Results from several studies indicate that the
distance education students have these characteristics:
Three-quarters are working full or part-time.
Three-quarters are working towards a degree.
Two-thirds are female.
More than half are married with dependents.
Half are 35 years old or older.
Twenty percent are new students.
The distance education student, in general, has more
freedom and more responsibility for his or her own instruction. The
instructor becomes more of a "guide on the side" than a "sage
on the stage." Studies indicate that when students are active participants
in the learning process, they are likely to perform better and remember
more. The multimedia approach employed by many forms of distance education
addresses a wider range of learning styles among students than do most
forms of traditional classroom instruction.
Points to Ponder
Following are characteristics of the distance
education experience or bits of advice on how you can succeed in distance
education courses.
Studies have shown that there is no significant difference
in the learning outcomes experienced by students in a traditional classroom
versus those in a distance learning situation.
Distance education allows you to take advantage of
the opportunities to interact with your instructor or with on-site facilitators,
through face-to-face contact, e-mail, telephone, live chat sessions
or whatever means available.
Don't be intimidated by the technology. The goal is the same as in traditional face-to-face
instruction: to convey knowledge and/or skills, to help you understand
or become proficient in a subject, and to evaluate your grasp of the
material.
Use the Internet and the Web as a resource for
follow-up materials. The libraries, universities, and all the amassed
wisdom of the world are literally at your fingertips.
Student Resources