Years ago we all thought that by 2010 we would be driving around in flying cars and wearing space suits. While we have not quite joined the ranks of the Jetsons, technology has changed the way we live our everyday lives. We live in an age where everything is available on demand. From TV shows, to music, to ordering take-out we want what we want when we want it. We have seen massive shifts in the media, tourism and entertainment industries and higher education could be next.

According to Zephyr Teachout, a law professor at Fordham University, “Students starting school this year may be part of the last generation for which ‘going to college’ means packing up, getting a dorm room, and listening to tenured professors.” While this may be a bit of an exaggeration college is definitely taking a virtual spin. Online college classes are becoming popular with two groups of people; high school graduates who cannot afford the “going away to college” experience and busy working adults looking to advance their careers. However, when considering online education many people wonder how it actually works.

Advancements in internet speed and technology have made connecting with people across the globe incredibly convenient. In online classes interaction and discussion between students is abundant. Discussion boards and forums are usually the core form of communication and as with many online arenas content is largely user generated. However, professors of online classes still play a major facilitation role. They post questions to get student discussions started and short lectures in the form of text, audio or even video. Professors are also available to answer student questions through e-mail and other online chat services.

Since lectures are harder to reproduce online, virtual classes have a larger amount of student participation than physical classes. Exams are often written and open book and sometimes require a large amount of research. People who engage in online education can usually complete their coursework at any time and from anywhere and during any stage of their life. However, students are usually required to put in a lot of time and log on almost every day to keep up with the discussion.

Like physical schools, online schools are accredited. Schools like the University of Phoenix, Kaplan University and Everest University Online offer degrees in a wide range of fields including accounting, criminal justice and education. To learn more about online schools and degrees visit edvisors.com.