The Road Less Traveled

Recently, I’ve begun working with a new writing channel on the topic of Online Learning. Online Learning is a sector of education I strongly advocate for, as an educator and also as a student. Obtaining a degree is time consuming and expensive, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult for adults to continue their education as the worldwide economy continues to take its toll on us all. The infinite possibilities of Online Learning are many, especially within the current economy.

Online Learning makes it possible for working adults to continually upgrade themselves within their careers, and more students can work full time while they continue their online degree programs. This is very appealing, as more and more students find few guarantees in securing meaningful employment within their degree focus. Continuing to work full time during a study program can keep you fresh in the job market, rather than remaining unemployed during a degree program and finding yourself inexperienced and unemployable.

Besides all the very practical reasons for individuals considering Online Learning as a viable option for their education, there is also another aspect to consider when making these decisions. Consider our collective footprints. When we factor in our ecological, carbon, personal, and world foot prints into our decisions in how we want to educate ourselves, our path becomes clear. This is exciting when we consider how we can reduce environmental pollution by our choice to educate at home.

How often do we really need to be at a brick-and-mortar university in a week? This is a very interesting question because I discovered it was very few times a week during my masters program. I usually scheduled two times a week of commuting time for student meetings and the few seminars I had to attend as well. The rest of my university work, research and study could be scheduled nearer to home. I used email and the telephone a lot. It was at this juncture I realized the potential of Online Learning, and how we all can play a small role in sustaining our physical environment by thoughtfully considering how our commuting to places out of sheer habit is something within our means of control.

What’s your footprint? There are all kinds of environmental footprint calculators on the web to discover such as Ecological footprint quiz, and Measure your eco-footprint.