• Surface approach:
- Focus on the "signs" (the text or instruction itself).
- Focus on discrete elements.
- Memorize information and procedures for tests.
- Unreflectively associate concepts and facts.
- Fail to distinguish principles from evidence, new information from old.
  - Treat assignments as something imposed by the instructor.
- External emphasis focusing on the demands of assignments and exams leading to a knowledge that is cut-off from everyday reality.
- Distant students need to become more selective and focused in their learning in order to master new information. The focal point of their learning needs to shift them from a surface approach to a deep approach.

• Deep Approach:
- Focus on what is "signified".
- Relate and distinguish new ideas and previous knowledge.
- Relate concepts to everyday experience.
- Relate and distinguish evidence and argument.
- Organize and structure content.
- Internal emphasis focusing on how instructional material relates to everyday reality.

Improving Distant Learning
The change from surface to deep learning is not automatic. Adult students and their instructors must face and overcome a number of challenges before learning takes place including: becoming and staying responsible for themselves; "owning" their strengths, desires, skills, and needs; maintaining and increasing self-esteem; relating to others; clarifying what is learned; redefining what legitimate knowledge is; and dealing with content. This number of challenges is considered in relation to distance education:

• “Becoming and staying responsible” The motivation is required to complete distant courses because the everyday contact with teachers and other students is typically lacking. Tutors can help motivate distant students by providing consistent and timely feedback, encouraging discussion among students, being well prepared for class, and by encouraging and reinforcing effective student study habits.

• “Owning one’s strengths, desires, skills, needs” Students must recognize their strengths and limitations. They need to understand their learning goals and objectives. The tutor can help distant students to explore their strengths/limitations and their learning goals/objectives by assuming a facilitative role in the learning process. Offering opportunities for students to share their personal learning goals and objectives for a course helps to make learning more meaningful and increases motivation.