Distance Education: Advantages And Disadvantages

Distance education is a good alternative for those who want to acquire new skills and knowledge. Thanks to the rapid development in technology, computer-based resources allow the institutions to provide high-quality courses in all kinds of areas.

But can it lead to a lack of contact between teachers, professors and students? In this article, we take a look at the pros and cons of virtual universities. Distance learning institutions provide content via audio, video and email materials as well as virtual platforms where you can interact with teachers and other students in real time.

What is distance education?

The Internet is a good platform for distance education. Via tablets, desktops, laptops and even smartphones, students can access the content of each course and program.

When analyzing the development of this trend, it is seen that educational platforms, or LMS (learning management system) and internet-based courses have tripled in the last 10 years. All this makes it possible for distance education to expand its range and breadth. Today, they can provide access to undergraduate education, university education and postgraduate education.

University degrees that you can take through distance education are often on a par with traditional educations at higher education institutions. And this is without taking into account the endless range of alternative courses for all the special skills you can think of.

Benefits of distance education

Like everything in life, people are free to choose the paths they want to take. But for those who want to get an education despite major obstacles in terms of time and geography, the benefits offered by this option are very appealing:

• Flexibility: while many educational institutions try to keep admissions schedules, there will always be some students who do not have the opportunity to participate during those times.
• Anyone who has ever been late for a lesson and lacked information that is important for understanding the course material knows the cost of rigid schedules.

At the same time, those who have the opportunity to study full-time must adapt to a scheduled time frame that may be too protracted or keep too high a pace. In both cases, distance learning offers solutions to adapt to the student’s life.

• It is perfect for people who have children. After becoming mothers, many women have to postpone their studies indefinitely.

• It is difficult to find a quiet moment when you are surrounded by children. Online courses and programs allow students to keep up with their studies, although there are some limitations.
• Professionals who want to specialize. Everyone who chooses further education at a distance has their own reasons for doing so. They can be professionals who want to deepen their skills in a certain area of ​​their work, or those for whom on-site training is logistically impossible.
• Another demographic group that chooses virtual classrooms is young people who have to quit their studies to be able to work. In these cases, a virtual degree represents an excellent option.

What are the disadvantages of learning platforms?

As we have seen, the advantages are really significant, but there are also a lot of disadvantages. Is the distance itself a disadvantage? Historically, this has been the main critique of virtual learning. However, geographical barriers have been virtually eliminated due to technological advances.

In any case, not all courses and educations have kept pace with the development of computer science. In other words, not all courses offer conferences, chat rooms and virtual classrooms. On the other hand, some of these courses require you to appear on site at least once a month, which removes some of the virtual magic.

Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of distance education is that you are required to be responsible for your own studies. Without a professor or teacher who is there in person to deal with any issues, you may become frustrated. This causes some students to give up completely.

In conclusion, as with all new commitments, you need to weigh the pros and cons in advance. It allows you to save time and money. However, the growing popularity of distance education indicates that this option is becoming increasingly versatile and accepted.