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The eLearners News Blog

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10 Things That Make You the Perfect Distance Learner

  1. You’re a busy adult with a full time job and a family.
  2. You want to continue working while you are getting your degree.
  3. Convenience and flexibility are very important to you.
  4. You can study independently.
  5. You are comfortable using a computer.
  6. You are a self-starter and you don’t need constant instruction
  7. You are less concerned with the social aspect of going to school.
  8. You have time to dedicate to working towards your degree.
  9. Your spouse is encouraging and wants you to go to school.
  10. You want a degree and you are willing to devote time and energy for several years to reach your goal.

It often takes years to work towards a degree, and for many distance learners they have to juggle family, work and study, and this can be very demanding.  If you are the kind of person that would rather attend social events on weekends, than study, now may not be the best time to start college.  Many students say that it takes 10-20 hours a week to learn the material, that’s why it’s so important to have an encouraging spouse.  People that do the best with online education tend to be self-starters that are disciplined to study without a teacher right in front of them.  

One of the biggest differences between online education and traditional education is the fact that there is little social interaction between students. The younger you are, the more important the social interaction usually is. Distance learners are less concerned about socializing, because they are older and busier.

Getting a degree is often a life goal of many people. Distance learning offers convenience and flexibility so that anyone can now work towards their degree at home.

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Published Friday, May 12, 2006 11:45 AM by learner1

Comments

 

helenh said:

Sorry, but I strongly disagree with your comment that there is little social interaction between distance learners! I've found in the online classes I've taken towards my master's degree in education, I've interacted much more with both the instructor and my fellow classmates than I ever did in my undergraduate courses, especially those that were totally lecture-based with 150+ college kids bored out of their skulls sitting in a cavernous auditorium. The structure of courses will vary according to disclipine, instructor preference, and by school, of course -- however, interacting with fellow learners is often a critical component of an online course.
May 13, 2006 12:22 PM
Anonymous comments are disabled

helenh

Greetings and salutations, I am your friendly neighborhood Content Director here at eLearners.com. (I am also mom to a seemingly tireless 4-year-old girl and owner to a cat that hates me. Oh well - can't win 'em all.)

I have a bachelor's degree in computer science from Rutgers College and am thisclose to completing my master's degree in instructional design from Western Illinois University later this year.

If you want to learn more about online education, read our Guide to Online Education. If you decide you want to go back to school, check out the Debt-Free College Guide to learn ways to pay for your education.

Happy learning!

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