JULIEN HITEG TINDAAN May 25, 2019

EDUC 209 Prof. VIRGINIA B. AROCO, EdD.

It is generally accepted belief that education contributes to the formation of human beings

as productive citizens, besides bringing meaningful changes in their lives. Education is,

therefore, also considered as the bedrock of socio-economic, cultural and political, uplift of a

society or a country. Education is necessary because it acquaints people with the need-based

skills, knowledge and information in their respective fields. Education strengthens the

capabilities of the people and helps to bring them up as the knowledge population. Providing

opportunities of education to the people means that a country is able to protect them against all

sorts of discriminations, provide them with the required opportunities and make them

empowered in every aspects of life in the true sense.

However, still some people are unable to go to school due to lack of money, time, and

other constraints. But here comes Distance Education to the rescue.

So, what is distance education or distance learning?

use of internet. By consulting the internet it was defined as:

It is defined as a way of educating the students by employing the electronic means of

communication. The communication between students, faculty is generally carried via email,

messenger/viber, forums via messenger/ group chat. But in some cases, like in CODETE, we

greed to meet one Saturday for lecture and for distribution of tasks, assignments, and exams. I

think it’s just depend upon the policy of the school offering distance learning.

Also, it is a method of education that allows you to earn your college degree, master’s

degree, doctorate degree or you complete your schooling from the comfort of your home, part-

time, and at your own pace. This is very suitable for the people who is having family obligations

and feeling difficulty in attending regular class. Also, for students who lacks convenient location

to access the traditional classroom.

Before, I point out the reasons why to choose distance education, may I quote a glimpse

of its history.

Distance education has been around at least since Isaac Pitman taught shorthand in Great

Britain via correspondence in the 1840s.

He mailed texts transcribed into shorthand on postcards and received transcription from

his students in return for correction, a scheme made possible by the introduction of uniform

postage rates across England from 1840. This element of feedback was crucial to Pitman’s

system, as he not only received their work but corrected it and returned it to them with

comments.
 The university of London was the first University to offer distance learning degrees.

Referred to as “People’s Universities” by Charles Dickens because it provided access to higher

education to students from less affluent backgrounds, the External Programs was chartered by

Queen Victoria in 1858.

In the 20th century, radio, television, and the internet were all used to further distance

education. It has traversed four to five “generations” of technology in its history, including print,

audio/video broadcasting, audio/video teleconferencing, computer assisted instruction, computer

broadcasting/podcasting, and so forth. Yet the radio remains a very viable form, especially in the

developing nations, because of its reach. In India, the FM Channel is very popular and used by

universities to broadcast a variety of educational programs such as teacher education, rural

development, programs in agriculture for farmers, science education, creative writing, mass

communication, in addition to traditional courses in liberal arts, science, and business

administration.

Ok, let’s move on.

For me, Distance education/distance learning is a good alternative for busy people

who still wants to finish or continue his/her studies or gain master’s and doctorate degree.

(This is my stand/position)

To do or not to do – that is the question that plagues most students who are contemplating

pursuing an education through distance education in various forms- distance learning programs

from open universities, online programs and so forth, have helped realized the educational

aspirations of students who could not attend full-time and campus-based classes.
 Giving a final verdict on how you want to study for a bachelor’s or Master’s and where

you want to do it can be sometimes more complicated than in 12 Angry Men. Thing is, you have

a lot of options to choose from and this can sometimes feel overwhelming. But if you have a job

or other personal responsibilities, your choice might become surprisingly easy because… well...

the best options for you are online and distance learning programs. But don’t just take this word.

That’s why I have come prepared with reasons why you should consider distance education.

Advantages of distance learning.

Total control over your time and decisions: A convenient schedule is the best part of a

distance learning degree. You can come back from work at, say, 7, freshen up a bit, and, with a

cup of coffee in your hand, open your assignment and browse it. Nobody is breathing down your

neck and asking you to hurry up. You do not have to wait for a ride and keep looking at your

watch to check if you are late for class. You do not have to carry your heavy books and laptop, as

you are going to relax at home and do your work peacefully.

Yes, that makes a life thousand times easier: the total control and commodity of the

schedule you make by yourself.

You can pursue a job along with studies: A major chunk of students who actually opt

for distance education are those who don’t want to give up their jobs but want a higher

education, too. Distance education comes as a blessing for such students. You can study on the

weekends, when you’re back from work or even in the middle of the night. You get to learn

while you earn.

maybe much more affordable than the fee of a regular on-campus degree. Students who are

taking for economically viable options can go for a distance learning program.

You can save time: With online courses, you’ll save more than money. you will save

time. You can go to school while still having another life with friends and family. You can log to

your courses any time, any day. And you don’t waste time trying to find your classrooms as you

would on campus.

There’s no time wasted in going to and from college, no time wasted waiting for motor

or jeep. In a distance learning program, your classroom is right in your bedroom- the study

material on your desk or the e-material on your computer. Students who don’t have enough time

on their hands can turn to distance education as an option and pursue it from the comfort of their

homes.

And you know what’s really hip? Distance learning classes are designed to work on

mobile flat forms, allowing students to access the course materials through mobile devices,

including tablets and smartphones. You can read lecture on your phone while on your way to

your work an even while you’re inside the comfort room. That’s how you make the most of your

time!

You can learn at your own pace: The prospect of going back to classroom education

can be intimidating for many of us. Asking a question or revealing that you are unable to grasp a

concept in class can be quite embarrassing for many students. Distance education comes to your

rescue here!
 If you are self-disciplined and self-motivated, the best benefit of distance education is

that you can learn at your own pace. it’s a known fact that different people learn in different

ways and at different speeds. In a classroom, when everyone is being taught together, it is often

difficult to have every student on the same page. Some students are too shy to raise their doubts

in class. This is where distance education has an advantage over a regular campus program.

Since you are given all the course work beforehand, you can study as much or as little as

you want every day, as long as you complete your study material within the stipulated time. If

you’ve doubts or queries, there are discussion forums, chat facilities with faculty and complete

support from the distance education provider.

You can study whenever, wherever: Except in scenarios where you have to attend

online tutorial at a given time or lecture through video conferencing you can pretty much study

whenever you want to, wherever you choose to. You need not to be stuck in a classroom, but

can go study in your garden, on your living room couch or in the comfort of your own bed.

Irrespective of whether you’re a morning lark or a night owl, you can choose an optimum time to

study whenever you’re at your productive best.

Career aspirations: A distance learning course can help you achieve the next level in

your career, set you in better stead for a change of career, or help you to top up your knowledge

after a career break. Distance learning can also give you a second chance to gain qualifications

you may have, for whatever reason, missed out on the first time around. It’s never too late to

learn something new.

Networking: Distance learning does not mean just studying alone at home. You can also

get opportunities to network with experts in the subject, as well as befriending fellow students all
over the world. Our increasingly globalized society has made it both easier and more important

to get to know people from different places, cultures, and walks of life.

Opportunity: The expansion of distance learning offerings on a global scale gives

students the opportunity to learn from professors in different disciplines, universities, cultures

and even countries. Students no longer have to travel to a remote school to gain access to a

certain course or program of study. Opportunities are no longer limited by obstacles in the

physical world. For the student who wants to enter a discipline that is not available at a nearby

university or for whom regular physical access is problematic, distance learning is a good

alternative.

But there’s a flip side to every story. A factor that’s advantageous for one student might

prove to be a downside for another. Here are some situations that can turn out as disadvantages

of distance learning.

Disadvantages of distance learning.

Chances of distraction is high: With no faculty around for face-to-face interaction and

no classmates who can help with constant reminders about pending assignments, the chances of

getting distracted and losing track of deadlines are high. You need to keep yourself motivated

and focused if you want to successfully complete your distance learning course. Distance

education is not a good idea if you can’t stick to deadlines.

Hidden costs: Although the cost of a distance education program is usually cheaper than

a regular program (for others cause not all), there can be hidden costs involved. For example, if

your distance learning course requires you to submit assignments through email, you might have

to incur some initial expenses like installing computer/buying a laptop and getting a reliable
internet connection. Like me, I need to go to Bambang just to send consult the internet and to

send my assignment. Which costs me fare and fee of internet.

Complicated technology: Overdependence on technology can be a major downside in

distance learning mode of education, especially when the learning takes place in an online

environment. Any malfunctioning software or hardware can bring an ongoing class to a standstill

and interrupt the learning process. Similarly, if a student is not computer literate, his learning

experience can be dissatisfactory.

Questionable credibility of degrees: Even though distance and online education is

starting to get recognition, there are still a lot of dishonest and non-accredited degrees in the

number of distance/online programs, the number of scam operators are also rising. This affects

the credibility of recognized distance learning degrees among perspective employers.

Despites these perceived downsides, distance learning is gaining popularity among

students like never before, with many students satisfied with their learning experience. With

further advances in technology and more training to adapt teachers to this new mode of learning

the disadvantages in distance learning can soon be sorted out.

Major skills you develop with distance learning.

Perseverance and strong will are the keys to success.

Nowadays, a bachelor’s degree is not enough for the modern world: everybody has

access to the internet and learns about the latest developments in various fields. The world is
moving at a very fast pace and we have to keep ourselves up-to-date on any subject. And what’s

a better way of doing this, than with a Master’s degree and in-depth education?

Final piece of advice for distance learners!

Late evenings can be very comfortable for studies, but not on a regular basis. And,

please, do not postpone any assignment! This is the common mistake students are prone to do. If

your assignments are due in a month, start working on them immediately and save your notes so

that you can ad on to them every day. You’ll be surprise that your assignment is ready even

before the due date.

When all said and done, any learning process should be taken seriously, and you should

work hard to achieve the best results, in the sense of getting all your questions answered and

learning how to use everything you learn in your life. After all, “Knowledge is Power”!

PS. If you’re inspired with this work and wanted to experience distance learning, open

your web and search blog.edukasyon.ph or www.courses.com.ph to know the Schools, Colleges,

and Universities in the Philippines that offer online courses. But before searching may I advertise

the school offering Master’s degree where I’m enrolled in, none other than IFSU-CODETE

(College of Open Education). #

Thank You.
References:

Bordoloi, R. and Das, P. (2012). “Effectiveness of open and distance education and the relevance

of ICT: a north east Indian perspective”, International Journal of Information and Knowledge

Management, vol. 2 no. 1, pp3-45

Dhanarajan, G. and Porter, D. (Eds) (2013), Open Educational Resources: An Asian Perspective,

COL and OER Asia, Canada.

Moore, Michael G., and Greg Kearsley. Distance Education: A Systems View. Wadsworth

Publishing, 2004. ISBN 05340887

Queen Victoria Charters the First Distance Learning Program (1858)

Jeremy Norman’s.HistoryofInformation. retrieved August 22, 2018

www.indiaeducation.net

www.newworldencyclopedia.org

www.distanceearningportal.com

www.nec.ac.uk

www.education.seattlepi.com