Distance learning college is becoming an increasingly popular option for students of all ages interested in furthering their education. While it can’t replace every aspect of traditional classroom, workshop, or studio-based face-to-face teaching, the many distance learning benefits make it an attractive choice to consider.
The most obvious of the distance learning benefits, of course, is the ability to learn from anywhere. Students can learn from home, while they’re at the library or on a business trip, or possibly even while travelling in the back of a taxi (with the right equipment). Distance learning makes it possible to study at colleges and universities across the globe, schools to which students might not otherwise have access due to their location.
Distance learning is also more flexible than traditional classroom learning, allowing students more freedom to work at their own pace and on their own schedule. They might review their class material after a day of work or on a weekend when they have some time to themselves. This fluid aspect makes it possible to fit coursework into a schedule that doesn’t allow for strict class times.
The number of students engaged in distance learning all over the globe grows daily. Working through an online course, students have greater access to a broader worldview and many different perspectives, as students from unique locations and cultures come together to form a learning environment. This offers a diversity of thought and learning processes not always possible in schools where proximity is a requirement to attend.
Technology is a key component of a distance learning program. It is the engine that drives so many of the distance learning benefits. While a few mail-away correspondence programs do still exist, it is likely that most distance learning coursework will be completed online. Students will gain exposure to current static and mobile communication technologies, as well as to a variety of programs used in the learning process. While purchasing some new technology may be required to get started with distance learning, the overall cost of the education might be lower than at traditional institutions. Students can save on the cost of commuting, and most schools offer off-campus courses at a lower cost per credit hour than for on-campus courses.
Expanded Access
Traditionally, the education students received and the career choices available to them have been limited by the educational opportunities near their geographic location. Students wanting a wider array of choices or a different level of instruction than that immediately available were required to move to new locations. Distance learning college offers students the chance to take classes at universities, colleges, professional organizations, and private companies across the country, and in some cases, across the globe. This is without a doubt one of the top distance learning benefits.
Imagine a student living in a rural area, whose only option for secondary or professional education is a local community college. The college most likely will offer basic general education courses and perhaps a technical or vocational specialty that works well for those living in the area, but will not offer a program that suits the student’s interests. After taking a few math courses, the student determines that mechanical engineering is really the career path for him.
Despite being in a rural location with no direct access to a larger university, the student can take courses over the Internet with a school (perhaps even a top-ranked school) that specializes in mechanical engineering. He can access the school’s extensive online research databases and interact with leading researchers in the field. Distance learning allows for access to larger schools offering a more diverse curriculum, schools with different specialties, and schools with unique teaching methods.
Cost Reduction
Attending a large university or small private college in person does offer many benefits, not the least of which is direct access to its libraries, laboratories, and recreational facilities. While all of these are great incentives, they come with a price, and that price is often not bundled into the tuition. The costs and fees listed for a semester at college include tuition, room and board (if needed), and other fees, sometimes grouped as “lab and technology fees” or “undergraduate student fees.” However, students utilizing a distance learning college are often exempt from paying these charges, or will at least pay a smaller, reduced fee. In addition, some colleges and universities charge less per credit hour for off-campus courses than they do for on-campus courses. Saving money is one of the great distance learning benefits.
Consider also that it might be possible to get the same information in a less expensive format than a traditional college course. Students interested in writing, for example, could join a professional writing organization such as RWA (Romance Writers of America) and receive writing instruction for a fraction of the cost. They would have access to thousands of other writers, online chats and forums, databases of lectures on the art and business of writing, a monthly publication with educational articles and publishing industry news, and other instructional items. Distance learning offers the opportunity to gain the same information and experience in a variety of places.
Learning from a distance, very often from home, can reduce the total cost of education by reducing or eliminating the need to commute. Students can save money by reducing their gas usage, the wear and tear on their cars, and public transportation fees. Perhaps most important, a smaller or nonexistent commute would mean more time available for other things, such as studying, working, or spending time with family.
Tailored Education
People seek out education for a variety of reasons. Most might be looking to achieve a degree or certification, but some are pursuing a hobby or interest and want to spend more time doing something they love. Some students are looking to refresh their knowledge base; others are trying to stay current with the changing world of technology. Whatever the reasons for choosing to pursue an education, distance learning college offers the opportunity to tailor an education plan to each student’s specific needs.
To some extent, distance learning allows students interested in a secondary or advanced degree to pick and choose the courses that make up their curriculum. Colleges allow a certain amount of credits to be transferred from another school, especially if those credits meet the general education requirements rather than higher-level courses in a major. Picture a biology major with no interest in the general education requirements for literature. At her current school, she can either take British or American literature, either of which would put her right to sleep. With distance learning, she can instead take an online course on science fiction from a university across the country and transfer that course to meet the literary requirement. This freedom is one of the nicest benefits of distance learning.
For students who don’t necessarily need a degree but are interested expanding their education for other reasons, the possibilities are nearly endless. Students looking to start their own business as a tour guide at a local historical site might want to mix and match their education. They could take some courses in business management, accounting, and marketing from a top business school, take other courses on public speaking and writing from an online university to improve their storytelling abilities, and gather information on local history by joining the local historical society. Each student can build the ideal program for his or her needs, interests, and budget.
Interactivity
At first glance, attending distance learning colleges might seem to be a solitary endeavor, but it really doesn’t have to be. One of the benefits of distance learning is interactivity. Students are likely to encounter their fellow students online often. It is easy to stay connected with both students and instructors through email. Most classes will have a discussion element to them. This might take the form of an interactive, real-time online chat where a teacher will guide a discussion on topics germane to the course. Students might instead be required to participate in discussions of a less immediate nature by posting on online forums. They’ll be able to browse the forums to read other students’ postings and respond to them.
Despite being in separate locations and time zones, students in distance learning programs are still required to do group work. Working cooperatively with other students mimics the average working environment and is a large component of degree programs in subjects such as business. Students will keep in contact via phone, email, text, instant messaging, and so on. They will be expected to work as a team to develop projects and complete assignments. They might share research with each other on an FTP server or email notes as attachments. They can work interactively on the same document by making changes and edits, tracking the changes they’ve made, and sending them to another group member to review. All of these activities keep students connected with each other.
New Technology and Environments
With very few exceptions, becoming a distance learning college student will require the use of new technologies. The days of pen-and-paper correspondence schools are coming to an end. There are still a few mail-away programs conducted through the postal service, but they are for the most part extinct, and often you can find better instruction and more current material online. The first and most basic component of any education is a computer. With the exception of courses of study that require things to be made by hand, such as models in architecture, paintings or sculptures in fine arts, or prototypes in engineering, almost everything involved in distance learning will be done on a computer.
With the classes being conducted largely online, the Internet is an integral part of the required technology. Students might be expected to participate in live video chats as part of the learning process, or to record and send presentations to their professors. In each case, students would need a basic understanding of common computer peripherals such as a webcam, microphone, and speakers. Online courses might require students to visit forums, bulletin boards, live chat rooms, and other new virtual environments to access materials, respond to class discussions, or turn in assignments. Being able to keep up with the latest technological innovations is one of many distance learning benefits.
Effectiveness
Considering the nontraditional nature of distance learning colleges, it’s natural for there to be some skepticism about the effectiveness of such programs. Students are so used to the traditional face-to-face model of teaching that it seems impossible, or at least unlikely, that distance learning can provide the same experience. While it’s true that distance learning offers a different experience, that does not mean it is less effective than a traditional education. In fact, one distance learning advantage is that it’s often more effective than the traditional method.
In many cases, the instructor teaching a face-to-face course is also the one who will be conducting the distance program. Students will receive the same quality of instruction and likely follow the same syllabus. Many of the same reading materials and study guides will be used, but distance learning has the potential to offer the material in several different formats. Class could be taught using printed materials, online Web site content, video chats, interactive media programs, discussion forums, and so on. The use of multiple mediums to teach the course might even make distance learning a more effective learning process for some students than a traditional classroom environment.
In addition, when communication with fellow students and teachers is done by email, online chat, and forums, it’s possible to receive feedback in a more timely fashion than students might otherwise get. Students can form a closer, more immediate bond with their professors and classmates, which in turn can improve the quality of the education they receive from the course.
Self-Paced
Life’s hectic pace makes many claims on a student’s time. It can be hard to balance the demands of a career, the needs of a family, and the desire to pursue an education. Students might ideally like to throw themselves full time into a degree program in a traditional educational environment, but that might not always be possible. One of the best advantages of distance learning is that it allows students to pursue a degree at a pace that works best for them. Imagine students who have been out of school for a long time, but are looking to get back to it to earn a new degree. Distance learning colleges allow them to take one course at a time, on their schedule, to get their feet wet.
The self-pacing aspect of distance learning would also work well for teachers. During the summer when they’re on break, they might decide to take heavier course loads to make more progress on their degrees. When school begins in the fall, they can scale back their course loads, dropping down to just one course or maybe taking a semester off. Distance learning provides students with the opportunity to take as many or as few courses as they have time for in a given semester, and has the flexibility to allow for differing course loads over the years.