Rewards and Disfavours of Distance Education

Distance Education is a method through which students can take up the course through remote access. These days students can attend the class online on their computers. Traditionally, students would be using the postal medium for correspondence with the college conducting the course. Distance education is gaining popularity among students and professionals alike. Some of the best distance learning MBA in India are available to students on their laptops using the medium of internet. The best distance learning MBA programs available these days offer quality education to students who cannot access the full-time program physically on a campus through this mode. Apart from MBA, many other academic courses are also available.

There are several benefits to distance education. However, there are certain demerits too. Some of the rewards and disfavours of the distance education format of learning are given below –

The Rewards of Distance Education

1. Distance Education offers convenience to students. There are no fixed hours for attending classes which gives students the opportunity to study when they can. It can be accessed from any location making it all the more convenient for everyone.
2. The student diaspora enrolling in distant learning courses is highly diverse. Since people from all over the world participate in such courses, it offers fresh perspective and exposure to all the students.
3. It offers the working professionals the benefit of continuing with their education while pursuing career interests and making a living.
4. It is also useful for students with physical disabilities that stop them from visiting a classroom on frequent basis.
5. It gives students the access to the best colleges irrespective of their location.
6. It is a far more affordable option for students who cannot afford the full-time programmes. The colleges conducting the online distance education programmes, do not need to spend on the physical cost of maintaining the infrastructure such as college building, classrooms, furniture etc. Hence, it is comparatively cheaper to conduct such classes. On the other hand, it is also cheaper for students because they do not have to bear the cost of traveling to the college campus and coming back every day. They also do not have to spend on hostel or any other staying arrangement.
7. Distance education also provides the benefit of flexibility. With no set time and place, students are free to plan their day and study as per their schedule and not the college’s schedule. 

The Disfavours of Distance Education

1. It takes discipline to educate oneself. When a person goes to college, he has to follow their schedule. In this way, discipline is already built into the system. However, for distance learning programmes, the discipline has to come from within. The students need to plan their study schedule and stick to it sincerely.
2. It is a lot of hard work to prepare the course material for distance education courses. Usually, if a teacher is conducting classes via video tutorials, then those videos need to be recorded in time. The translation is also made available for students’ convenience and the written transcripts also have to be prepared in advance.
3. There is risk of a student cheating by not answer himself during tests and exams. Since there is no teacher to physically oversee the tests or exams, the sanctity of exams cannot be ascertained fully.
4. There is a lot of dependence on technology to conduct these courses. In case of internet issues or issues with the computer hardware or software, it may affect the delivery of the course. Slow speeds can also affect the student’s learning via video mode which requires a good internet connection speed.
5. There is a lack of personal interaction between students and the teacher in case of distance education courses. Traditionally, teachers take the role of motivating and encouraging the students when needed. However, such emotional support is missing in case of distance education.
6. Students have to find their own resources when in doubt. There is no scope of meeting the teacher to clarify doubts or sitting with a class mate to work on assignments together. While it can be empowering for some people to find the answers to their assignments on their own, it can be a daunting experience for many students. 

Distance learning has become a popular mode of studying these days. It provides global exposure, access to the best colleges in the world and an opportunity to be taught by a great faculty at a fraction of a price. However, it also has some disadvantages. The students should know what they are looking for in a course. They should understand their own needs to decide what course will suit them best. Before enrolling oneself in such a course, it would be a good idea to take feedback from previous students of such format and choose wisely.