I think that distance learning or going to college via the internet is a fantastic alternative for people that have the self motivation and the determiniation that it takes to keep yourself on track without a structured learning enviroment. A lot of people may go into an online degree program thinking that it is going to be easy because they are doing it from home. Education however is rarely easy! I have had a lot of people in my classes complain that they have trouble with the materials and such because there are no lectures, or they complain about the lack of a lecture format. Lecturer's normally take the materials from the textbook for their lectures so why does it seem more difficult to learn the contents of the textbook without someone explaining it to you or feeding it to you every step of the way. While the differences in learning enviroment from brick and mortar college to what is basically home schooling can take a student aback in the first few days or weeks, normally the student should know whether or not distance education is a format that they can manage and thrive in.
I am enjoying my IT course of study with Axia College of the university of Phoenix. I have a 3.17 gpa after my first two classes, and I am one third of the way through my second two classes. I enjoy taking college at this pace *(2 new classes every nine weeks!). Howver I did notice that after my first two classes that none of the people that I was taking either class with are in my new classes.
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I totally agree that DE is a great oportunity for alot of students. However most people do not realize their learning method such as visual, auditory or tactile...if you need to hear info and see things explained then DE is probably no good for you...but if you can learn by reading the info and have good study skills then you can really learn it yourself and you will do fine. I have a 4.0 GPA and have taken 6 online classes and it is sad to see some go but i get a chance to meet new ones every semster...this term i will take 3 more online and it should be challenge but fun too it seems like us shy folks have an opportunity to say more and honestly in the discussion room then in the class room...good post-Tanya
My It 105 Skills for learning in an information age class tested our aptitudes as part of an assignment fairly early on in the curriculum. I already knew what type of interpersonal visual learner that I am, as I take all of life as a constant learning experience. (although sometimes I am not quite sure where I fit into the Learning Curve)However I did get an "A" in that class, so I am not complaining! I find the DE dynamic so much more condusive to having a life too. My fiancee works at our local college and I had considered going back to school there as I had dropped out of that college 12 years ago. However I believe that if I had to show up on a time schedule and work that in with working full time, I would still be dreaming of "Someday" going back to school.
I'm taking my second distance-learning class now. I work full-time so I'm only taking one at a time but it's convenient for me. I'm a visual learner and like lectures but it's fine because so far at Liberty University they require you watch the lectures on DVD anyway.
good point all my classes have been video free except one but there are some out there like that and i considered going to liberty at one time...good luck with college
Which school did you choose to "attend" and are you already finished or still in the midst of the mix (work + college)?
I just switched from a university to a community college version of the same school...i switched from Nursing to Criminal justice to Ultrasound technology (diagnostic medical sonography)...I would think being the adult that i am that i would be able to figure it all out but i love to learn. I will be "attending" New mexico state university -dona ana this next semester 3/4 and one actual attendace at the alamogordo branch unless i get another life curve ball. I would have been a nurse already had i kept my eyes on the goal intsead of worrying about my children ;) and wanting to take other classes (as a VA student you cant just take any ole class it has to be on a degree plan and CJ is a pretty liberal education...as in it has choices.)
all truths are easy to understand once discovered; the point is to discover them ~galileo
At the college that I am going to there are no lectures, we simply read the materials, respond to the discussion questions, and turn in our assignments on time. I find this a lot easier than the lecture format. Some of the students in my classes however complain about the lack of lectures. However not having them suits me just fine. Right now I have a 3.17 GPA and I have an "A" right now in both classes that I am enrolled in.