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Articles: Education - Be
Successful with Distance Learning
By Rose
Musyoka
Distance learning has opened doors for many
students, especially for those who cannot afford to pay for the high
fees of full-time courses. Although online distance learning courses
have many advantages over on-campus degree courses, many factors
come into play in order to make this a success for students. Due to
the differences in the way that education is being delivered and
acquired, adjustments and changes in approaches need to be
undertaken.
Selecting the right distance learning
school. - The first element for success is to choose the
right distance learning school. There are many unscrupulous “degree
mills” around in the market that are only keen to sell their degrees
without providing good education and ample student support. As a
result, the degrees offered by these institutions may not be
recognized, or may sometimes even be regarded as bogus degrees. In
order to prevent this, do the proper background check on the
institution you are considering with the relevant authorities to
verify on their accreditation and authenticity before registering.
Cost-benefit analysis - Some students
enroll in an online distance learning course without doing a cost
benefit analysis of taking the course in the first place. It is a
known fact that obtaining an education requires a hefty sum of
investment. However, this should be compared with the potential
additional income that can be generated from the degree that is
earned. Only then can the full rewards be reaped from gaining an
online degree.
Degree positioning to
employers. - There have been many cases where employers
were wary of the validity of online degrees. With so many online
institutions selling degrees, it is justified for employers to
exercise caution. Although a distance learning degree may be 100%
legitimate, it would help if you provide adequate explanation on the
accreditation of the degree in order to avoid misunderstanding. By
stressing that the accreditation body which accredited your
institution or your program is recognized by the US Department of
Education as well as CHEA, you can then eliminate any doubts that
employers about the validity of your degree.
Exercise discipline, determination and time
management. - In the actual course of study, many students
lack discipline and focus and therefore are unable to keep up with
online lessons and assignments. It is very important for distance
learning students to have great determination to succeed, as it is
very easy to get de-motivated and distracted when you are alone with
no peers. Good time management along with communication with other
students would make excellent measures for success.
Make full use of facilities provided. -
Many distance learning online courses offer online lectures and
email correspondence to facilitate communication with lecturers,
tutors and other students. These facilities should be utilized as
much as possible as it provides a link back to the education
institution. Furthermore, this would be a great source of motivation
in order to keep progressing through the course of study.
Utilize credit transfers. - Most distance
learning institutions allow students to transfer their credits from
other courses that they had taken from other universities or
colleges. This way, students will not have to repeat what they have
already learnt. In order to do this, it is important for distance
learning students to obtain transcripts and results from their
previous schools and send them to their distance learning online
university to obtain credit transfers.
Good
utilization of technology for education. - The final
element for distance learning success it the ability to make full
use of the conveniences that technology has to offer. Many online
universities provide students with online research resources that
are valuable for completing assignments or producing research
papers. The cost of facilities such as virtual libraries and online
books has probably been factored into the fees paid and therefore it
makes good sense to utilize these facilities to the
fullest.
Rose Musyoka is the
editor of http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com
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