Online education as the future : finding new ways to teach and learn in the new age / Emelyn Cereno Wagan.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction to distance learning -- The use of educational technologies -- Critique of technology in education -- Social constructions of digital life -- Theory of E-learning -- Innovations on online learning -- Accreditation and quality issues in online education -- Wider application of online technologies.

"What many of its critics deliberately or inadvertently ignored, was the fact that online education tended to attract those that were genuinely interested in learning. Because it requires a lot of effort, discipline, and sacrifice; it is hardly like that any disruptive student or lazy one for that matter will be very keen on online education. If you do not want to hand in your assignments, online education will make everything worse because there will be no tutor or mentor to see that you are not paying attention. There were some that started off with online education because they did not have the access to in-person classes that they would ideally prefer. Later on, when things looked up; these learners would try to "clean" their qualifications by attending an in-person institution.
All that was the norm until the advent of the COVID-19 crisis, a pandemic that hit the globe in 2020 and has infected both rich and poor equally. Suddenly, there were lockdowns and the traditional great institutions were looking for ways to retain their student numbers. Online education provided a solution since it was uniquely suited to an apparently captive audience that had been locked up in their homes and unable to attend traditional school. It became fashionable to offer online course as an alternative for those that were not able to come to class. Some started even questioning the need for international students to obtain visas to attend university since they could very well do it at home. Others were disquieted by the seeming mark-up bonanza that colleges were enjoying since online courses were infinitely cheaper to administer, yet the fees had not been proportionally reduced. There were also students that complained of loneliness and isolation.
This book comes at an opportune time because it addresses an education modality that has seen its fortunes transformed since the beginning of 2020. This decade is showing every sign of being dominated by online technologies. The education sector is not likely to be any different from other sectors that have had to make adjustments. The book therefore explores some of the broad themes that underpin this niche, including the opportunities for new pedagogies, curriculum reviews, health, and safety considerations, other practicalities, and the philosophical re-orientation of those that are in charge of the education sector. The book is relevant to anyone that has an interest in the education sector." -- Back cover