It is no wonder that distance education is transforming the way courses are taught 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.

International students can also take advantage of the wide variety of online courses offered by colleges and universities in the United States without having to obtain a visa or leave town, as most online courses are asynchronous, i.e. teaching and learning do not take place at the same time. These courses are ideal for students who live in different time zones, because the professor will usually post the course syllabus to a specified Website, with a list of the accompanying assignments students must complete to earn credit for the course.

Students communicate with their professors and other students via e-mail, or by transferring and/or sharing computer files as needed. Students and teachers can also post questions and responses to the course chatroom for everyone else in the class to see. Anyone who has taken an online course notices right away that the ease of e-mail communication fosters a dynamic interactive environment between student and professor, and among fellow classmates. Technology also allows class participants to easily create online working groups, so students can collaborate on learning projects.

Professors supplement course material by using the Internet, with links to other Web sites, online research networks, computer bulletin boards and databases. The Web also allows students to consult with experts from around the world and delve independently into tangential aspects of the subject area they are studying. Communicating via computer provides an opportunity for international students to practice their English writing skills, as professors generally find that students spend more time formulating and writing their thoughts when they know that their messages will be read by other classmates. The enhanced interaction with students allows lectures to form close relationship.

Challenges

Since distance learning students are often learning from home or the workplace, completing the coursework often requires a great deal of self-motivation and discipline. Consequently, most distance learning classes experience a high dropout rate because many students find the course material is more difficult than they anticipated, or they fall behind due to conflicting family or work commitments. Since some courses require students to have high-end computers with high-speed modems to access the Internet, students should make sure they have the proper technical equipment before enrolling in a course - particularly one in which students exchange a lot of graphics or video material.

Accreditation

Unfortunately, international students need to be aware of 'bogus' colleges and universities' that prey on those who are unfamiliar with educational institutions in the United States. Sometimes these charlatans will choose confusing names that sound like famous US universities. Fortunately, the Internet allows students to rule many of these out with a little research. Recognized colleges and universities regularly undergo a rigorous review process by one of eleven regional accrediting bodies to ensure that they conform to quality educational standards, incorporate effective instructional techniques, establish reliable valid performance measurements, hire qualified faculty and staff, and provide student access to the necessary support services.

Students can check the US Department of Education to make sure the college they apply to is accredited (www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/Students/Accred.html). Since the communications medium is so new and challenging, often the most innovative and creative professors teach online courses. However, it pays to make sure the course's educational goals match with that the student expects to gain from completing the course. If their aim is to transfer to another college or university, it might be wise to make sure the credits will transfer without a problem before enrolling. Colleges do not always recognize courses taught by other institutions equally, regardless of their accreditation status.

Student Support Services

At a minimum, accredited colleges must demonstrate that they offer their online students access to library resources, technical support, tutoring, and counseling services. However, US colleges are not required to offer these services to international students, so it pays to make sure these services are electronically available. Accredited colleges must also show that there is an adequate amount of student-teacher interaction to ensure proper educational outcomes.

Students should make sure there is a correlation between the number of students and the amount of interaction they expect to receive from their professor.

Every student should have the technical expertise they need to successfully complete the course. This includes knowing how to use the network properly, how to install and operate the modem and software if necessary, and how to send and receive messages. Sometimes international students will have to make alternative arrangements if the college requires their online students to attend an on-campus orientation session. Alternatively, the institution might make the training video available in the college library.

Students should make sure there is someone on hand at the college to answer any technical questions that come up during the semester. Many colleges have 24-hour help desks (with answers provided by phone or e-mail) to accommodate questions from students in different time zones.

Since it is often difficult to make sure the person who is enrolled in the course is also taking the required examinations; installing secure testing procedures is one of the biggest hurdles distance educators face. Consequently, most colleges require their students to come to campus or go to proctored testing centers to take their exams. Colleges that offer distance learning courses are amenable to working out a proper arrangement with students who cannot physically get to a testing center, but international students should work these details out with the professor at the beginning of the semester.

Finding the Right Course

Although a recent study by the US Department of Education predicts over 80% of US educational institutions offer distance learning courses, a national database of online courses does not yet exist. One option is to visit the college Web site to see what online courses they offer.

In the past year, most states have formulated Websites that list all of the distance learning courses offered by public educational institutions in their states, making it easy for students to learn what courses are available. For a list of these addresses visit the Instructional Telecommunications Council Website.

Author
Christine Dalziel
Christine Dalziel is the executive director of the Instructional Telecommunications Council, a council of the American Association of community Colleges that represents over 550 institutions that use distance learning.