An effective learning environment can take several forms. Learning communities are changing on a yearly basis. This growth and dispersion of education is unique and very unlike any other time in the history of mankind. For thousands of years education was given via a book or a teacher. All the way from the ancient Greeks and beyond, students sat in groups to listen to their great educators discuss the world. Now it is possible with modern technology to learn without the aid of a book or a teacher in front of you.

With the advent of the web and ultra mass communication, education is reaching some places for the first time in the history of the world. What does this mean for the future of mankind in general? For the first time anyone with access to an internet connection and a computer has an opportunity to gain a formal education anywhere in the world.

In the years to come the number of students will continue to rise. Before online education the number of students was capped and limited to the number of teachers and facilities to host education. Education now is amplified and the number of students is essentially endless because of online education. More students means more qualified graduates entering the work force.

The popularity of e-learning is due to the reduced cost and increased convenience it provides. With traditional school education, you must have a facility, which needs power, heating and cooling, lighting, food service, water, plumbing, landscaping, and upkeep. Along with this goes staff to provide all of these services. You also need educational tools like books, writing implements, paper, and computers. All this and you are limited in the number of students you can fit into a building or the number a teacher can manage at one time.

Businesses are also turning to e-learning to save time and money. Providing ongoing training to employees often means hosting training seminars. This means having employees converge at a single place, which often means that the company is paying for their travel expenses. By conducting training over the internet, all employees can learn the same concepts from their office or even in their homes. This allows the training times to be flexible and more cost effective.

If a rising tide raises all boats then online education is like tsunami coming to shore bringing along with it the future educated workforce. Online education simply cannot be stopped. There is no doubt that online education is growing and will only grow larger with time. From the time of the great scholars and philosophers of antiquity to the modern era of global education, people have always sought education. And now that education is available in a flexible, cheap, and accessible form, is it any wonder that people are flocking to this new way to learn?

Author's Bio: 

+Robin Green has spent several years in the world of online learning and writing about learning management systems. She reviews and studies current learning management system news and offers a perspective on online learning and education. She has helped several companies and organizations by offering guidance for their training and education needs.