Distance Learning ResourcesWe have written many articles about the different aspects of distance learning to help you decide what is right for you. Take a look around and you'll learn a lot!
Although we typically think of distance learning as online classes, distance learning has actually been around for nearly 300 years in other forms. The history of distance learning degrees is quite interesting. Some of the first distance education programs were published in newspapers, while others involved correspondence by mail.
Distance learning is often misunderstood by the general public as myths spread. Genuine distance learning programs provide a wonderful education that can favorably compare with the best of on-campus institutions. There are "diploma mills" out there that will offer distance learning undergraduate degrees for cash, and this sometimes gives distance learning in general an undeserved black eye. If a website promises a degree with little or no work, it obviously is not providing a good education and will not be widely accepting in the workforce. These "diploma mills" sometimes even make up their own accrediting agencies to say that the diplomas are accredited, and technically they are, but accreditation by Joe Shmoe's Online Accrediting Agency is meaningless. Look for colleges that offer national or regional accreditation, or talk to an expert in distance learning. The vast majority of on-campus colleges have implemented distance learning programs because they have seen the benefits for the students and educators. Educators can often teach more people at one time without the constrains of a physical classroom, and students can get personal support with the numerous teaching assistants offered for each class and through the many ways to contact teachers. Recommended Education Websites College Textbooks - This website offers a comparison search engine that finds the best prices for college textbooks across all major textbooks sellers online. You can save a lot of time and money buying your textbooks through this site! Find Scholarships - Finding the right scholarships that you might qualify for can be a difficult process, but this website makes it easy to find the scholarships that are right for you. Scholarships are basically free money, so you should check it out! Student.com - A social networking and student resource site just for students. Has a chat room, articles, videos, blogs, games, and more for students of all ages. Critical and Higher Order Thinking in Online Threaded Discussions in the Slovak Context, by Katarina Pisutova-Gerber and Jana Malovicoca in Vol 10, Now 1 (2009) of The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning; Listen here to the distance learning mp3, or read the distance learning article in pdf. | ||
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As technology changes, so have the distance learning
methods. Classes have been taught over the radio, on television, on VHS tapes, by CDs, and now even with DVDs
and by videoconferencing. Who knows what will be the future of distance learning? Some people think that
developing holographic technologies will lead to 3-dimensional projections of teachers which could make
distance learning even more common.
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