9 pages Research Paper on Online Distance Education and how they help Adults achieve their educational and professional goals

There is no denying the fact that online education has come to stay. As a multibillion-dollar industry, online education seems to be whetting the appetite of adults who, due to family and job commitments, tends to be utilizing the power of the internet to attend lectures, take courses, and get a degree online. As simple as this looks on the surface, there seems to be a lot of scepticism concerning the effectiveness or otherwise of online education and the learning that takes place in one’s own room with little or no supervision by a professor. While for some, education acquired online cannot land one a job, be compared to a traditional brick and mortar education, for others, online education are no different from traditional education acquired within the walls of a campus.

As a student currently studying both online and traditionally, I find this topic interesting. I believe that education, whether online or offline can have its benefits and downsides.

My focus in this research essay will be on online education and how it is helping adults to who have lost hopes of going back to college to not only earn a degree but also becoming agents of change in their societies. . I will research on what led to the sudden boom in online education and why some well-known traditional universities are offering online courses and programs. Since this is a very broad topic for a research of about 8 to 9 pages, I will tailor my research to focus on how adults are taking advantage of the technology of the twenty first century to achieve and live their dreams of becoming educated and landing the their dream jobs. The essence of this research will be to dispel the myth that online degrees are worthless. I will try to prove that online education, is helping busy moms, working fathers, and non-conventional students to go to school within the four walls of their rooms and get degrees with the same value as those who go to a brick and mortar institution. . To achieve the aim of this research essay, I will ‘’borrow’’ from the works of others without forgetting to cite my sources appropriately. Three colleges that specialize in helping adults learners achieve their dreams (Thomas Edison Sate College, Charter Oak State College, and Excelsior College) would be used as case studies. To support my claims or thesis, selected opinions of journalists, researchers, educators, and works done in the academia would be consulted. I also intend on getting some peer reviewed academic journals, newspapers, magazines, and statistics from EBSCO. To flesh up the research, I will use as my references among others, the following:

· Bidwell, Allie. "Employers, Students Remain Skeptical of Online Education - US News and World Report." News & Rankings | Best Colleges, Best Hospitals, and more. U.S. News & World Report, 20 Sept. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/09/20/employers-students-remain-skeptical-of-online-education>.

· Christensen, Clayton M., and Michael B. Horn. "The rise of online education." Washington Post 11 Oct. 2011: n. pag. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. http://articles.washingtonpost.com/keyword/online-education>.

· Simpson, Ormond. Supporting Students for Success in Online and Distance Education. 3rd ed. Routledge, 2013. Print.