THE VALUE OF CONTINUING DISTANCE LEARNING EDUCATION
Education can be a shared journey to increased knowledge, changed attitudes, and new competencies. However, in today's society, it need no longer be confined to the classroom. With the educational and technological resources available today, distance learning has become a viable and widely accepted form of education.
Varied names have been given to the systems and methods that comprise what has come to be known as "distance learning," e.g. electronic classrooms, technology-based education, distance education, and so forth. (see: Miller & Clouse, 1994; Mizell & Carl, 1994). However, regardless of the kind of technology that is used in this learning mode, and despite whether it is used in an educational institution or a business organization, distance learning has several characteristic and defining features. These are:
1) A great deal of distance learning involves the student (or students) working alone on assignments via the use of computer technology, and other multimedia systems. However, most distance learning programs also involve a series of face-to-face sessions (in some cases, through videoconferencing calls) where lecturers can cover in-depth any difficult areas of the subject matter given in pre-sessions reading and can consolidate and test student understanding by way of quizzes, multi-choice questions, discussion groups or by whatever method is appropriate.
The timing of the face-to-face sessions varies depending on circumstances. For example, some programs may schedule sessions once a month while others may arrange sessions every weekend. Differences in scheduling can depend upon several factors including the nature of the material being learned, the availability of resources, and company or organizational policy about training and re-training.
2) Distance learning provides students with a prescribed program of study; usually, at least part...