How do I know if distance learning is right for me?

May 8, 5:16 PMRichmond Distance Learning ExaminerCindy Wolfe

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Are you considering a distance learning degree? Have you wondered if learning online is right for you? E-learning requires skills which are different from those needed in courses taught using standard classroom settings. So how do you know if you are ready to become an online learner?

It’s important to understand a little about yourself and how you learn most effectively. Do you learn best on your own or do you need a teacher and a classroom? If you enjoy working independently through reading and research, online learning may be right for you. Much of distance education is independent learning where the instructor does not necessarily guide you through a course. You must be able to take directions and confidently follow through various activities outlined in the syllabus on your own.

Distance learning also requires excellent comprehension skills. If you believe you learn best through reading, then it should no problem for you to grasp the subject matter without lectures or verbal class discussions. Most distance learning courses require answering the instructor’s questions and other students’ discussion points by posting your responses in a forum or discussion board. Assignments are often essays and papers on specific topics, usually analyzing points from assigned readings. This makes the ability to read and comprehend the written word critical in a classroom in which a great deal of class interaction is through text.

In most distance learning courses, you will not have face-to-face meetings with other students in the class. Often your classmates are in different geographical areas. They may be in a different state, region, or even another country! You may work in virtual teams or online study groups, so the e-learner generally does not have the same level of camaraderie that traditional students have. You will develop relationships with others in your class, but your discussions will usually be through email, phone, sending files to each other, or posting in a forum.

It makes sense that if you must gather understanding through reading, you must also be able to express yourself in words so that others can clearly understand your meaning. Your classmates and your professor will be reading and responding to what you write so it is imperative that online learners be able to communicate effectively through writing. You must be able to write so that the focus is on sharing information to show that you understand the subject and can lead an academic discussion. Since you will be doing a lot of writing, it is important to learn how to write concisely: accurate, to-the-point, and fast.

Many colleges offer a variety of online classes in which students learn through self-study, forums, and videos. The teaching format is very different from traditional lecture-style classrooms because it involves a greater level of commitment and participation from each learner. If you are able to learn effectively through independent study, comprehend subjects through reading, and communicate well through writing, then online learning may be right for you.

© 2009 Cindy Wolfe

For more info: 

A distance learning model for teaching higher order thinking.

Student success in Face-to-Face and Distance Learning Teleclass Environments: A Matter of Contact?