Why Distance Learning Online Programs Are Here To Stay
Distance learning isn't a new concept. Since the earliest days of education, teachers and students have found ways to circumvent time and distance. For many years distance learning took place through written correspondence, mailed through the postal service. And while some say that there is nothing new under the sun, the Internet has truly revolutionized the distance learning concept.
Distance learning online programs, administered through the internet and email, have several qualities that give them lasting power.
1. Online education combines the best concepts from past distance learning formats. Email takes the place of written and mailed correspondence courses, online streaming media replaces satellite instruction television, and academic forums provide interaction opportunities among students and professors. Some web technology now allows for visual interaction with classmates and professors.
2. Distance learning online programs are effective. According to a 2009 study from the Department of Education, students who took all or some of their classes online performed just as well or better than students who learned in a traditional classroom setting. Combining online course work with traditional courses can enable students to perform even better.
3. Prestigious and reputable colleges now offer online distance learning. If distance learning online courses were limited to a few unaccredited schools, serious students wouldn't consider it. But more than two-thirds of traditional upper tier, accredited universities offer some form of online learning. State universities and community colleges have also joined the distance learning online movement. And many online-only colleges have the same high standards for education found in the more traditional universities.
So it doesn't appear that the distance learning online model is a fad. If you want to earn a degree at home, distance learning is a valid and technologically advanced option.