Benefits of Distance Learning
Waking up early, staying at school late and facing traffic on the commute to and from school is a hassle most people deal with when continuing their education. Scheduling babysitters or after hours care for night classes cause some parents to forgo an education because of the hassle it would cause. It would be ideal for busy adults if they could learn from the comfort of their own home, making them available to friends and family at the same time. Distance learning lets people continue their education without fighting traffic, waking early, staying late or rearranging their whole schedule. Many colleges and universities offer courses or degree programs via distance learning for those students who juggle work and family.
The benefits of distance learning are more than just not having to step foot in a classroom. Distance learning allows students to have a flexible schedule so they can arrange school around their work and family life rather than having to arrange everything around school. Many distance learning courses allow you to work at your own pace as long as all tests and papers are submitted on time. This means that night owls can work on assignments at night when they are at their best, and early birds can work in the morning before their day gets busy. Distance learning students can also take advantage of being able to take class on the weekends if they fall behind during the week. Flexible scheduling means that you do not have to miss class for a doctor’s appointment or worry about missing lectures to stay home with a sick child. There is no need to have a classmate’s phone number so you can copy notes or find out what the professor assigned. With distance learning, you have scheduling freedom while still getting an education.
Self-directed learning is another benefit to distance education. Self-directed learning lets you move on or review without having to wait for other students to catch up. You can also review the same information repeatedly in the privacy of your own home without feeling like the entire class is moving ahead and you are stuck in one spot. If you do struggle, a simple email to your instructor is all it takes for some extra help. Another benefit is being able to earn a degree or certificate online. Working towards a degree online is, for some people, the only chance they have to earn a degree. Without distance learning, many working people would forfeit a degree for a paycheck.
School choice widens for those considering distance learning. Some students dream of attending a large, well-known university, but they live too far for a commute and don’t have the resources to relocate. Traditional campus classes restrict students from attending certain universities because of distance. With distance learning, students can research colleges and universities from all over the country that offer distance learning programs. Distance learning provides the opportunity for attending college all over the country without having to move there. The biggest benefit of distance learning is the possibility for all people to continue their education without having to put the rest of their life on hold.