Distance Learning

Were you often getting detentions in high school because you were late for class? Do you want to take college courses but you work full-time or live in an area which is far away from the school of your choice? Distance learning might be for you, and with the revolution in technology, distance learning has become a popular educational option for many students. If you surf the net, you can find many institutions which offer distance learning options in almost every field of study, including the sciences, technology, liberal arts and business.

Distance learning is not a new phenomenon; it was first employed as a method of teaching farmers who could not leave their fields how to repair their wagon wheels. Today, distance learning is the ideal way busy parents, employees, the disabled and those who simply want more free time can earn a degree at home at their computer, telephone and fax machine. Textbooks can be ordered by mail and documents can be faxed or e-mailed to the student. The distance learning student can “attend” lectures through an audio-conference, watching lectures on the web, or listening to them on short-wave radio. A student can turn papers in and communicate with the instructor via e-mail and fax.

Distance learning, however, is not all about relaxation. Students who succeed in distance learning programs are those who are self-starters, motivated to learn their subject thoroughly, and are organized with their time. Many students who think distance learning as an option because they think it will be easier than traditional education are often disappointed to find that it might have been better for them to have the external pressure of a deadline or to compete with other students for the instructor’s approval. Distance learning is certainly not for everyone, but it is definitely expanding educational opportunities around the world.