Strengths and weaknesses of the distance learner

Since each student is different, their strengths and weaknesses will also be different; they are determined by the skills and the interest that students have for the courses being taken; a student may have the ability in one area of study and succeed, but find difficult another and fail.

The main strengths that are essential in students are organization and hard working. For students, being able to coordinate and give the time to as many courses they might have is imperative. Organization goes together with hard work, which includes keeping up to the studying schedule. Working hard may involve spending too much time in libraries or in the house preparing their homework and projects.

Having a good level of reading comprehension is a valuable strength for students since most of their work, being on distance, will be on written texts.

           On the other side, the most common weaknesses seen in students are lack of motivation and procrastination. Most students begin a course with great expectations, but as time goes by, they might lose their motivation due that they find the course boring, difficult or too hard to keep up with it. But what seems to be the biggest weakness of students is procrastination. Putting off assignments or waiting until the last moment is can lead to a bad grade or adding months, if not years.
           Distance education can be a pleasant and satisfying experience. But, distance education is not for everyone. While some persons do well on the autonomy and liberty offered through such classes, others find themselves regretting their decision and craving they had enrolled at a traditional education system.

Open and distance education- sharing knowledge

Open and distance education are two associated terms that aim to educate every person with the purpose of studying. This, of course, involves kids, teenagers, young adults and adults; and certainly, among them there will be students, mothers, fathers, working persons, and more; persons, that due their activities and lack of time, financial situation, age, disabilities, or place of residence, are not able to go and spend a few hours in a classroom. So, it is appropriate to say that open and distance education represent a great alternative for every person who want or need to earn a degree and do not have all the needed resources for a traditional in-class education.

Nyberg (2010) asserts that open education is that form of educational practice which is characteristically regulated by the following rules:

1. - Students are to pursue educational activities of their own choosing;

2. - Teachers are to create an environment rich in educational possibilities;

3. - Teachers are to give a student individualized instruction based on what he/she is interested in, but they are also to guide the student along educationally worthwhile lines;

4. - Teachers are to respect students. The following count as exhibiting respect for the student:

a) the student is granted considerable freedom; he/she is, for the most part, autonomous,

b) the student’s interests and ideas are considered to be important and he/she receives individual instruction and guidance based on his/her interests,

c) there is considerable interaction between teacher and student; they are considered to be equal in some sense,

d) students are rarely commanded; uses of authority are minimized,

e) students’ feelings are to be taken seriously. (p. 12).

In other words, open education is a learning system where teachers provide to the students all the necessary tools they might need in the most favorable or advantageous conditions during the academic process. Along with this, teachers have to show to students how they can use these instruments to achieve their personal goals. But here, the students play the most important role since it them who have to organize their activities according to their conditions and necessities.

It is also important to mention that open education is aimed to avoid any inconvenience or difficulty that learners might face, such as time, space, age, or money. Under this scheme, students are responsible for their studies and the way they take place.

One of the open education features is distance education. According to Simmonson and Schlosser (1995), “Distance education implies formal institutionally-based educational activities where the teacher and student are normally separated in time, and where two-way interactive telecommunication systems are used for sharing video, data, and voice instruction (p.13).

According to this definition, the author explains that the educational procedure does not necessary takes place with both, teacher and student, interacting together at the same time or at the same place; teachers and students could have a different geographical situation, and even perform their educational activities at a different time. The communication exchange will have to rely on the long distance means of communication such as TV, mail, or internet; through these means, teacher and students will trade instructions, information, test and other related data.

Frequently, open education and distance education are two terminologies that have been used indistinctively; but as it has been seen, while open education is the complete process that allows students to decide the why, where, how, and when to study, distance education is basically the denomination we give to the fact that teacher and students can interact despite the difference of time and place that each one of them assign to the process.

Is important to realize that in distance education, due the difference in times and places for teacher and students, but especially the own duties of the student, the learning schedule might have some ups and downs. According to this, Howard (1995) assures that “The interruptions to learning which that delay introduces can be frustrating and demotivating” (p.18). on the other side, Howard (1995) affirms that “those who take on this burden of self-evaluation in a distance-learning become deeper, as well as more purposeful, learners.”(p.16). It is understood that when it comes to open education, the students must be focused in their goals; they have to have a strong will and a complete disposition to persevere with their educational program; and the more they advance in their own agenda, the more motivation they get to reach their objective.

So far, it is not possible to assure that any education system, in-class, open or distance, can guarantee the successful achievement of an education; each process has its own characteristics that apply to different kind of persons. Nowadays, most of people have too many duties, responsibilities or obligations; this is the reason why making effective use of time is a critical for them. Open and distance education allows to advance in the educational process at the own speed according to their own free time. Given these points, it is feasible to assure that open education is an excellent option for those people who have the will to get an education, but also some issues, especially time inconveniences.             

Open Education and Distance Education

 

Open education.

            Open education is a system of study aimed to avoid any inconvenience or difficulty that learners might face, such as time, space, age, or money. Under this scheme, students are responsible for their studies and the way they take place.

 

Distance education.

            Distance education is a branch of open education. In this modality, teachers and students have a different geographical situation at the time that learning process is taking place.

In-class and Distance Education

            Comparisons between characteristics of in-class and distance courses are determined by the educational institution and the peculiarities of the student. The needs and responsibilities of each person can enlighten us about which one is the best option.

 

Characteristics
In-class Education	Distance Education
Expenses for food and transportation are required.	It allows to organize expenses in a more controlled and practical way.
Time for study is established according to a standard given by students.	Time for study is established according to the needs and obligations of each student.
Socialization is encouraged.	Individual initiative is encouraged.
Immediate feedback is allowed.	Feedback in not immediate.
Due to a specific schedule, students are more involved with their time of study and role of student.	Due to the lack of a specific schedule, students are sporadically involved with their time of study and role of student.
Student does not have to be immersing with the latest communication and information technology.	Students have to be familiar with the basic communication and information technology, at least.
Persons who find hard to work alone prefer this modality.	Persons who like to work in an autonomous way prefer this modality.
Young people with a few responsibilities find adequate this way of study.	Older people with a bigger number of roles find an opportunity in this way of study.

                                      In-class to virtual class migration

The scientific, technological, and cultural changes that our society has been facing for the last three decades have changed the perspective that people had about personal development; nowadays, more and more people are aware of the necessity of having the skills that allow them to improve their life styles through the advantages that having an education can bring. Unfortunately, shortage of time has become an issue for most persons. For this reason, distance education has become an excellent resource for those who need and desire to continue studying. However, adjusting to an open or distance education system can be a little disturbing to those persons who are accustomed to traditional teaching in a classroom.
Students that are used to traditional teaching and are acquainted with personal interaction with their teacher and other classmates; as well as being provided by their teacher with all the information needed for the class. For these reason, transition from in-class to distance education is a difficult but reachable objective. Becoming disciplined; understanding that online courses require students to be focused; and dedicate time to complete work, reading, studying, and preparing for exams are the main issues that students have face and overcome on distance learning.

Online courses require students to be focused. Distance learning means working at home according to the time and needs of students; but this does not mean that students can have time to slack off, ignore homework, or skip classes a couple of days. In distance education, students do not have a teacher or classmates to remain them about exams, projects, and assignment due dates. So, it is imperative that learners stay focused and get organized with an agenda or schedule of projects and deadlines if they want to keep up with the program.

Dedicating time to complete work, reading, studying, and preparing for exams are a mayor issue for most of the people nowadays. Setting short term and long term goals can help students to keep their motivation for study along with the completion of their tasks. Once students have an idea of what to achieve, what to expect, and how to do it, a set of goals and objectives can make easier the transition in a positive manner. By this, students are not only assuring they are getting their job done; but also they are aware that they are accomplishing what they want to achieve.

Distance education is a great resource for those people who need and want to get an education and do not have the time, means or resources to do it in a traditional way. Sadly, it is not easy, there is a whole transition process that has to be fulfilled; a great difference between in-class education and distance education. But if students take study with discipline,  stay focused in what is what they want to achieve, and if they develop a good plan that allows them to have enough time and resources to complete their scholar activities, they are assuring their success in their studies.