With the rapid development and evolvement of broad streams including education transcending towards less systematic virtual learning platforms, the dire need for college degrees is on the table for debate and discussion. Since the considerable period of time, the norm and understanding that one needs to pursue a college degree has been prevailing as it includes development of a teenager in holistic manner and exposure to the wider society whilst ensuring as they graduate they secure employment drawing a salary round to three significant figures at the internship phase itself. Thus considering the numerous advantages prevailing from a systematic and structured college education, the evolvement and rapid expansion of diverse learning platforms available digitally were underpinned.
Nevertheless, with the complexities in managing colleges, its staff, curriculum and coping up with rising tuition fees and launching of more colleges in the same territory thereby limiting the number of intakes owing to the competition was a serious concern that has to be addressed. Hence, the opening up of the intake for international students especially from the developing nations came handy for developed Western nations that were struggling to meet the ends meet through limited income capabilities. However, as the global recession occurred over the time and triggered with economic crisis in the 2005, education system was on the verge of collapsing as dependents giant nations were entering a recessionary holocaust. In this era the innovations in technology began seedling of the foundation stage and rapidly expanded into diverse branches. Thereafter industries such as education swiftly shifted to virtual learning modes as it became highly beneficial in terms of affordability, convenience, relation to modern times, the ability to collaborate more freely, enhance time management, provide a more personalized teaching approach, induce diverse course varieties and obtain greater flexibility.
In the modern context, Linkedin Learning provides extensive areas for a professional to enhance their skill set by enrolling for online courses at their convenience. Similarly, diverse education platforms and applications such as Udemy, Coursera, Simplilearn, Khan Academy, edX and Open learn are some of the well-known online platforms offering a plethora of course for worldwide audience. The rapid growth of these online education platforms posed a considerable threat for traditional colleges and universities dependent on conventional learning and teaching mechanism as many that cannot afford to enter a college opted to follow an online course as it was economical and beneficial in all possible aspects. Hence many worldwide shifted and enrolled in online course offering platforms, whilst some evolved to subscription-based business models and some remained as free resource centres.
In order to combat and overcome the rapid transformation in education system, traditional universities and colleges also extended its services to offer online based education, distance learning and courses on offer certified by the university itself that has more lucidity and approval compared to a start-up online course platform as the universities have their own accreditation and goodwill carried throughout the years. Despite affecting the physical intake, currently majority of the universities has hybrid learning models where both physical and online presence are required for following the degrees. This was further accelerated with the global pandemic: Covid-19 entrusting the continuity and need to sustain the online learning system for the betterment of all stakeholders when the world was shut from commuting and travelling.
Hence, considering the benefits for pursuing a college degree even in the 21st century would be the recognition and timely evolvement of college curriculums suitable to the modern times. Even in the event of employment, recruiters possess a tendency to favour a candidate that carry a recognized college degree with an identified grade point average (GPA) instead of an online certification that comparatively lack lesser credibility. Moreover, globally universities possess partnership with international companies, organizations and associations that are strategically prominent for the future of the students as it could result in global placement and job openings. Further to this, the benefits of college life is once a rare learning opportunity for a teenager that cannot be obtained through an online education system as physical college life opens the teenagers to a wider spectrum, getting them involved with several extra and curriculum-based learnings and activities, provide them exposure to diverse aesthetic and practical skill enhancing activities. Moreover, the imparting of tacit knowledge and must required skills for a professional career such as teamworking, analytical and decision-making skills, confidence, public speaking and go-getter attitude are some of the key deliverables one achieve as they are enrolled in a college degree education.
The modern world even allows teenagers to pursue international internships in diverse areas of interest, hence that they could enjoy what they are really passionate about without restricting themselves to the subject field they studied or followed. Such international internships are great ways that foster global country relationships and it allows students to travel worldwide, see the countries, meet the people and further enhance their personal experiences alongside the general knowledge. One of the key features of post-covid era was the dire need for the global audience to get back to their normal life which also included restoring to physical educational courses. The environment of learning physically in a college outset is unattainable at any cost when the course is followed online. Hence, people demanded to switch back to their normal lifestyle which completely altered with the outbreak of the pandemic.
In conclusion, it could be identified that in modern era many prefer to follow the hybrid model of learning as it allows freedom of flexibility and greater learning scope whilst maintaining the human connections imparted through physical education models. With the availability of diverse online courses and learning on offer, even a college student has the ability to further enhance their knowledge, skills and learnings by following such online courses, hence the need to compromise on one diminishes grooming a student in holistic manner making them competent and suitable to be placed for global careers as they end the college life.