Further schooling: You will find ‘best deal’ in Florida
In a modern world of countless products and services that compete for customers daily, we have become accustomed to being able to pick and choose what is best for ourselves and our families. We use the internet to shop, compare, and even have directly delivered the purchases that best fit our lives. The rise in the use of Amazon as an alternative to brickand-mortar stores is only the most obvious example.
Never before in our history has it been easier to utilize technology to find the “best deal.” Related to this, we have seen access to goods and services increase. Such competition and diversity in the marketplace is great for consumers. Not only do online retailers compete for business with their more traditional competitors, but they compete among themselves.
With advances in technology, we also see an increase in the diversity of our educational options — in the options available for one’s postsecondary years of learning.
Post-secondary education in the state of Florida now assumes several distinct forms, including vocational training, industry certification, and college and university degrees. The timing of obtaining such an education can vary — some complete their post-secondary education during high school, while others return to school after many years — and the delivery options are expanding.
Whether a person aspires to be an aircraft mechanic, Realtor, dental hygienist or attorney, we in Florida have a path for it. Our state has been known for innovation in education, and the internet that brings groceries to our doors can be used not only to gain information about careers,
HOME DELIVERY RATES but to actually obtain the requisite preparation through online schooling.
The key to our educational success as a community, state and nation is to make sure we are connecting the knowledge about such options with the individuals who can — and should — benefit from them.
Online classes can make a lot of sense for Florida’s college students. Teachers online offer differing styles much like their traditional campus counterparts. Reviews of instructors can be compared online, through sites like Rate My Professors. Online classrooms can be accessed from home, a library, a coffee shop, or one’s phone. Online instructors are available through a simple email or course message. The online classroom never closes its doors during the semester. And the full resources of the school remain available to online students. The advantages to obtaining meaningful college education through a virtual platform are abundant.
While online learning may not be suited to all students, it should certainly be considered as an option in the mix.
We still go to the grocery store and large box stores for our shopping needs. And we still go to traditional in-person classes in educational advancement. What’s great about technology today, however, is that an à la carte shopping experience can save time and money, and better suit the needs and aspirations of at least some students. I hope we keep this in mind when discussing the post-secondary educational opportunities available for Florida’s students — and that students consider all of their options in the expanding education marketplace.