1. Distance Learning – Earning a Degree at Home
In the mid-19th century America, educators used the postal system to impart knowledge to people
who could not attend traditional schools for a variety of reasons. This was the beginning of
distance education and it was delivered through the exchange of print-based study material.
Those who benefited most from it were students with physical disabilities, people with jobs that
made it difficult for them to attend school during work hours, or those who lived in far-flung areas
that didn’t have proper schools.
Cut to the present – students who now enroll in distance learning courses belong to a much wider
demographic base. However, there are some typical factors that distinguish distance learning
students from those who attend on-campus programs. The former are generally older and most of
them juggle their education with other commitments like jobs or family responsibilities.
Distance education itself has also evolved a great deal over the last two centuries. Technological
advancement is one of the biggest factors contributing to this change. The way distance
education is disbursed has altered beyond imagination and with it has come vast improvement in
the quality of distance learning courses and a change in public perception about them.
Technology & Education
Although distance education has always used the prevalent communication technologies of the
time to reach students, never has the use been so widespread and effective as it has been with
the advent of the World Wide Web.
Only Internet has made it possible for students to attend lectures sitting at home in front of their
PCs via video-conferencing. It has thrown up novel ways of classroom interaction – from online
discussion boards and chat rooms for students to participate in group discussions to bulletin
boards and forums where they can post their queries or answer questions posed by instructors.
While some online distance education courses require students to spend a part of their time on
campus, others may not need any classroom attendance whatsoever. The teaching methods can
vary from university to university, but the common thread remains the generous use of technology
in imparting high quality education.
According to a report by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 75 percent of the
institutions offering college-level distance learning courses cited using asynchronous Internet-
based technologies to a large extent for the delivery of education to its students. Only eight
percent of institutions reported using mostly print-based documents as the means of instruction.
Rising Popularity
If distance education was God sent for some 19th century Americans, it is a boon for many of our
rural population. It offers them a chance to enhance their skills from anywhere, at anytime, on
their own schedule, and at their own pace. With no overhead costs like car and fuel for
commuting to college or a dorm for lodging, distance education also turns out to be a more
affordable option for many families.
According to the NCES report, an estimated 12.2 million students enrolled in college-level credit-
granting distance education courses offered by 2-year and 4-year institutions in the 2006-07
academic year – a staggering figure that is likely to keep growing.
Even employers realize the benefits of distance education and are creating an environment – be
it in the form of financial aid or making available their high tech equipment and facilities - that
encourages their employees to take up these distance learning programs in a bid to upgrade their
skills.