn to studying an online photography course that often supplements their career in other professions. Kyle who is an experienced wedding photographer says that photos can be easily uploaded online for grading and the technical jargon of how to take proper photos can be broken down through illustrations and videos students can view over and over again. Students learn how to create a narrative with photos, taking their shots with conscious thought and direction.
6. Psychology
An online course in psychology can set a student up with skills in critical thinking, an understanding of basic psychological and scientific principles. It is also often seen as a very good general major for employment in law, social services, education, business, and many other degrees involving communication and understanding behavior. Though the subject matter can be vexing at times, personal interest in the behaviors of others leads many to study the course online.
7. Communication
Communication is at the core of a globalized world and is a part of every aspect of our lives. Like Arts courses, online communication courses are flexible and require little more than a computer with internet access to complete, allowing students to find employment in fields like journalism, public relations, campaign management, publicity, and many other areas.
8. Criminology And Criminal Justice
Though few students end up as criminologists, an online course in criminology can lead to career pathways across multiple fields like welfare, public policy, and criminal justice. As a widely available course, students are spoilt for choice in choosing who they wish to learn from with the common learning patterns of understanding individual/group behaviors that give way to criminal acts, their impacts, and other factors.
9. Accounting
Undertaking a course in accounting can be a profitable venture for those looking to enhance their careers in finance and business. With more jobs available for qualified accounting and finance professionals, those who have already excelled in business may set their sights on undertaking a course in accounting to strengthen their businesses.
10. Arts
Arts students have the luxury of choice more so than others when it comes to their subjects, which are usually literary in nature. An online course in the Arts allows students to develop skills in critical thinking, communication, and other flexible skills which can be incorporated into criminology and social sciences. As a course that is provided by most online education providers, some providers provide different majors with some being unable to offer students everything generally related to studying an online Arts degree, which is arguably one of the most flexible degrees on this list.
Editor's Note: Speaking of eLearning trends, you can’t miss out on our guide Step Into The Screen: AR/VR Technology's Role In The Future Of eLearning. It provides a detailed look at how you can make your lessons more engaging, leveraging the popularity of Augmented and Virtual Reality, which are revolutionizing the world of education. Find out why these technologies will be an essential part of eLearning in the future, what their benefits are, how you can create online courses using them, what to avoid, and more. If you’re interested in eLearning trends and want to keep up with everything that’s popular in the industry, download your copy now and see the future yourself!
