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Distance Learning vs. On Campus Learning

As an adult considering continuing your education, you may be wondering about all the hype surrounding distance learning these days. You may be wondering whether a distance education program might be the answer to your educational needs or whether you should go with a traditional "bricks and mortar" school as they are being called.

We'll briefly look at some of the major differences and similarities between distance and local programs, and try to offer some helpful advice in deciding which might be best for you.

Distance

What is distance education?

Not surprisingly, distance education involves getting an education from a distance. Typically this means that your courses are delivered through a non-traditional media such as video, DVD, CD, audiotapes, fax or phone, email, or a web-based delivery system using the Internet. With today's technology, the options continue to expand.

The point is that distance education does not generally require you to go and sit in a classroom. Distance education may or may not involve attending class through the Internet, teleconferencing or some other medium. However, many distance programs allow you to complete your studies anytime, anywhere. Rather than classes, they use discussion boards or forums to create class discussions that do not require all the students being online at the same time.

Why would this be good?

As busy adults, you have responsibilities that the 18-22 year old kids in college could not begin to juggle. Traditionally college and graduate school was arranged as a full time occupation, and very few programs recognized the needs of adult students. However, with the revolutionary development of distance education in recent years, this is no longer the case.

Since most distance education courses are anytime, anywhere programs, many adult students find them the best way of getting an education without completely disrupting the rest of their lives. Rather than having to take the added time to drive to a college or university, you can sit down at your computer at night and study in the comfort of your own home. This also alleviates the issue of having to attend class at a particular time of day, for instance the time of day that you're expected to be showing up at work!

Sounds great, so where's the catch?

Many people assume that because it does not require going to class, that distance education will take far less time and energy than going to school normally would. This is a bad assumption! Unless you are getting a diploma from a " diploma mill ", your distance education should require every bit as much work as would be required from a traditional school.

Distance education is not easy - particularly because it often requires more personal discipline than traditional routes of schooling. If you are expected to be in class, the teacher obviously would frown upon you bringing your TV in and flipping it on while he or she lectures. However, at home, if you are supposed to be going through a set of lecture notes, there is nothing to stop you from putting on your favorite show and accidentally getting distracted. If you know that you are not a disciplined person, distance education may not be the answer for you.

Along with discipline and motivation, you need a few other basic skills. You need to understand how to read and study your course materials, how to manage your time, and access all the resources that you will need to supplement your studies (for example the library). For more information on some of the basics, please see excerpts from Mike Doolin's book Guerilla Manual for Adult College Students in our Adult Help Section.

Technology

Technology can also be a barrier for some students that are interested in distance education. If you know that your computer skills rank somewhere around the level of a medieval monk's, you may want to reconsider jumping straight into a distance education course that is likely to involve a fair bit of time spent on the computer.

This is not to say that you should give the idea up entirely. You may just want to consider a course at a local community college that could bring you up to speed on your computer skills. Trying to get an education while juggling life's other responsibilities is difficult enough. Don't add the frustration of not being able to submit homework electronically or being unable to type a paper to your list of barriers.

Local Schools

Even with all the wonders of distance education, many people still prefer a traditional classroom-based learning experience. Why is that?

Personal Interaction

The traditional setting has more to offer students typically in terms of face-to-face interaction. Often adult students returning to classrooms with a majority of younger students will find themselves in a position of wisdom and respect. The life experience you've gained through working and living is something most 18-22 year olds in college don't have access to. Your wisdom will generally be valued and therefore respected.

The classroom provides more opportunity for interaction and building relationships in an environment that is more familiar. While it is possible to build relationships online, many people find it more difficult since you only typically have text and written communication. Human interaction involves many cues in the form of body language, expressions, tone of voice, and more. Most of that is lost when trying to communicate online, and many people find that not being in a traditional classroom is, therefore, less fulfilling.

Increasing options

Adult students will also find an more and more colleges offering classes designed to fit the needs of adult learners. Most colleges offer at least some night or weekend classes, and at this point, many have entire programs that are designated for adult students' continuing education. Many of the programs are also designed around accelerated or degree completion formats that allow students to capitalize on their previous educational and work experience as well as their ability to work hard and put in extra effort outside the classroom. Further, many programs will offer extra credit for "life experience" , an idea that is discussed further in another article in our help center.

Community Colleges

Community colleges may provide a terrific alternative for those seeking an AssociateÕs or the beginnings of a Bachelor's degree. Community colleges will typically offer all of the classes that you would need to complete the first two years of a Bachelor's degree and can help you as an adult student to cut years and many thousands of dollars off the cost of an education. You almost certainly have a community college nearby, which can cut down on the commuting time that you would experience trying to find a school in your area that offered the particular degree that you wish to pursue. For more information on community colleges, visit The American Association of Community Colleges website.

Brand recognition is also an undeniable benefit with some locally based schools. While distance education is gaining increasingly greater status as a viable alternative to traditional educational institutions, some people still prefer a degree from "good old _____________" (insert name of school here). Many schools have reputations that have been built up over years of producing quality graduates. Distance schools that have only been operating for a limited period of time sometimes are unable to compete with that "home court advantage".