DISTANCE EDUCATION: IS A VIRTUAL CLASSROOM FOR YOU?

PART 3

CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF DISTANCE EDUCATION

vLACK OF IN-PERSON INTERACTION: SOME EDUCATORS ARGUE THAT BOTH TEACHER-STUDENT AND STUDENT-STUDENT CONTACT ARE ESSENTIAL TO LEARNING. IN A DISTANCE-LEARNING CLASSROOM, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN CLASS DISCUSSIONS ONLINE IN CHAT ROOMS, MESSAGE BOARDS OR WEB CONFERENCES--- BUT ITS NOT THE SAME AS BEING WITH OTHER STUDENTS IN A CLASSROOM.

v DIFFERENT LEVELS OF QUALITY: MANY DISTANCE-EDUCATION PROGRAMS SUPPLY AN EXCELLENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE, BUT OTHER STUDENTS IN A CLASSROOM.

v DIFFERENT LEVELS OF QUALITY: MANY DISTANCE-EDUCATION PROGRAMS SUPPLY AND EXCELLENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE, BUT OTHERS MAY NOT. RESEARCH ANY PROGRAM BEFORE SIGNING ON TO MAKE SURE ITS RIGOROUS ENOUGH. IF YOU ARE CHOOSING YOUR OWN PROGRAM, LOOK INTO ITS ACCREDITATION BEFORE ENROLLING.

v THE NEED TO SELF-START: DISTANCE EDUCATION LETS YOU MAKE YOUR OWN SCHEDULES. IF YOU HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING MOTIVATED, THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE IDEAL EDUCATIONAL SETTING FOR YOU.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT!!!