Distance Learning And Its Benefits
February 27th, 2010Online Psychology Classes Articles No CommentsSince the emergence of computers, information is more accessible to people. The traditional outlook on learning has changed significantly and allows people to learn at their own pace. With all this information so readily available why not attend college online and allow people to earn a degree from the comfort of their own home?
Time is very important to most students today. Especially for the student who is returning to school to help better themselves in their current job or even going to college to help them find a better job. The college experience is not important to these people and therefore makes distance learning a great alternative to traditional college. This also offers privacy to the student in a way that traditional college can not offer. In a traditional college environment a student is often forced to participate in a classroom whether that student is comfortable or not. Distance learning offers students another way to attend college without the burden of the college life.
Online universities offer classes that can be taken late at night when a persons’ children are asleep. Most traditional schools have a thick course catalog full of times that classes are offered. Using an online university, a student does not have to spend large amounts of time trying to find courses that do not conflict with their schedules. Although not all classes can be completed whenever a student wants to, they are given deadlines which can allow the student to work at their own pace and can help to eliminate additional stress.
As an alternative to listening to a lecture, a student can have first hand access to the material over the internet or directly from the distance learning course website. For instance, if a student is studying Shakespeare, they can analysis his work on the internet as well as other matter about him. Another benefit would also be students who are struggling in math courses. There is plenty of information on the web that can assist the student. Many traditional students have to set appointments with teachers or get a tutor to improve their grade or to have something explained to them better. Using an online course, all of that information is readily available which can reduce hassle on trying to track down the teacher for help.
Students must be very responsible compared to students in a traditional school setting. There are no teachers giving students reminders as to when homework is due and dates the tests are going to be given. Online classes can be more challenging than traditional classes, so the student must work harder to keep good grades. It is easy to take a class whenever a person wants, but deadlines are still there and the must be kept, otherwise the student will not keep up with the other members of the class.
It can be very hard on some men and women to get an education due to a disability that prevents them from leaving the house without someone to assist them. For example, a person that cannot operate outside of a wheelchair must struggle with special equipment to get out of their house, into a car, and then get to school. Although schools are now handicap accessible, it can be very hard for them to get around campus with all of the students and other traffic. Distance learning can benefit them because they do not have to leave their house, they can pursue their education through their computer.
Many soldiers have unique jobs that keep them traveling from place to place. This traveling causes the soldier to lose opportunities to continue their education and not to receive updated training that the soldier needs for his/her job. An example of a job that a soldier has that is constantly being deployed is a Special Forces Green Beret. They are home about 5 or 6 months out of the year and in other countries the rest of the time. A Green Beret can bring his computer on a deployment and take classes that they need to take to either keep updated on their jobs or to work on their degree. Using these programs, a soldier can take the classes needed to keep on top of their job and not have to wait until they get back to where they are permanently based to continue their education.
College students are not the only ones that are taking advantage of attending class through online learning. High school students are able to take some classes online as well. Sometimes a school does not offer a class that the student needs, they need to make up a class that they failed, there is a scheduling conflict, or they need additional credits towards graduation. Some schools in rural districts may not offer classes that a student needs to get into college such as a higher level math or science class. A student may get online and attend a distance learning course taught by a teacher in another city or state. This helps high school students to get a better education, no matter what part of the country or world they are in.
Distance learning provides a substitute to non-traditional students. People with serious disabilities now have the opportunity to continue their education without having to have an escort to assist them in getting to their classes. There is a big debate whether or not distance learning is a good thing. It all depends on the type of situation of the student, whether they have full time jobs and families or if they are in the military and are constantly moving around the world, or if a person just graduated from high school and wants to continue their education.
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