In the past, the idea of distance learning conjured up images of clunky video tapes with pre-recorded lectures and plenty of do-it-yourself textbooks. Now the widespread use of the Internet has revolutionized distance education, and advances in technology continue to enhance nearly every online class.

These days, participating in distance education isn't an isolated event. Students can attend online class along with their peers, talk back and forth in forums, e-mail questions to professors, and even listen to each lecture in online class. Distance education has come a long way.

  <336x280>

Enhancing Distance Education

What began as a research project at Rutgers University in 2002 has become a groundbreaking addition to the notion of online education. It's called Lecture 123, and it allows professors to record their lectures in regular classrooms and later place them online for distance learning participants to hear.

The lectures can be downloaded to video iPods or watched online during the class. This form of distance learning allows students to be present for the lecture, no matter where they are. This is a key selling point for distance education: you can "attend" an online class on your own time, which means you can still hold down a full-time job and fulfill family commitments without missing out on a valuable education.

The Benefits of Distance Learning

Flexible scheduling isn't the only benefit of attending online class. Software advances, such as Lecture123, can actually improve the process of learning. For instance, distance learning participants who use Lecture123 or similar software can pause the lecture if they need to, or rewind it, or listen to it as many times as necessary. Distance education students can also e-mail their online professor at any time if a question comes up.

As technology continues to improve, distance learning is sure to do the same.

Source:
Daily Kent Stater