Education is a factor that plays a huge role not only in a person’s life but on society as a whole. The world is now a global village. In recent years, with the access of the internet increasing for up to 51% of the whole world, there has been a lot of involvement of internet resources in education. One of the most talked about yet the slightly controversial use of the internet is Tele-Education, more commonly known as Distance Learning, E-Learning or Distance Education.
Tele-education is referred to the education that is provided or gained without direct, face-to-face instructor-student interaction by means of internet. It can either be based on one way or two-way communication, also known as synchronous or asynchronous communication. Once it became popular, there was only one-way communication-based distance learning, for example, teachers uploaded videos or lectures of the lesson on any social platform and students watched it to learn the lesson or listen to the lecture or see the provided material. While in recent years, two-way communication and interaction like video conferencing have been in the limelight in order to fulfill the requirements of distance learning. This actually has made things better since teachers can carry a Question & Answer session with students and students can clear all the confusions about the lesson on time, if they have any. Basically, there are two terms which combine to make the term distance education; one is distance learning which is the students’ part, and the second is distance teaching which is the teachers’/instructors’ part.
“To what extent is it helpful?” you might be wondering. Well, it is not just about learning anymore. Now you can earn certificates, diplomas and even a degree by means of Tele-education. However there are some conditions, but it has really been made easy for people to get qualified by easier and simpler means. In fact, it is now very easy for students to get dissertation help online by the same method.
TYPES OF DISTANCE LEARNING:
- Hybrid or blended learning
Hybrid or blended learning is a type of distance learning which combines both, online learning and conventional classroom method. It is when the physical presence of both student and teacher is required for certain activities or certain period while the rest of the learning is based on online methods. However, the content for both the methods is chosen accordingly from the curriculum as per the nature of the content and its delivery.
However, hybrid or blended learning caters to very limited people as only regional people would be interested in it.
- 100% distance learning
It refers to the method of learning when the physical presence of teacher and student is not required. This is why this method is what people from around the world are interested in as it caters to everyone who has access to the internet.
This method of learning has made education accessible to a lot of people who are unable to join conventional means of education. That’s the reason why a number of educational institutes including colleges, universities and educational organizations are now offering online courses worldwide. There are many prestigious universities that offer online courses, but some universities mainly emphasis on distance education. Such universities are called open universities; the educational institutes which have minimal to no entry requirements. There are a number of open universities around the globe and a lot of people are benefitting from them.
Modes of distance education in the modern world:
With the rapid growth in internet facilities, online services are increasing by the time, therefore distance education as well. Now, if a student requires any educational help, whether it is writing a dissertation proposal or professional dissertation help, or any other thing that a student needs to know, there are a number of tutoring services as cheap dissertation writing services available online, however, most of these tutorial services are one-way communication-based. But if you get enrolled in a program offered by an institution, you can get individual help from the tutors.
One way e-learning also includes platforms like YouTube where a number of channels are available to learn from. Also, teachers can make their own personalized channels in order to educate their own students.
You can get certificates from a number of online services. The best example is Coursera. Here you can get free lessons from the instructors of prestigious institutions from around the world. You can also get yourself enrolled in a specialized certification program by paying a certain amount. You can also earn an academic degree online; a lot of universities are now offering degree programs online but most of the times these programs include non-degree certificate programs or high school diplomas.
Why is Distance Education increasing at such a fast pace?
Well, there are a number of reasons for that.
- Caters to maximum people
Not only usual students but full-time employees, people with disabilities, at-home parents etc. can also benefit from Tele-education.
- Your region doesn’t matter
No matter where you live, you can get yourself certified from anywhere in the world.
- Costs less
It goes both ways. The students have to pay less than the usual mode of study while universities earn a decent percent without having to build extra classrooms and designing extra departments while making extra money with this program.
- Personalized pace of study
Most of the times, you can set your own pace for completing a particular course online.
- Communication around the world
When you are enrolled in an online education program, you get to be a part of the group of students taking that particular course, the relative term is the community of students who interact with each other and their teacher. This enables you to communicate better and also increases your communication skills among other strangers.
- Bridges the gaps
As it increases the communication skills, it also bridges the regional and cultural gaps between the people who are coming to the same program at the same time from different regions and cultures.
- High-quality tutor support
One of the main reasons of distance education being successful is that the institutes that offer online courses make sure that they deliver the best to the students in order to keep their services top quality and ensure the good reputation of the institution.
- Flexibility
This is mostly possible in private online programs where only one individual is the attendant of the online course or possible in case of one-way communication-based distance education where students can choose their own time to study.
This is most helpful when a medical professional or a teacher works in a rural or remote area. This is how these professionals always are up-to-date with the technologies, methods and the needs of the present time.
- Online degree is indistinguishable from campus-based degree
Yes, you read that right. Almost all the times the degree or diploma you earn online cannot be distinguished from a campus-based degree in terms of qualification.
The world has already become a place where time is moving really fast. Our lives have become so much mechanical but in this fast-paced world, these are kind of initiatives that are making things easier for people around the world. Quality education is the right of every individual and now authoritative organizations are realizing it and taking steps forward to make education accessible for all.
Published by Joe Pirest