Better Access to Education Anywhere with edX

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Knowledge means power, but not enough people on this planet have proper access to education. Our traditional educational system has gone a long way and brought our civilization very far. We have seen many great inventions and our living standards are permanently increasing. Yet, on a global scale, being able to attend a University is restricted to a few. The probability that you acquire a higher degree does not only depend on your personal motivation, but also on your environment. If you were born in an urban area or a developed country, your chances are much higher. If you were raised by caring parents, your chances are even higher. Those are certainly the most dominant factors that decide about your academic career. A variety of scholarship programs try to fill the gap, yet they are very limited and also costly. So, how can we deal with this issue on a global scale?

Luckily, there are alternatives! Modern technology has brought us the information age and innovative solutions to many problems. Online education platforms have enjoyed a breakthrough success in recent times. They defy the rules of traditional learning methods, provide high-quality education at lower costs and are also more engaging and motivating. The Internet has opened better access to education anywhere for anyone. Especially, children from underdeveloped countries and underprivileged families could benefit from cheaper online solutions. A physical university is no longer required and professors do not have to be present. With online education platforms like edX, everyone can learn and start their dream career.

What is edX?

access to education with edx

edX is a massive online course provider that was founded by MIT and Harvard in 2012. What sets this online education platform apart from other platforms is that it is completely run by universities that are offering hundreds of courses available for everyone regardless of their location and financial standing. It is also a non-profit based platform, and all funds you give to edX are given to learning institutions that use these funds to improve the edX learning experience. edX runs on an open-source code which means that anyone can upload their courses and teach someone new skills. The goal of edX is to provide better access to education anywhere and for anyone and to improve the online learning experience as a whole. edX also performs researches on the things their student’s activities and how they do behave. That kind of research is perfect for improving the online education experience edX offers and shows how much they care about great accessibility and high-quality education.

What Does edX Offer?

quality education for everyone through edx

edX offers a huge amount of courses to master and most of them are free. If you are chasing an official certificate, however, you must pay a fee as it is common with other online education platforms. Even if you're not willing to pay, there is a large selection of courses for everyone which should teach you the skills that you will need for your career as well as mastering them. It offers courses from a wide range of fields like Art, Architecture, Business, Computer Science, Data Science and much more. All of this is achieved thanks to the top universities that fund and manage this platform and strive to bring the knowledge to everyone. Thanks to the expert design, edX offers better access to education anywhere and for anyone.

Now, when talking about the learning experience at edX, you can expect methods that emphasize on active learning and experimental learning experience. It's an excellent method as it keeps the students interested in the subject while also engaging them in activities that they can expect to happen in their career. The community also offers active feedback after every lesson, and that is an excellent way to improve as you're learning from the specialists in the specific field. This active approach to acquiring knowledge is much more efficient than the traditional learning methods and is the ideal way forward for education as a whole. You can also do all of these courses from your mobile device, which further elaborates on the goal of bringing better access to education anywhere.

Professional Certificates and Micromasters

Micromasters program is an ideal way to start with edX as it is free and provides a great entry point if you're chasing a career. This program is designed by top universities, and the main goal of it is to launch up your career. It provides courses that emphasize on deep learning of specific subjects. Many employers recognize this program as eligible, as you will learn all about the necessary skills for your career in an active and intuitive learning approach. Students that complete the Micromasters program can easily pursue a Master's Degree which should also be less expensive. The best thing is that anyone can enroll in the Micromasters program, regardless of your financial and social standing, as it is completely free.

Professional Certificate program is another offer from edX that aims to enhance the professional skills wanted by employers these days. While these certificates may not be free, they are a huge indicator of your knowledge and employers value these indicators. edX has partnered with companies like IBM and Ford to offer fresh new jobs for their graduates.

The main benefits of edX are that you can choose your program and set of skills that you want to learn and master so that you can build your career from scratch. It is also flexible, as it allows you to learn courses at your own pace, anywhere and anytime! After you're done with the course, you get a credential which should be an indicator for employers that you're ready to advance your career or pursue more knowledge.

Conclusion: Better Access to Education

Online education is accessible to wide masses of people
Online education can provide you with practical skills that can be of great benefit on the market.

edX is another example of online education done right. It offers hundreds of courses that are free, and all of these courses are available to everyone. This education model is ideal for people who don't have enough time for traditional education and for those who lack the funds for that. The goal of edX is to provide better access to education anywhere and for anyone, regardless of their financial and social status. Everyone can study at their own pace and can be assured that they will master the skills they need to start their career. For now, edX has succeeded in its goal and will continue to do so if they continue to bring knowledge to everyone for free.

Antonio Gabric a freelance content writer for aSabbatical.com
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