Distance education: Is it good or bad?

With the growing advancement in technology, the world is fast getting small. A person staying at one end of the world can easily talk to or communicate with a person sitting in another part of the world.

Thanks to technology the world is now a global village.  Each aspect of our daily life has been affected by this technological revolution.

Similar to the other aspects of life, education too has been greatly impacted by this technological revolution. Distance education and courses has opened the doors of education and learning for everyone across the globe.

Even a person living in the interiors of the country can learn from the best colleges in the country from the comfort of his home.

Students can enroll for distance education programs in various countries and earn degrees and diplomas without having to travel to these foreign countries.

The Distance Education System

The recent pandemic situation in the world has brought distance education and online learning into the spotlight. In these difficult times distance education has been very useful and convenient for students across the world.

Distance education is a form of learning which does not require the students to be physically present for the lectures in school, college or universities. Classes are conducted online or through videos and modules.

Even the assessments are conducted online. Any student residing in any part of the world and having access to the internet can enroll for a distance education program.

What are the pros and cons of distance learning?

Pros:

Flexibility: The biggest advantage of distance education is the flexibility to focus on other things along with graduation or post-graduation. You can earn while you learn, distance learning allows you to work alongside your studies. You can gather practical experience, on field experience while studying online. It provides the flexibility to plan studies according to their own convenience.

Saves time and energy: While attending school or college a student spends a lot of time and energy on travelling. With distance learning one can save this time and energy as one can attend classes from the comfort of their homes. Distance education provides the opportunity to enroll for courses which may not be available in a particular city or location. Additionally, when you enroll in an online degree program such as accounting from a University such as Rasmussen, you can save time and money with self-directed assessments and other knowledge credit options, showing that you already have the skills in a particular course and don’t need to take it.

Customized: Each student is different, each has a different learning capability and grasping power. When attending regular school or college, each student has to keep up to the pace of the teacher and the rest of the class. With distance education, one does not have to worry about matching-up with the pace of the complete class. One can learn at a pace they are comfortable with.

Cost-effective: The distance education course fees are comparatively cheaper than regular school or college learning. With distance education, you also save on the money spent on commuting and other expenses which are incurred in regular education.

Convenience: One of the key benefits of distance learning is the convenience associated with it. You can access the study material and attend classes from anywhere in the world. It allows the student to better utilize their time and invest it in other priorities or avenues of their liking.

Cons:

No direct contact with teachers: Unable to communicate directly and the absence of physical presence of a teacher can be difficult for some students. It is one of the biggest disadvantages of distance learning as many students may find it overwhelming to understand concepts without the guidance of a mentor. Several distance education universities are trying to solve this by introducing virtual classrooms, phone sessions etc.

Chances of Distraction: Studying from the comfort of their homes can lead to unwanted distractions. It may not be possible to create a serious learning environment at home as there are higher chances of facing distractions.

Dependence on Technology: Most distance education programs require good connectivity of the internet. It is difficult for a student to study and interact online if they are not tech-savvy and comfortable using online gadgets and devices. Even though all the distance education programs provide reading materials and books, students are still highly dependent on the internet for acquiring in-depth knowledge of the subjects.

Lack of discipline: Unlike, regular classroom education, where a teacher reminds the students for their assignments or examinations, in distance learning there are high chances the students may lose focus. It is important for students to be mature and disciplined to successfully complete their distance education.

Missing the college life and study environment: College life is not only education and studies. College life is also about developing friendship, self-exploration, development of inter-personal skills etc. All these things are very important for the growth and development of an individual. Distance learning students miss out on these essential developmental elements of college life.

Limited courses: Most courses need infrastructure for imparting practical education, these courses cannot be available in distance learning. Engineering and medical courses require practical classes, experiments, etc. which are not possible in distance learning courses.

Lack of credibility: There are times when employers undermine distance education and prefer candidates having completed regular college education. However, the perception is fast changing and today major of the top companies are accepting candidates with distance education.

Final words:

The advantages of distance education undoubtedly outweigh the disadvantages. If you feel the need to invest your time in some other activity like blogging or a hobby other than regular college education but still want to complete your graduation, distance education is the ideal option for you.

However, remember you will need to be highly motivated and disciplined to reap the benefits of distance learning.

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