What
to look for in a Distance Education Program
With
the worldwide boom in technology, distance education has
become an excellent option for the international student
seeking a top-quality degree. Not surprisingly, today there
are many, many programs to choose from. The following information
will help you evaluate any that you are considering.
Distance
Learning Programmes in the UK
The
United Kingdom has an enviable reputation for educational
excellence, attracting many overseas students to distance
learning programmes run by British organisations. Such excellence
is not easily achieved; the quality of UK distance learning
programmes is due to a unique combination of factors.
Distance
Education - The Solution Has Arrived
Today's
busy Shedules mean that many people do not physically have
the time to take up full-time, or even part-time, or even
part-time education - workload, lifestyle or commitments
simply don't allow for it. However, the new influx of distance
learning programs means that now even the busiest of people
can have interactive access to courses worldwide from the
comfort of their own home.
Important
Questions to ask about a Distance Program
There
are some serious concerns and problems that come with all
of the excitement about distance learning, many of which
are addressed in this article.
Convenience
& Flexibility - On-line Courses
Spurred by fierce competition for students, colleges
and universities across America are expanding into the
rapidly evolving world of online education, a world that
barely existed five years ago.
TESOL
- Distance Learning versus Full-Time Study
Those
seeking an international recognised professional TESOL
qualification are faced with a variety of decisions. Which
courses are formally accredited? What type of course will
be best? Full-time study
or distance-training?
Distance
Education - Double the Benefits
Surely no educator would argue against a legitimate teaching
method that highly motivates students to learn the subject
matter, promoting student interaction in the process.
Distance
Education - For Educators
Distance Education is instructional delivery that does not
constrain the student to be physically present in the same
location as the instructor. Historically, Distance Education
meant correspondence study. Today, audio, video, and computer
technologies are more common delivery modes.
Online
Learning - in the United States
Online
courses have expanded educational opportunities: for employees
who need to enhance their job skills, but don't have the
time to attend a traditional face-to-face class; for mothers
who want to earn their college degrees while caring for
their children at home; for students in rural areas, where
geography prevents them from travelling to and from campus.
Supported
Distance Learning
At institutions such as the Open University Business School,
the great emphasis is on supported Distance Learning,
where students have regular contact with tutors and a
huge amount of support in terms of course materials.
American
Community Colleges Online
Studying in America without leaving home has become an
exciting reality for many students around the world. On-line
education has emerged as an option for students unable
to afford the expense of travelling overseas.
Interactivity
in Online Courses
There
are two types of learning interactivities, both are important
to learning: interaction with content and interpersonal
interaction (i.e., with other people). Interpersonal interaction
includes both instructor-student and student-student and
can use real-time communication (synchronous) or asynchronous
communication with interaction independent of time and
place.
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Distance
Learning Brings the Knowledge of the World to You
The idea
of Distance Learning may sound "foreign" to those
students whose mental picture of a college is a campus with
dormitories, athletic facilities and a towering library.
 Yet
this year, more than 1,300 colleges will offer some form of
Distance Learning to a generation of students who have grown
comfortable with technology in education.
What
is Distance Learning?
It's simply an alternative way of learning which empowers
students to choose when and where they want to study. Rather
than attending traditional classes on a campus, students access
their courses at their convenience in one or more delivery
formats. These formats can include, but are not limited to:
- the
Internet,
- CD-ROM,
- print-based
materials,
- audio/video
cassettes,
- teleconferencing
and audio conferencing.
Recent
advances in technology have added to this list, with formats
delivered through satellite uplink, computer conferencing
and collaboration and even interactive two-way multi-point
video conferencing.
A Popular
Alternative
The popularity of Distance Learning has skyrocketed in the
past few years. Six years ago, there were about 750,000 Distance
Learning students in all formats. Today, there are more than
1.1 million students taking classes over the Internet, and
that doesn't count those who are using the other formats previously
mentioned.
Who
benefits from Distance Learning?
Anyone who values the convenience and flexibility of learning
anytime and anyplace. In these busy times, that includes just
about everybody! However, certain people find it particularly
valuable. For example, adults whose work schedules make it
impossible to attend daytime classes find they appreciate
the opportunity to learn at home on their own time.
In addition,
mothers and fathers with young children like the idea that
they can take their courses at 10 p.m. or even 6 a.m., and
fit their studies around their families' needs.
But perhaps
the biggest benefits are reserved for those who want to study
in a foreign country. Distance Learning eliminates all geographic
barriers and makes global learning a reality. No matter where
you reside, technology now makes it possible for you to pursue
higher education opportunities at a Distance Learning college
of your choice.
The content
of Distance Learning courses is just as challenging as in
traditional formats. Courses can be structured in typical
13-week formats, and the best courses include lots of interaction
between students and instructor. Assignments are mailed, E-mailed
or faxed to instructors and tests can be proctored for those
not near a testing center.
Author
Linda Miller
Rio Salado College
www.rio.maricopa.edu/
distance_learning/
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