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Distance learning courses, once known as correspondence courses, have been around for decades. I actually took my first distance learning course while in high school (a beginning accounting course offered by a regional university). The rise of the Internet, however, has meant explosive growth in the field of distance learning. The benefits are numerous: email correspondence means lessons and courses can be completed much faster, sometimes in weeks, not months, or years, as was the case back in the snail-mail days. Presentation of information on Web sites has also facilitated growth, making it easier for interested students and willing universities to find each other.
My personal experience with distance learning courses has been focused on industry-related exams and certification-I unfortunately have not had the opportunity to take a course just because of my interest in it. (Many such courses remain on my wish-list for when I retire.) On the whole, I have had very favorable experiences, but have also had some bad ones. I hope the following points will help those interested in distance learning to get the most out of their effort.
First, the single most important factor in a successful course is being fully aware of why you are taking it. Put another way-do you know what you want or expect to get out of the course? The very nature of distance learning almost always ensures that outside motivational support will be absent-you must motivate yourself. Understanding your objectives is a vital first step.
When looking at courses for credit or certification, double-check that the course meets any possible accreditation requirements. Even the best course in the world will be useless if credits from the course are not recognized anywhere.
The second factor to keep in mind is course format. Some distance learning courses still (mysteriously enough) require snail-mail correspondence of lessons and materials. While there may be courses for which a pure on-line environment does not work, any course that as a rule does not allow lessons to be submitted by email would raise a yellow flag. It suggests that the course may be behind the technology curve in some respects. With so many good courses out there that do take advantage of Internet benefits, there is no reason to take a course that does not, unless it offers something truly unique.
Third, keep in mind any time limits required for completion of the course. For most people, simply finding the time to keep at a course is a major hurdle, perhaps the biggest. Between work, family, and friends, it can be very easy to put off that chapter until next weekend. Some courses will automatically terminate your participation if you do not complete the course within the allotted time. The timeliness of replies from the course instructor will also tie into this.
Finally, and this is both a critical factor and one that can be difficult to confirm beforehand, a high level of response from the course instructor is essential. A good course will have an instructor that gives ample feedback in a timely manner. A good instructor will be available via email, and will answer queries within a reasonable amount of time. Poor courses offer little or no feedback and do not answer queries. In general, avoid any course that does not allow you to email the instructor before the start of the course.
A quick search with any search engine will bring up an alarming number of courses being offered on-line; it can be rather intimidating. Where does one start? How does one know if the course is really effective at educating or if it is simply offering credits and certificates to those who fork over enough money?
Brand name may help in the evaluation. Many courses are actually extension programs for existing higher-education institutions, with instructors handling both on-site classroom courses and on-line courses. (In many of these cases, however, there is a limit to the number of students allowed in the on-line course, and such courses may be offered only at specific times of the year.) It is likely that the distance learning course will be fairly similar in quality and service to on-campus courses offered by the educational body, although there are exceptions.
Still, there is no substitute for word of mouth. If you take a good program, tell people. If you take a horrible program, tell people. If you take a good course that doesn't necessarily work in your case, tell people.
Distance learning ultimately requires a definite commitment of time and money. It is my firm belief that expending a little effort before starting will result in exponential benefits down the road.
Scott Urista, Head of Production for Mizuho Securities in Tokyo