|
Distance Learning Education - A Reasonable Option?
Nic Haffner
:
Many people have a need and would benefit greatly from advancing their education. Since life prevents many people from becoming fulltime students, many turn to distance learning to further themselves.
There are many institutions that currently offer distance learning courses, and while quality will vary, advancing your education can never hurt. There are several different types of distance learning courses that both traditional and non-traditional students use to fit education into their hectic lifestyle. The purpose of distance learning is to connect instructors and students across a large distance, but the format and scheduling used can have a large impact on the learning experience.
Many students take advantage of the convenience of e learning courses. E learning courses are classes that are administered online and have no actual meeting place, time, or a lecture. Students typically enjoy skipping class time in exchange for being able to focus on the information they need for tests and assignments. The flexible schedule provided by e learning classes is also appreciated by students.
Some distance learning courses require students to commute to a classroom on a nearby campus where they will receive instruction and lectures indirectly. The most common format is a classroom with a TV that is either connected to a live feed where the teacher resides, or a recorded lesson is played. Many towns and cities with mid to large colleges, will broadcast certain classes over public access channels so that students can receive lectures and class information from the comfort of their home. One advantage of broadcasting lessons over public access television is that with a VCR or Tivo, you can record the lesson and watch or rewatch the lesson when you have time or if you do not understand a particular point. Having lessons recorded can be a valuable tool when studying for a test since you can watch the actual lecture again or review certain points.
Although distance learning has caught on and is heavily used by non-traditional students who have day jobs and a busy lifestyle, many high schools are taking advantage of distance learning as well. The reason behind this is because the school does not have to hire another teacher, therefore high schools can gain access to extremely skilled and knowledgeable teachers through distance learning courses. It can also allow high schools to offer specialized classes and develop high caliber programs that can delve deeply into a particular field. This is particularly useful for rural school districts that may have difficulty attracting and paying for the best teachers, but with distance learning classes, they can provide their students with instruction from the best available instructors.
Distance learning courses continue to increase in popularity and variety. E learning courses are especially becoming more popular since nearly everyone has internet access and e learning courses allow students to complete assignments at their own pace in the comfort of their own home.
More ELearning Articles
- What Is Open Learning?
Although there are many different distance learning courses available, it can be difficult to get the terminology straight. Some of the terms used to describe distance learning, such as open learning and...
|