What You Need To Know Before Choosing Distance Education

Distance education has come a long way from correspondence courses consisting of books and papers sent by mail. Today’s distance education comes via the internet, and is nearly instantaneous in delivery. There are several factors to consider though, before signing up and logging on for a distance education instead of attending classes in person.

- How much time do you have to devote to class? Distance education brings the classroom to your living room - or your office, or anywhere else you have a computer and an internet connection. This eliminates the commute that often prevents adult students from returning to college. Depending on the program, distance education may allow you to log onto your college’s website at the time that is most convenient for you to watch a pre-recorded lecture, instead of rushing to get to class on time.

- How do you learn best? If you learn best by discussing different ideas with others, then distance education, with its online message boards and chat rooms may prove challenging. If you prefer to study as an individual and then display your mastery of knowledge with a well written paper, then distance education will allow you that experience.

- Are you disciplined? Distance learning requires a great deal of initiative on the part of the student, which can be a great opportunity for growth, since this initiative translates outside of the classroom, and into your professional career. If you are easily distracted though, remember that there is no professor standing in front of you, to keep your eyes from wandering, or tell you not to have the television on while the lecture is playing.

- Is it really distance education? Distance education comes in a lot of flavors. Some colleges and universities offer true distance education programs, which can be completed by anyone, anywhere. There are others, however, that while they offer an online component, such as requiring students to post weekly responses to readings on a message board, still require your physical presence once a semester - which is problematic if you are cross country!