During the aftermath of the stock market crash of 2008, there was a lot of debate about the practices of Wall Street. There were numerous calls for the rolling of heads of top banking and investment firms due to the recklessness that was witnessed on their part. Although there was a lot of noise surrounding several issues, the most fundamental issue seems to have been overlooked. Several fingers were pointed at those responsible for making the stock market a safer place for retail investors to invest their hard-earned money. But given the kind of pressure Wall Street executives have to deal with, can we honestly expect them to be a hundred percent focused on the ethical management of our money? Or would they rather worry about their own personal interests involving the security of their jobs?

Before jumping to any conclusions, justifying the actions of those who were entrusted with the responsibility to oversee the practices of Wall Street may not seem plausible, and for those of you wondering what online education has to do with it, your doubts will be clarified as you read further. There is absolutely no doubt regarding the recklessness of their actions, but aren’t those on Main Street to blame as well? Did they not harbor dreams of making it big by ‘playing’ the stock market? There is nothing wrong with having dreams of getting rich. But expecting to get rich quick without adequately exploring the risks involved seems like an irresponsible strategy. The stock market involves significant risks to which average investors generally turn a blind eye in their hope of making a fortune and striking it big. The key to this lies somewhere in our education system, in the way our children are taught to learn.

A lot of parents tend to place the responsibility of education on teachers and the schooling system. While they are considered to be the primary providers of education, parents too, need to be aware of surrounding circumstances and the needs of their children. They too, share in the responsibility of educating their children. When you consider the impact of rapid globalization, we need to understand that a high school diploma is no longer sufficient to succeed in the real world. Online education is the new platform that will help our children adapt to this new world of education that has transcended all physical and geographical boundaries. Pointing fingers and placing blame on someone else is always easier to do. Accepting responsibility and making the effort to adapt is a lot harder. But in the long run, that is what we need to deliver solutions as opposed to dwelling on the mistakes of others.

Education and learning are no longer restricted to the four walls of a classroom as they once were. Children these days have access to so much more information than ever before. The Internet has made it so much easier to access information even from remote locations, which has certainly encouraged the use of online education and distance learning programs. In fact, academicians across the United States have been advocating the setting up of online schools for quite some time now. Even recent research statistics have offered positive reinforcement for the use of online learning programs in helping students secure their high school diplomas as well as with their credit recovery.

But how does this, in any way relate to the issues being faced by people on Main Street? Well, it all begins with education. Financial education is the solution for people to avoid pitfalls in the investment world. Brokerage firms and investment bankers will promise you the moon; that’s their job. Knowing how to differentiate between a sales pitch and a real investment opportunity is our job, and that is something we can achieve only with the right financial education. Similarly, earning a high school diploma is only the first stepping stone. Employers today are looking for a lot more in potential employees and the more you have to offer, the better your chances will be for building a successful career.

Online schools in the United States now offer you opportunities that were once out of reach. Students can now access a much wider range of course content, enjoy better teacher-student interaction, flexible study schedules and the opportunity to get in touch with students from different parts of the world. Online learning programs have opened up so many avenues for students that the possibilities are limitless. It is up to us to ensure that our children carefully evaluate and explore these options and make the most of them. After all, good opportunities are hard to come by and we need to make the most of the ones that do. The important aspect to consider here is that these solutions aren’t just limited to students in high school.

While adapting to online environments is a lot easier for older students, those who believe that online learning programs are limited to Advanced Placement programs and extra credit are sadly mistaken. Online middle schools and online elementary schools in the country are making the news as well. They have been instrumental in grooming students to be better learners and better all-round achievers. The focus for the design of such web-based solutions is primarily the cognitive development of children while ensuring they can learn in a flexible environment that facilitates their holistic development. Adapting to change can be hard and it is no secret that most people would rather cling to old school ideas than put in the effort to adapt to new ones.

However, more than being just a choice for us, exploring new ways of learning and imparting knowledge seems to be the only way forward. With technology receiving a major boost and new innovations coming off the shelf every day, we cannot help but accept and adopt modern technologies that are more suited to our lifestyles. Additionally, they are viable solutions that will better equip our children with exactly what they need to succeed in the real world. After all, isn’t every aspect of our lives now transitioning to the web?