With the globalization of the economy have come many changes. Distance is no longer an obstacle to communication; labor crosses borders; jobs change; and people change jobs frequently. And because of all these changes, lifelong education becomes particularly important in this knowledge-based economy.
Education on-campus at university or college is a fixed place, fixed time activity that is not possible for many people because of jobs or other commitments. Online learning, on the other hand, is an anywhere, anytime, any place activity that provides a flexible learning solution for such people. However, all too often learners are disappointed with their first experience of online learning because they didn't realize the problems they would face. Here are six things that the learner should watch out for.
Just because it is a flexible form of education, it doesn't mean that you can keep putting it off. Procrastination, and then trying to fit it all in at the end, has caused so many failures. Dont leave it until the last minute to upload your assignment or you can guarantee that your Internet service will go down just at that moment. So manage your time so that you complete assignments well before the due dates.
To complete a degree online means often working alone when your friends are out enjoying themselves, and it means maintaining this level of commitment for a long period of time. To achieve this, you must have a high degree of motivation. We did some research on success factors for our mature-age online learners. The number one factor wasn't previous exam results " it was motivation. Even with very few previous academic qualifications, we found that students would succeed providing they were motivated. So, do make sure that you are highly motivated.
You shouldn't only acquire knowledge " you should also acquire the skills to acquire knowledge. In particular, learning online requires that you develop these skills. This means having well-developed critical reading and thinking skills as well as the technical skills of how find books or web sites on a particular subject.
If you are learning online, the materials replace the lectures that students get in a face-to-face course. But they usually does more than those lectures " the courseware often includes questions, exercises and further reading so that your learning can be active rather than passive. And that is the key - ACTIVE LEARNING. Make sure that you complete all the exercises and actively read the text.
In an online course, real learning takes place when you are interacting with others on the course. So try to find a learning group, either in your area or online - your e-Tutor may well facilitate this. You can then take part in social learning " and you will find that you only truly know something when you try to explain it to someone else. Make sure that you respond to all the e-Tutors requests for feedback and do participate in the discussion forums.
Don't be tempted to buy a qualification from a diploma mill - a business that simply prints diplomas and degrees. Such qualifications are worthless in the eyes of employers and genuine educational institutions, so will just be a waste of your money. Always take an accredited program from an accredited institution.
Education on-campus at university or college is a fixed place, fixed time activity that is not possible for many people because of jobs or other commitments. Online learning, on the other hand, is an anywhere, anytime, any place activity that provides a flexible learning solution for such people. However, all too often learners are disappointed with their first experience of online learning because they didn't realize the problems they would face. Here are six things that the learner should watch out for.
Just because it is a flexible form of education, it doesn't mean that you can keep putting it off. Procrastination, and then trying to fit it all in at the end, has caused so many failures. Dont leave it until the last minute to upload your assignment or you can guarantee that your Internet service will go down just at that moment. So manage your time so that you complete assignments well before the due dates.
To complete a degree online means often working alone when your friends are out enjoying themselves, and it means maintaining this level of commitment for a long period of time. To achieve this, you must have a high degree of motivation. We did some research on success factors for our mature-age online learners. The number one factor wasn't previous exam results " it was motivation. Even with very few previous academic qualifications, we found that students would succeed providing they were motivated. So, do make sure that you are highly motivated.
You shouldn't only acquire knowledge " you should also acquire the skills to acquire knowledge. In particular, learning online requires that you develop these skills. This means having well-developed critical reading and thinking skills as well as the technical skills of how find books or web sites on a particular subject.
If you are learning online, the materials replace the lectures that students get in a face-to-face course. But they usually does more than those lectures " the courseware often includes questions, exercises and further reading so that your learning can be active rather than passive. And that is the key - ACTIVE LEARNING. Make sure that you complete all the exercises and actively read the text.
In an online course, real learning takes place when you are interacting with others on the course. So try to find a learning group, either in your area or online - your e-Tutor may well facilitate this. You can then take part in social learning " and you will find that you only truly know something when you try to explain it to someone else. Make sure that you respond to all the e-Tutors requests for feedback and do participate in the discussion forums.
Don't be tempted to buy a qualification from a diploma mill - a business that simply prints diplomas and degrees. Such qualifications are worthless in the eyes of employers and genuine educational institutions, so will just be a waste of your money. Always take an accredited program from an accredited institution.
About the Author:
Sophia Peters writes for the DLDC website where you can find details of distance programs and related materials.
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