| A Brief Introduction to Distance
Learning 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.
Distance Learning
|
