The Benefits of Online Education Perhaps nowhere has the Internet's impact been greater than in the world of online education and distance learning. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of students taking distance education classes more than doubled between 1995 and 1998 and is expected to continue growing at a phenomenal rate. Why are so many people flocking to online classes? What advantages do Internet-based courses offer?
Is Distance Learning Right For You? Distance learning holds an incredible amount of promise: learning on your own time, from your own home, at your own pace, even while holding down a full-time job... could it really be that easy? There's no doubt that it's convenient, but you might want to hold on a second before calling it "easy." In fact, most distance learning students will probably tell you that taking a course online is more demanding than taking one in person.
The ABC's of Online School Accreditation The incredible growth of distance learning in the past few years has given rise to a number of new schools (and new online degree programs at existing colleges and universities) offering distance learning programs. The process of choosing a school becomes increasingly difficult since, unlike with traditional schooling, geography is no longer a limiting factor. You can now choose from programs at thousands of colleges across the country.
Additional Links Want more information about online education? Check out some of the links we've pulled together here. If you have a link to recommend, just let us know.
How Distance Learning Works For the first-time student, an online course can be a disconcerting experience, especially if they have no idea what to expect beforehand. It's helpful to have an idea of how most online learning classes are structured before jumping in head-first. (Be sure to also check out our article, "Is Distance Learning Right For You?" for strategies to help you become a more successful online student.)