Distance Education Offers a More Convenient Way to Learn

An education transformation is on the horizon.

Studies have long shown that distance learning is as complete and effective as traditional classroom learning. Now, the public is quickly discovering this fact, thanks in part to the rapid growth in Internet connectivity and Web literacy. Distance education was originally designed for people unable to attend a traditional school, but today, traditional students, even those on campus, often opt for distance learning courses.

It’s clear that the demand for distance education options is rising. In a 2008 study, the Sloan Consortium found that the growth rate for online higher education courses was 12.9 percent. That’s 11.7 percent higher than the overall growth in the higher education student population. Sloan also discovered that in the fall of 2007, over 20 percent of all higher education students took at least one online course.

Why is distance education so popular?

It’s flexible. One of the most attractive benefits of distance education programs is the ability to study when you want, where you want. Students can hit the books in the morning, afternoon, evening, during the weekend – whatever works for them. This flexibility appeals to many students who find the rigid schedules of traditional education limiting. And for many working professionals and parents, the ability to study during off-hours is what makes furthering their education possible at all. Many employers have noted this benefit and use distance learning to train their employees without losing them to the classroom. And your education goes where you go. Those who travel extensively in their jobs and those whose jobs move from place to place, like military families, can pursue their courses wherever their lives take them.

It’s personalized. Many distance education programs are self-paced. Students can advance quickly through material they’ve already mastered and slow down on new material. Unlike traditional classrooms which either progress at the pace of the slowest student or leave some students behind, the speed of distance education can often be tailored to each student. One-on-one interaction with the professor – whether by phone, email or text message – also helps individualize the instruction.

It’s affordable. Distance education courses often cost less than traditional courses. Educational institutions that offer strictly distance learning don’t incur the costs of maintaining a campus, so these savings are passed on to the student. In addition, the distance education student saves money by eliminating commuting to class. Because the programs are flexible, distance education students don’t have to give up their jobs or dramatically alter their personal schedules.

In all, the rising popularity of distance education reveals a shift in student values. For many of today’s money-conscious, time-strapped students, distance education offers the best opportunity for success.

Weston Distance Learning, Inc.
We Teach People to Change Their Lives!

Weston Distance Learning, Inc., has been a leader in distance education for over a quarter of a century. They offer accredited correspondence and online certification and associate degree programs through their three schools: At-Home Professions, U.S. Career Institute and McKinley College.