In the near
feature, due to the advancement of
computer technology, the campus based traditional university method will soon
phase out . Based on the current trend, more university are going online and subsequently, prospective students can enroll
online and stay at home to obtain their degrees. Consequently, the rush to the traditional
campus based university will be reduced
drastically.
The new generation of universities no longer make use of the traditional campus
based university system rather operating completely online. The only infrastructure they would require is
the administrative office where the basic
routine work could be carried out offline involving the use of computers and maintenance.
The
new generation of online universities do take advantage of the online system based on the fact that it drastically reduce operational cost compare to the traditional campus based system
which stems from the following factors:
The basic infrastructure has to be put in place which include procurement of large piece of land to
develop in order to accommodate all
faculties, staff and students quarters,
payment of lecturers and none academic staff based on government salary scale level and in conformity with
national labour laws and several other
factors.
But with the introduction of the online system, there is no need to
procure any of those facilities and the associated requirement. No need to
follow government salary payment scale and national labour law. Lecturers are employed in different parts of
the world as adhock staff or as freelancers providing lectures to students
online in different disciples in the comfort of their homes, while those at the
administrative block monitors the activity of the entire operations in
different parts of the world
Computer
Inefficiency Setback
Due to the
advanced technology applicable in online distance learning prgramme, the government in most countries restrict
traditional campus based university from going online but only approve very few
universities that can provide the require advanced technology based on the fact
that is not a matter of sending and receiving emails in the distribution of
lecture materials but entails a whole lot of highly skilled computer endearment n order to function effectively.
Several
online dissemination of lecture materials are applicable through the use of
computer software and their effective applications by the students. Production
and procurement of both the hardware and software of high quality and
maintenance cost will
become a very big challenge to both
students and institution itself.
Consequently,
the government put all of these factors
into consideration before approving a university to go online. However,
the advanced methodology to be applied is solely dependent on the course involved
while on some courses sending and receiving emails to download lecture material is all that is required. Consequently, most institutions are very
selective on the type of courses they could handle online.
Distance
Factor
Students
take advantage of both online and offline method of learning in the distance
learning programme based on the fact that as the phrase “Distance Learning”
applies, has already bridged the gap between the university and the students
receiving lectures in any part of the world of which distance is no longer a
barrier. On this development, the traditional university campus based system is
already substituted though the university’s affiliate centers using local
institutions that already had the basic facilities on ground most primarily the
qualified lecturers, conducive lecture rooms and high quality lecture material
provided based on thorough research work in accordance with the course outline.
On the other
hand, students stay comfortably in their homes and receiving lectures through
the computer with fast internet connections. So no more making comfortable but risky journey flying on board plane to abroad to attend university
programme in order to earn a degree and no
more expenditure involving
transport cost to attend lectures at the
campus based traditional university, staying away from friends and relations,
lodging in the university premises, resigning from currently job if management
refuses approval to grant study leave and
other inconveniences and related costs are curtailed in the distance learning programme.