I think we should be thankful to internet for providing us another option for education, online education. Considering those people who are not able to earn a degree via regular classroom based colleges, online degree is a best option.  Some people are well suited to it, while others find that traditional classrooms work better for them. But, there are few pros’ & Cons of online learning. Online Learning is a type of distance learning in which student and teacher interact with each other via the message board, chat, emails, and schedule web-meeting or video lecture.

One primary benefit of it is Convenience, especially for those who are working or living far from college. Other-side, many students lack face-to-face interaction, which can create problems as instructor cannot reach every student and their learning capability.

Online learning requires students to be self-disciplined, keeping up with their studies without someone holding them directly accountable. If a student lacks time-management skills or is more of a dependent learner, the absence of in-classroom contact may be considered a disadvantage of online learning.

There are many online degree programs and college in many areas like culinary courses, accounting degree and many more.

Another disadvantage of online learning is the technology we use for study. If computer or an internet connection fails, student can fail to attend scheduled lecture. Student can miss an assignment or important lecture. Online learning may work best for individuals who are computer and technology savvy.

Please give your view about this topic; I am trying to figure out the effect of online education.

Reference:

culinary courses

accounting degree

Many distance learners have thought about their own personal development and career path when selecting a course to enrol on.  Some have chosen to study to further their existing career prospects in the business sector that they are already associated with, whilst others are looking for a complete career change and wish to gain qualifications in order to make that switch.

The job market can be quite unpredictable at times as it’s always changing.  So, when thinking about your career and where you want to be you have a lot to consider – it’s not just the job itself.  You have to consider the working hours, the environment, the salary, training and development opportunities, your role and responsibilities, how you can progress and where you want to be – you need to think about your end goals and then take constructive steps to get there.

Balancing life and work is tricky in itself, however many people find that signing up to complete studies via Distance Learning helps them to achieve that balance.

When thinking about selecting your Online college, here are a few things to consider to help you make that decision.

1. Do your research.  Use the web to find information about the subject you are looking to study and spend time looking at the various options available.  Many Distance Learning institutions include comments left by students who have recently completed their courses – their feedback will be invaluable as they can rate the course, the materials provided and the support given. You should also research the sites of industry bodies who govern that particular subject area as they often include recommendations about options for study or may run their own courses.
2. Make a shortlist of the institutions that you are thinking of and get in touch.  You need to check their credentials and find out if you can obtain any credits for a particular because of your qualifications and/or work experience to date.
3. Its also worthwhile asking them if there is financial assistance provided, what level of support is given, how course work will be delivered, what the timeframes are, how work will be graded, any technical requirements and indeed any further student testimonials.  All of this information will allow you to make an informed choice based on your own requirements.
4. It might be worthwhile asking them if they organise any study groups where students can meet face to face – interaction with other students studying the same topic can be beneficial.

If you bear all of these tips in mind, you should get the most out of your Distance Learning course.

Getting started!!

This site is dedicated to Distance Learning and we want you to get involved.

Sign up. Invite your friends. Share your thoughts and comments.

The My Jotter social network has been specifically developed for you to connect and interact with other students interested or currently participating in Distance Learning courses or those interested in the broader topic of education.

Perhaps you’re studying a particular course and you want to connect with others to get feedback, support, advice, or, to discuss particular issues of the course – My Jotter is the perfect platform.

Perhaps you’re thinking about taking a specific course and want to find out which home study programme is best for you – what better way to find out than by asking students who are currently doing the course or indeed, students who have completed it recently.

It’s really simple to get involved. Sign up, create your profile, add photos, videos, create a group, join existing groups, meet new friends and invite your friends who also might find membership of this community to be beneficial.

Distance Learning: Learning by Doing

One of the major differences of distance learning compared to traditional learning is that distance learning places more of an emphasis on ‘learning by doing.’  For example, there is usually an emphasis placed on conducting research and taking part in projects during a distance learning course as there is no need to attend lectures in a physical environment.  This form of learning, in my opinion is the best and most effective way of learning about a particular topic.  It allows a student to feel completely immersed in a subject and it allows to see the material that they have studied actually being put into action.

In today’s hectic lifestyle where families are struggling to juggle careers and family, distance learning courses are becomming an attrative option, especially considering the poor job market as the looming recession becomes more of a reality and means that people need to be more qualified than ever to get a job.  With the ever improving changes in technology and the internet, more and more people are able to take advantage of distance learning courses as the boundries between countries become more and more blurred.  John Chaplin of the University of Phoenix comments:

“To put it in its most simple form: distance learning means participation in academic activities (coursework) even when one is not located near the college campus. In fact, in distance learning the location of the school is irrelevant to the enrolled student. What matters is receiving the course content – whether one lives down the street or in another continent.”

It seems that now more than ever, learning has become ever easier and attractive to a large demographic of the population regardless of postcode!

History

Distance education has been around since 1728 when an advertisement in a Boston newspaper was recruiting people to sign up for ‘the new method of shorthand writing.’  In the UK, the creation of the Postal Service in the 19th century led to a large increase in the number of courses taught by correspondence.  As technology advanced, more and more courses became available and in the 1960s, many different subjects were available to take via TV and radio broadcasts.  Can you imagine this guy as your professor?!?!

Distance Learning in Space!

Now, back in this day and age, the internet has revolutionized the way in which students can learn.  Gone are the days where one needs to spend many hours a week commuting to lectures and exams as there is a plethora of courses available to take in the comfort of your own home.  Another major advantage of distance learning is the access that one can have to some amazing guest speakers.  One example is of Gregory Olsen, a serial entrepreneur and space tourist who paid over $20 million to go into space to work on the International Space Station.  While in space, he talked to some science and astronomy students from all over the world – very cool!!