5 Ways Adult Students Benefit From Online Learning

Over the last decade, online learning has risen in popularity, and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. In fact, the online education market is expected to grow 17% by 2030, according to Vantage Market Research.

When online learning is implemented correctly, it can mimic an in-classroom environment with the added benefits of flexibility and accessibility. Students attend class via video conferencing at a specific time and are able to interact with instructors, collaborate with their peers, and complete assignments—all from wherever they feel comfortable.

Here are just a few of the many ways online learning has been proven to benefit adult students.

Provides More Flexibility

According to the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, lack of time and competing obligations are two of the main barriers for adults seeking an education. With in-person classes, students have to factor in things like commuting or finding childcare which may deter them from pursuing education entirely.

Online learning allows you to access your course from anywhere—all you have to do is set up a dedicated study space and open your laptop. You don’t have to worry about long commutes or uncomfortable classrooms; your learning environment is wherever is most convenient for you. This convenience allows students to more easily balance work, life, and other commitments.

Promotes Inclusivity and Diversity

Online learning helps create a more diverse and inclusive learning environment where students from various backgrounds and abilities can succeed. With in-person learning, students are often from the same geographical area, meaning students could be more likely to share commonalities such as socioeconomic status, prior education, and other factors.

According to Forbes, online schools enroll more racially diverse student bodies than traditional schools. Forbes also pointed out that online learners come from various backgrounds and experiences. This helps create a more diverse learning experience—which has been proven to power better results in the workplace.

Online learning also helps make education more accessible to students with disabilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 4 adults has a disability that can affect mobility, cognition, hearing, and their ability to care for themselves independently. Online learning can empower adults with disabilities to pursue education and tailor their learning environment to their needs.

Increases Student Participation

Student participation in the classroom can help increase knowledge retention, improve understanding, and build confidence. However, with in-person learning, students may be less likely to share their opinions and ideas due to fear of being wrong or speaking out of turn. In an online learning environment, students may feel more comfortable sharing, as there are typically multiple different channels of communication to choose from. For example, virtual classrooms may feature discussion boards, breakout sessions, and chat features to support collaboration with other students in and outside of class.

Improves Cost and Time Efficiency

If you’re looking for a financial-friendly education experience, online learning may be the way to go. While tuition is often a significant investment, regardless of whether it’s for in-person or online courses, there are several expenses you can cut out by attending class online. For example, you won’t have to pay for fuel or public transportation to travel to in-person classes.

Online learning also helps students better manage their time. Since you don’t have to commute to a campus, you won’t have to waste time packing your necessities, sitting in traffic, or finding parking—giving you time back for studying and other life commitments.

Reduces Stress

For many students, learning isn’t the most stressful aspect of getting an education. For adult learners, stress often stems from financial concerns, time constraints, and balancing other obligations, such as work and family commitments. As outlined above, online learning reduces or eliminates many of these common stressors, allowing students to focus solely on learning and helping improve academic performance.

Take Advantage of Online Learning at The Grace Hopper Program

Online learning has many benefits for those looking for an inclusive and accessible educational experience. It helps limit or remove many of the common barriers and stressors that prevent adult learners from pursuing education and professional development.

The Grace Hopper Program offers an immersive, online learning experience that will help you kickstart a tech career. We incorporate active learning principlesinto all our bootcamps to ensure students gain hands-on, real-world experience to showcase to potential employers. Ready to start your tech journey? Explore our coding bootcamps.