Pros and cons of
distance learning
Advances in technology over the past
few decades have made it possible to get a college education via
the Internet. Many universities now offer a good portion of their
courses on-line. While there are many benefits to distance
learning, there are also some disadvantages.
The most obvious advantage of
distance learning is convenience. Not having to travel to an actual
classroom means you can avoid a long, expensive commute and can
even study in your pajamas! Not having to attend actual class
sessions also allows you to work around your busy schedule.
Distance learning makes it possible for someone working full time
and/or raising children to get a degree.
Another benefit of distance learning is the fact that many on-line
classes are self-paced, which means you have more flexibility.
Often times, the majority of the class assignments or exams are
posted at the beginning of the course, and you can complete them at
your leisure. Unlike a regular course, which typically has
definitive deadlines, you are in control of your own schedule. If
you are very busy during the week with work and personal
responsibilities, you might not have much time to focus on your
studies. However, you may have the time to commit to your
schoolwork on the weekend. I have taken several distance education
classes and in one instance I was able to complete all of the class
work in one weekend, leaving me with more time to concentrate on my
other classes that I actually had to attend. However, if you
complete most of your work very early on in the course, you cannot
expect your instructor to grade it all immediately. He/she may
still be operating on a schedule, even if you aren't. Also, not all
distance learning classes are self-paced - some will have deadlines
just like any other course.
Before you decide whether distance learning is right for you,
consider some of the disadvantages of taking on-line courses. The
main benefits of distance education are actually problematic as
well. When a course is self-paced, as many on-line classes are, it
is up to you to create a schedule for yourself and learn to manage
your time wisely. Many students think that taking on-line classes
will be easier, but then procrastinate until the final deadline and
end up doing poorly in the class. Distance education requires a
certain amount of self-discipline and motivation. If you have
trouble staying on task in your regular classes and tend to
procrastinate, distance education classes probably aren't a
good idea for
you.
While not having to go to a physical classroom on a daily basis is
one of the perks of distance learning, it also poses some possible
problems. Some students learn better through one-on-one interaction
and have a hard time working independently. For example, if you are
struggling with a particular subject, it is often much more
difficult to try to get help via email or discussion boards.
Sometimes meeting with your professor in person is necessary in
order for you both to understand the problem and each other. The
lack of interaction with other students can also be a drawback, as
some students learn better by working in groups or having group
discussions. Granted, most on-line classes now have discussion
boards which students can use to communicate with each other, ask
questions and engage in debates. However, in my opinion,
participating in discussion boards doesn't usually measure up to
the interaction provided in the physical classroom.
Another disadvantage of distance learning is that it requires you
to rely so heavily on technology. If your Internet service happens
to be interrupted or your computer bites the dust, completing your
work becomes more of a hassle than if you actually had to
physically attend the class. Some websites that you are required to
use can be very slow or otherwise non user-friendly and
technological glitches can keep you from submitting your work on
time or cause you to loose hours of hard work. If you don't have a
personal computer or a high-speed Internet connection, I would
discourage you from taking distance education courses. You should
also save all the work you do for on-line courses and back it up
frequently, in case of file-submission errors or other technical
problems.
Of course, not all courses can be offered on-line. Certain art and
design courses, and those that require laboratory work or the use
of specific equipment are basically impossible to teach on-line. If
your university offers both on-site and distance learning classes,
I recommend taking some of your general education requirements
on-line. For example, you might consider taking on-line math,
literature, history or psychology courses. If you anticipate that
you might struggle with the content of a course, I suggest you
attend it on-site, as you will benefit from the guidance of your
instructor and the help of your classmates.
Finally, this might sound strange, but I would discourage you from
taking distance education courses when it comes
to the subjects that you really enjoy. In these instances, you
almost always benefit more from the actual classroom experience.
Save the on-line courses for the subject that you don't really care
too much about.
As you can see, deciding whether or not distance education is right
for you requires some thought. There is a common misconception that
distance learning classes are always easier than on-site classes,
however, this is not always the case. As I've already mentioned,
on-line classes don't have the benefit of physical interaction with
your instructor and other students. Also, many instructors will
assign double the workload in their on-line courses seeing as you
don't have to actually attend class. Not only that, but many of the
concepts could actually be learned much more quickly and understood
more fully in a classroom setting.
Distance education does have it's benefits, most obviously that it
allows non-traditional students or people with full-time jobs or
family responsibilities to get a college education. Even the
average student can benefit from taking distance education courses,
as they can work at their own pace and set their own schedule.
However, on-line classes are not merely a way to breeze through
college. You should consider all of these factors and do your
research before you decide on a distance education.
加载中,请稍候......