Education Articles

About Open University

The Open University's style of teaching is called 'supported open learning', also known as 'distance learning'.

Open learning means that you will be learning in your own time by reading course material, working on course activities, writing assignments and perhaps working with other students.

For many people, finishing or completing an education program is a big accomplishment. For some, having been educated from a reputable institution is an achievement by itself. For most of us, however, education is the only way by which we can land a better job in the future and eventually attain great success. No one can discount the importance of education in the life of everyone. For this reason, many of us are willing to give up or sacrifice many things just to be properly educated. So far, most of our educational institutions have not failed the hopes of those gearing for better education. Today, universities and colleges employ a lot of means so that they can reach out to as many people who are interested in learning and earning high school diplomas and college degrees. Among the methods that are being taken by our educational institutions is distance education, or distance learning.

Distance learning, or distance education, is a teaching scheme wherein students are enrolled but are not required to be physically present in a particular educational institution. Distance learning is actually a very broad term and it includes a large number of learning methods, from correspondence courses to the fast becoming popular online courses. Distance learning can be administered on its own or integrated in a larger learning program, everything depending upon the discretion of the university or institution administering the distance learning program. One of the earliest forms of distance learning are the correspondence courses. This distance learning method was once used for educating children from rural and remote towns and communities who don't have the facilities and resources to set up their own school. In this distance learning method, teachers are required to physically go to a certain place to give a few lectures and leave assignments to the students that they would have to work for or study on their own. Used to be administered only to grade level up to high school level students, such distance learning education program also needs the cooperation of the parents to give guidance to their child or children. As new technologies that can help in administering better distance learning methods continue to emerge, distance learning is being taken to new heights. Today, we have a lot of methods that can be used to administer distance learning. These methods are often classified as to the manner by which instruction and information in distance learning programs are being delivered. These methods often include video delivery, audio graphic delivery, audio telephone delivery, and computer delivery. In simple terms, this means that distance learning instructions are delivered through written documents, audiotapes, videotapes, and CD-ROMs, as well as through emails, web conferencing and video conferencing.

With the existence of a lot of medium where distance learning is advertised and can be administered, people's awareness about distance learning have greatly increased and people who are interested in taking a distance learning program have greatly grown in number. But just like any other teaching methodology, distance learning has its own share of advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages that distance learning has over traditional methods of learning are ease, convenience and independence. Distance learning programs allow you to further your studies at your own pace and in your own time. It also allows you to study at the convenience of your own home, without having to go to a particular place or location to get your instructions.

However, distance learning is not suited for all types of persons. Disadvantages often come to those who don't have what it takes to succeed in an independent learning venture like distance learning. Distance learning requires a lot of discipline, interest, organization and self-motivation in order for it to be successful. It is also not for those types of people who need to constantly interact with others physically to be able to learn better. Distance learning has been with us for years without most of us even knowing it. Today, distance education is being taken to new heights by all the media available for administering it. Distance learning, however, is not suited for all. Just like most traditional learning programs, distance learning has its own share of advantages and disadvantages; and those who have the characteristics required to be successful in such a learning venture would naturally attract the advantages and shrug off most of the disadvantages.

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