Distance Education

Distance learning is an education that focuses on the teaching methods and technology necessary for the education of students who are studying away from a physical, traditional educational environment. The prevalence of distance education programs is increasing with many educational institutions now offering distance education classes. Distance education can happen through regular mail, internet, TV or radio, CD-Rom or Educational files on a computer, and wireless learning through a mobile device. Distance learning can either be online through the use of online technologies to get rid of separation of time or different location, blended through technology and in-person meetings, or virtual where everything is done through the Internet.

Distance education allows students to work at their own pace and use materials and educational resources that may not be readily available in their areas. However, programs of this nature can be costly and cut down on personal connections with fellow students and instructors.

I do not think I will use Distance Education (D.E.) in the journalism field. If I choose to attend graduate school, I may consider doing it through D.E. because it would allow me to continue my education without having to give up my career. I can see the benefits that it has for working professionals or those people with a limited amount of free time but I do not think D.E. is something that is relevant to journalism. Most people in journalism (like reporters or journalists) only have a Bachelor's degree because a Master's degree or higher can sometimes make you over-qualified and less likely to be hired because of a higher pay rate. Most people go straight from undergraduate programs into the work force because the journalism industry as a whole does not see value in a higher level of graduate work.

This is a link to a study done by the State University of West Georgia that examines students' perception of distance learning, online learning, and traditional education methods.

The research shows that students think that online learning has an advantage to traditional methods. These advantages include saving them time, fitting in better with their schedules, and enabling students to take more courses. The students surveyed did not think they learned more in online classes and also disliked not being able to adequately participate in class discussions. They also preferred traditional courses to online learning courses even though they wanted more online learning courses.

The students had negative attitudes toward distance learning compared to online learning. Students did not think distance learning was as effective as traditional methods and they did not want to take more distance learning classes. However, students did like that distance education fit better into their schedules.

I chose this study because it shows the opinions and benefits of distance learning from a student's perspective. I think the findings are interesting because it shows that students are interested in the scheduling conveniencesof distance learning but not much else.