Who Is Distance Learning For?

Distance learning is a convenient, accessible, and effective alternative to the traditional approach to education. It might seem as though distance learning is only for full-time students pursuing college degrees, and while that is certainly a great way to utilize distance learning options, those students are not the only people who might make use of them. In today's competitive job market, any additional training, education, or certification may make the difference between getting hired and not getting a call back or between getting a promotion and getting passed over. Distance learning can provide working professionals with the flexibility to advance their careers by advancing their education without having to take time off work.

Students need not be working in their chosen career fields already to make use of distance learning tools. Even high school students preparing for college entrance exams or taking advanced placement courses can benefit from engaging in distance learning programs. New high school graduates may decide to take a course long distance from the college or university they're thinking of attending, giving them the chance to evaluate the level of instruction offered and academic policies before making the move to full-time student.

Distance learning provides a wealth of opportunities for every interest. These are not limited to purely academic pursuits. A great way to get started on a new hobby or feed a passion for a particular subject is to take a class on it. For instance, students might take an introductory course in computers to feel more comfortable with the technology they use every day, or take a foreign language course because they plan on travelling outside the country. No one should feel excluded from enjoying the benefits of distance learning.

Young People

Distance learning offers many benefits for young students just beginning their education. Students who are still in high school but looking toward a future of attending college have several options with distance learning. For one, they might be taking advanced placement (AP) courses at school and looking for a little more help in preparing for the AP exam. Distance learning offers additional study aids with which to prepare. They can find study guides and forums online where they can speak with other students who have already taken the exam in their particular subject. In a similar vein, students preparing for the PSAT or SAT for college entrance can find a wealth of courses, study guides, and practice exams online.

High school provides students with a taste of several different subjects, but rarely goes in depth in any one area. It offers more of a general, broad-based education in a variety of subjects. Students coming out of high school often aren't sure what they want to major in, despite the efforts of guidance counselors.

Deciding on a college and a major all at once can be a daunting task. Students could elect to take a few distance courses, perhaps at more than one institution, and attempt to get a feel for what major might interest them most. Perhaps they love science and enjoyed their math and physics courses, but disliked biology and chemistry. Students with those particular interests could take an introduction to mechanical engineering course to see if that career path appeals to them. If not, they might try an introductory course in architecture, something that might appeal to their sense of physical space and the mathematical relationships involved in the structure of buildings.

Taking courses at more than one institution can also be helpful. Though not an absolute indicator, doing some distance learning at a school can give a sense of the level of instruction offered at that institution. Students can decide if the class structure is too strict or lenient for them, if the workload is too intense, or if they are bored by the lack of effort required. Students who are nervous about attending college for the first time might try a few courses at a community college, only to find that they are better prepared for college than they initially thought, and the same could happen in reverse. Doing this could save a lot of time and effort by helping the student to avoid choosing the wrong school and having to move all the way there and pay for a semester of courses before transferring to someplace more appropriate.

Distance learning can also be convenient for students who aren't ready to leave home yet or who can't leave home for one reason or another. They could take a course or two at a time while working and saving more money for college. This works especially well because distance courses are often offered at a lower cost per credit hour than on-campus courses.

Adults

Distance learning isn't only for first-time students looking to earn their undergraduate or technical diploma. Distance learning is also great for adults. Adults who already have a degree and are working in a chosen career field can benefit greatly by continuing their education, and distance learning is an excellent way to do that. Students can advance their education and enhance their skill set without taking a leave of absence from work or relocating to the school of their choice.

The working world is an ever-evolving, fluid environment that moves forward at a sometimes breakneck pace. The manufacturing, business, service, and science fields can change rapidly, due largely in part to advances in technology. Staying current with the latest technologies, trends, tools, and methodologies can be the key component in maintaining job security.

While a degree might have gotten a person in the door at a job, continuing to improve on that degree is essential. It's a fact that an engineering degree received 10 years ago is not worth the same as an engineering degree earned today. While job experience does play a role in offsetting that difference, making an effort to stay current in the field will go a long way toward proving an employee's value to his or her employer.

With rapid advances in technology, it is essential to stay current, especially for those who deal with technology every day. For instance, IT professionals might quickly become obsolete if they do not keep up with the latest in hardware and software developments. One way to stay on top of things is to take distance learning courses on the various certifications that are available, such as Microsoft's Certified Systems Engineer, Cisco's Certified Network Associate, or the CISSP certification for the study of security in IT systems. Beyond improving one's skill set, acquiring certifications could lead to an increase in pay and will improve a resume when looking for the next job. These certification programs can often be studied from home, on the student's own schedule.

Distance learning can work well for other professionals as well. Teachers are often required by contract to engage in a certain number of course hours every school year in order to stay up to date on the latest teaching methods and theories of learning. The school year can be very busy, but distance learning would allow teachers to get their necessary credits in whenever it suited their schedule, be it nights and weekends or over the summer. In addition, new positions for which they aren't currently qualified might become available. They could get an advanced degree while still teaching and then apply for a position in school administration, or specialize in a subject and teach a higher level of learning, such as high school versus elementary school.

It might be time for a career change altogether. Distance learning provides the opportunity to study for a new career while still working at a current job. The course load can be adjusted to fit students' timetables, needs, and schedules. It gives them the chance to switch jobs without reducing their earnings while they take time off to pursue a degree. (One thing to keep in mind is that some grad schools still prefer old fashioned degrees from brick and mortar schools. So, for example, if you're planning on using an online psychology degree to apply to a graduate level psychology program, you should check with the school first to make sure that online degrees are acceptable.)

Anyone

While distance learning is an excellent tool for students looking to earn their degrees or for adults looking to build job security and advance their careers, those are not the only ways to enjoy the benefits of distance learning. It can be pursued for personal development, to keep the mind sharp, or just for fun and enjoyment of a subject. Distance learning is ideal for just about everyone.

Perhaps while in school a student enjoyed taking classes in cooking, but focused her main efforts on what she considered to be a more practical career choice: accounting. Now that she is an established CPA with several years at an accounting firm, she finds that she has time in her schedule to pursue her interest in cooking. Distance learning offers her the perfect opportunity. She can become part of a class with other cooking students, share recipes on the class forums, watch streaming videos of the professor preparing dishes, study different techniques, and chat about her triumphs, all without leaving her own kitchen.

Parents expecting their first child might be interested in taking a class in psychology to learn about early childhood development or a class in education studying early childhood education.

Distance learning provides an almost endless variety of topics from which to choose. An artist who has always worked with pen and ink might decide to try working in a different medium. He might take courses with several different artists at different institutions to get a feel for different techniques and to discover what works best with his own artistic style.

Students planning on taking a trip, either across the country or to another country, might consider taking a course on the history of the region to which they're traveling. They might want to study the language and gain a solid foundation before experiencing it in person. With distance learning, they'd have access to native speakers, instructors who can teach grammar and syntax, study guides with vocabulary, and multimedia aids where they can perfect their pronunciation.

The world is becoming more globalized than ever. First-world countries find their interdependence growing while developing nations might be at odds with the better-developed countries or their neighbors. Racial and religious tensions override trade and humanitarian concerns, and war can be found, in one form or another, on almost every continent. In these times, many students might consider taking courses in local, federal, or foreign politics, global finance, religions of the world, or even a consortium-style class on current events. Distance learning allows students to be active and engaged in the issues of today's world as much as their schedules will permit.