Christopher Mattera takes a sip of his soda, adjusts the volume on his CD player, and checks his e-mail for the sixth time in 20 minutes. Chris isn’t procrastinating on an assignment; he’s actually in class—CD player and all. Thanks to modern technology, getting college credit is as easy as the press of a button or the click of a remote. What was once a worst-case scenario option reserved for “computer people” has quickly evolved into a viable alternative form of education for students of all ages and fields of study. Now a substantial part of almost every college, distance learning options are revolutionizing the classroom.
How Does Distance Learning Work?
There’s no simple answer to this question. Distance education is as diverse as traditional classroom learning. How it works is completely dependent on the student, the teacher, and the program. With online seminars, correspondence courses, independent studies, teleconferencing, video lectures, electronic forums, and audio recordings, the method of instruction varies tremendously from school to school and program to program. The more appropriate question to ask is what form of learning would best fit your schedule and financial and educational requirements. Within most universities, distance learning programs operate via online studies or residential satellite classes.
Online Study
Through “virtual classrooms” set up on the Web, lectures can be viewed live, discussions can take place instantaneously, resources can be linked, and assignments can be e-mailed in without ever leaving home. Most online studies programs consist of downloadable lectures or software exercises and at least one interactive session with a professor (through discussion panels, electronic forums, instant messaging, or video conferencing) per week. Students are then expected to complete outside homework or projects to be e-mailed in by a given deadline. While material can be accessed from anywhere around the world, day or night, and assignments can be completed and sent in at the students’ convenience, at least two hours of study for every credit hour taken is generally expected per week. Being organized and keeping up with deadlines is crucial.
Satellite Classes
Put simply, students attend class, but the teacher doesn’t. In satellite classes, students collectively are lectured via live or prerecorded video, Internet, or streaming audio feeds. Course material is distributed via textbooks and study packs, and like a traditional classroom, students are expected to attend class regularly, complete assignments on time, and prepare for upcoming lectures at home. Students have the benefit of classroom discussion and interaction with each other, but may or may not with the instructor. In some programs, a team of tutors or advisors may be available to answer questions and provide feedback.
For more information on distance learning options and to find an accredited program near you, contact the Distance Education and Training Council at www.detc.org
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