Putting it online
BY RONDA ADDY

One of the latest trends to hit the field of education is online learning or distance education, as it is sometimes called. What exactly is distance education? It is instruction that does not require the student to be face-to-face with the instructor or fellow students.

Online learning is not for everyone. There are many things that you need to consider before tackling it. Is your equipment up-to-date? Are you comfortable using technology? Do you understand the hardware and programs needed for the course? Are you disciplined enough to study without the set regiment of a traditional class? How comfortable are you with reading and writing? Even though there could be audio and video instruction, most classes still require oldfashioned reading and writing. How are you at handling delayed responses? In the middle of an assignment, you may have a question and the instructor may not be readily available.

If you decide that online learning is for you, here are some things you should look for in an online program:

• Instructor qualifications. How much does the instructor know about online learning and how it differs from classroom teaching? If there are problems, what kind of technical support is available?

• Course presentation. Is the class online as text? Is there any kind of video or audio instruction? Are there exams? How are they given? How are assignments turned in?

• Student interaction. Is there a chat room that allows you to talk with other students? Is video conferencing or teleconferencing available?

• Student evaluation. Is there proper verification that students actually learned anything in class?

• Library facilities. Is the reference material up-todate and available online? When is it available?

As with any issue, there are pros and cons to online learning. Lets tackle the pros first.

• Little or no commuting. This means less wear and tear on vehicles.

• Convenience. Students decide where and when they are going to work.

• Less childcare costs. There is no need to pay a babysitter, thus allowing students more money to spend on their families.

• Student equality. Interaction with other students occurs without any regard to race, religion, sex or prejudices of any kind.

• Diversity among students. Students may be able to interact with others all over the country or even the world.

• Physical accessibility. No longer do students have to sit in uncomfortable chairs or be at the mercy of someone else's temperature gauge.

• Latest technology. Students get to use the latest technology and learn new skills in order to take online classes.

Now the cons.

• Isolation. There is no social interaction between students and the instructor.

• Instruction technology. If the technology is complicated or new to the student, they may feel uncomfortable using it and may not be able to make full use of it.

• Little motivation. Students must be able to work independently. The motivation that usually comes from contact and competition with other students does not exist.

• Time. Students may spend as much time learning online as they would attending classes and completing assignments.

• Tech support. The tech support available may be slow.

• Quality of information. Because almost anyone can start their own Web site, the quality of information available may be questionable.

In 1998, there were 710,000 college students enrolled in online courses. That number rose to 2.2 million in 2002. Despite the growing numbers, the debate on online learning continues. Ultimately, it is up to the individual student to decide if online learning is for them.