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Is Long Distance Learning For You?
by Francis Y Ireton
http://www.fyilearning.com

If you've decided that getting your degree - or at least
taking a few classes - online is a good choice for you, you
may be concerned about your ability to keep up with the work
and do well.

Long distance learning has been around for some time - far
longer than most people realize. Back in 1979, a close
friend with cerebral palsy acquired her bachelor of arts and
two masters degrees in different subjects without ever
leaving her bedroom. Back then, her tools were a telephone,
a computer, closed circuit television and a 300 baud modem.

The advantages of long distance learning are easy to see. In
many cases, you can take lessons at your own pace and on
your own schedule. Even when classes are scheduled via chat
rooms or other communications software, there's no need to
fight traffic and find parking spaces in order to attend.
Even more important, it's possible for you to take courses
that are only offered at a school several hundred miles away
without having to move in otder to attend.

There are some disadvantages as well, though those are less
clearly defined. In fact, for some, the seeming
disadvantages may be advantages. They include the less
personal atmosphere, the lack of face to face contact and
the lack of social outlets and contact between classmates
and professors. In addition, you'll miss out on the class
discussions and interaction that often can clarify ideas.

2. Communicate regularly with your instructor and other
students. One of the most often cited disadvantages of
distance learning is lack of interaction with instructors
and other students. You can take steps to counteract that
disadvantage by keeping in contact with instructors and
classmates via email and instant messenger.

Are you comfortable using a computer and other technology?
Since you'll be doing almost all tasks associated with your
classes on a computer, your comfort in doing common computer
tasks will be a major determining factor in your decision.
If you have no problem using a word processor or email, can
install software without panicking and can use an instant
messenger or chat room to communicate, you should have all
the skills that you need to take classes online.

Do you have an internet connection that you can rely on?
Again, since you'll be doing most of your work online, a
stable internet connection is an absolute must. If you need
to rely on public access through a library or community
access center, you'll find it difficult to keep up.

Can you generally find things on the internet? Believe it or
not, one of the most useful skills you can have is the
ability to find almost anything you're looking for online.
If you're the person that people turn to when they need to
find out something fast, you'll probably do quite well with
long distance learning.

How well can you communicate through writing and reading?
Good reading comprehension is vital to successful distance
learning. If you have trouble understanding instructions,
your instructor may not be easily available to clarify. The
same applies in reverse - you'll need to be able to clearly
explain your needs and put your knowledge into writing. If
you're not comfortable expressing yourself in writing, then
you'll be more comfortable in a traditional classroom.

The growing availability of long distance learning presents
a wonderful opportunity for those who can't, or prefer not
to attend on campus classes. As time goes on, changes in
technology will make a lot of the requirements above less
important - already, video conferencing software makes it
easier to meet with instructors 'face to face'. In the
meantime, the ability to communicate in writing, work on
your own and maintain your own schedule are the main factors
in determining if distance learning is a good choice for
you.

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