Distance Education- A Boon For Professionals

By Author: Rogar Mur
Total Articles: 134
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Higher education is often a privilege not enjoyed by many. Many candidates have to leave studies after a basic level for various reasons. This leads to a gap in their educational career and pursuing further studies later becomes difficult at a later stage in life. This is where distance learning has gained importance. It can be traced back to the late 18th century in England but the distance learning as we know it today developed in the 19th century with the development of postal services.

WHAT IS DISTANCE EDUCATION?


Distance education or distance learning is the method of teaching and learning where the student is not physically present in a class room environment. Here the course material is sent to the student and finished worksheets are sent to the institution for evaluation. These are mainly postal courses. However, with the development of technology internet has become an integral part of it.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISTANCE LEARNING AND CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?


Though they are virtually the same thing and serve the same purpose they are technically ...
... dissimilar. In Correspondence courses study material is sent to a candidate through post and depends completely upon self study. In Distances education, however, technology plays an important role and it is used to create a virtual classroom environment.

WHO ARE BENEFITED BY DISTANCE EDUCATION?


It is very helpful for those who are working as there are no regular classes. Some of the courses, however, include weekend classes and end term examinations. These are also very helpful for those living in interior areas as it is cost effective and excludes the hassles of daily commute. Courses such as MBA through distance learning has become very popular among working professionals as it provides them with an opportunity to pursue higher degree without the risk of leaving their job.

Many universities offer distance courses in addition to regular ones. These courses are ranked at par with regular ones and so add to one’s credentials. Many candidates who are pursuing a regular course often opt for a distance MBA as it saves a lot of time. This could be exacting for a candidate as it requires a lot of hard labor and time-management. Many dream of pursuing an MBA from abroad but not everyone can afford it. For them distance MBA is the answer. All one needs is a computer with an internet connection and the desire to learn and make their dreams come true.