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| Pros and Cons | Advantages
• Distance from institution doesn’t matter. This benefits disabled students, or students who live in a remote location or even a different country.
• Learning is flexible. So students who have a full-time job or family commitments can study when it suits them.
• More places. There is unlimited number of places so courses are more readily available.
• Cost. Distance-learning courses tend to have cheaper tuition fees than the class-based version.
• Online community. Unlike a traditional classroom, which can be dominated by a few vocal students, all distance-learning participants are expected to contribute, fostering more of a community spirit.
Disadvantages
• Reduced interaction with class (although online study chartrooms and virtual classrooms can actually benefit those who don’t feel comfortable speaking up in a real classroom).
• Reliance on technology. Most distance-learning programs have a heavy emphasis on Internet and e-mail communications. Therefore you must own a computer that meets the minimum specifications.
Flexibility
High level of flexibility may be one of the reasons why this kind of learning is so popular among students worldwide.
It gives students control over their own study schedule, enabling them to fit their study around whatever else is happening in their lives. Pace and time limits is up to the students. Students with work and family commitments find this freedom particularly attractive. Distance learning is also a great option of choice for young people.
It is no longer necessary to settle for one of the courses offered by your local educational institution. You can choose any university worldwide and any qualification you want. This aspect of distance learning appeals to students who cannot, or do not want to leave their home town but wish to take advantage of what the world has to offer. A big advantage of distance learning is that there are no limits in places, as it is in the universities. Most recently, developments in distance learning have been driven by investment in educational technology.
The Way Forward
Universities, especially in Europe and North America, have been producing study materials specifically suited to online learning which means that students off campus are benefiting as much as students on campus.
Indeed, many university courses no longer require their on-campus students to attend lectures and seminars. Instead, they can access materials on the internet.
So we can see the differences between 2 methods of study very clearly. As more people gain access to personal computers, distance learning is forecast to become the way forward. |
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