What is distance learning education? This is the form of learning which involves students acquiring education at their pace. You can study from home without face-to-face interaction with your teacher, instructor, or classmates. Additionally, you can study when you can. Back then, correspondence is the means through which people were educated. A few subjects were on offer then. However, with the advent of digital technology, numerous courses were on offer. Thus, anyone could get an education from an institution far from their residence.

Many people are selecting to enroll in online institutions as an alternative to attending on-campus learning institutions for various reasons with the primary ones being its affordability and cost-effectiveness. Nonetheless, some people insist that traditional learning is much better which raises the debate on distance learning vs traditional learning. The majority often ask, “Is online education good or bad?” Well, there are numerous merits and demerits of distance learning with the merits outweigh the demerits. Nevertheless, the concept of distance learning is credible as well as acceptable. Furthermore, distance learning education is the future of education as it is flexible, seamless, global, and cost-effective. Also, according to writing professionals from Custom Essay Order, below are some of the reasons why online education is good.

Benefits of distance learning in higher education

Saves time and money as well as reducing costs

Online education is less expensive considering there are few expenses to incur. You do not have to cater for physical books, living costs, commuting, and supplies which relate to your learning.

Students are able to work as a profession and attend school

There are no schedule limitations which enable students to work as well as attend classes. The self-paced form of learning enables students to work at their pace and attend classes without worrying about the many assignments students have at usual classes.

Gaining internet skills while studying

Online learning in higher education enables students to acquire internet learning skills which is a commendable experience. Additionally, it can open up networking opportunities which are applicable in other aspects of life.

Physically challenged students are able to learn from home

Distance learning education enables physically challenges students to learn from home in comfort and unobtrusive manner. They do not encounter the usual challenges some students face in an on-campus learning institution.

Employers will appreciate and respect the time management skills of an online graduate

Hiring managers appreciate and respect the time management skills of a distance learner. They perceive it as positive and an epitome motivation to further education and career.

Distance learning opportunities in higher education

Teaching and learning in higher education provide various opportunities for students all over the world. Some of the advantages of distance learning include;

• Students can further their learning while applying new skills and knowledge to their practice.
• Online learning enables students to grasp what they are learning as it grants them the ability to participate in a successful manner.
• Another opportunity students receive through online learning is that they can manage their academic assignments. They do not have to pressure themselves into completing all their tasks when they can visit a college paper writing service and get professional help.
• Distance learning enhances students’ ICT competencies as well as influencing their attitude towards online learning in a positive manner thereby increasing the number of students who want involvement in distance education.
• Through distance learning, students from far places can educate themselves. ICTs create opportunities for distance-education institutions to offer platforms for distance learning.
• Students also can work in an independent manner through online education as there is no direct contact with the professor or instructor.
• Distance learning also equips students with skills and competencies they can use to develop their professional skills such as time management, problem-solving, planning and organization, working under pressure, creativity and ingenuity, taking responsibility.

Cons of distance learning in higher education

Despite distance learning being beneficial to the academic career of a student, it also has some disadvantages. Some of the problems with online learning include;

Lack of prompt and immediate feedback from online colleges

Students are unable to receive prompt and immediate feedback as they have to wait for the tutors to review their work and assess their performance.

Distance learning does not offer all courses on the internet

Some students may be unable to find the courses they want to pursue online. Hence, this forces them to select learning in a regular class setting. Nonetheless, this is understandable as not all courses suit online education. For instance, it is difficult to study medicine and engineering courses online.

Insufficient accreditation is apt to divulge low-quality education

Some learning institutions lack accreditation or certification which is apt to impart low-quality education. Hence, before you enroll for an online course, it is fundamental that you check the certification or endorsement of the particular course. You can do so through an accrediting agency. This will help you to ensure that your chances of a future hiring manager not accepting your online degree are minimal.

There is no face-to-face interaction

Distance learning does not involve direct contact or face-to-face interaction with the tutor. This makes it difficult for some students to understand some concepts. Nonetheless, it is a matter that one needs to adapt to.

Challenges distance learning faces in higher education

The landscape of higher education is undergoing significant change due to technological novelties or innovations. Additionally, the use of various forms of educational technologies has undergone development over the past few years. Thus, it is a typical practice to find technology-enhanced education in many learning institutions all over the world. However, there are various challenges of distance learning which include the following.

• High cost of information and communication infrastructure.
• Deficiency or shortage of technical expertise.
• Insufficient business and educational models which make it hard for students to open contents or follow the study material. Hence, this reduces their enthusiasm in their respective studies.
• Dearth of any clear quality guarantee mechanism which may lead to unclear standards and by chance, poor distance-learning quality.
• Lack of support from pertinent governing bodies. This can lead to the exhibition of poor participation from students which is as a result of insufficient capacity of human and infrastructure.

In conclusion, distance learning teaching is an efficient and effective method to use to teach and educate students. Not only does it help students to study at their pace but also comprehend the study material with ease. However, it is disadvantageous in that there is no direct contact with the tutor. Additionally, it faces various challenges such as lack of appropriate technical expertise. Above are some of the other pros and cons of distance learning. Contrariwise, it is beneficial in the academic career of a student. For instance, a student does not have to struggle with his assignments as they can visit an essay database and get the perfect essay.

Author’s bio: Kenny Gill is a senior advisor and writer in the department of CustomEssayOrder. He is familiar with corporate events, sports, education. He is responsible for supporting internal communications needs for specific business functions, as well as writing, creating and editing various quality content. He performs a leading role in developing and creating good content, chiefly for different types of audience.