Distance learning is getting more
popular in the recent years, becoming one of the growing forces in the
education sector and the reason why many universities are investing in online
platforms to get a piece of the action within the industry. In these fast-paced
times students need non-traditional learning tools that will give them the full
experience without having to sacrifice their full time jobs and this may be the
main reason behind the increased potential. However, most institutions are
still unprepared to face this worldwide phenomenon because of the lack of
expertise to recognize the need and create platforms that will enable them to
deliver effective online courses. Highly qualified professionals and academics
who will provide innovative and industry-focused programs are absolutely
necessary, but they are only part of the whole service package, with additional
five main areas that must also be considered before teaching an online course:
Interaction and Support.
Students most often won’t choose online courses that miss the element of
interactivity. The interaction is a vital element of the educational process
that creates a community environment and encourages academic learning. For the
program to be effective the institutions providing distance learning services
should give a consistent level of support and interaction delivered through
forums, live streaming lessons or virtual classrooms with experienced online
lecturers who know how to set the emotional and intellectual tone the students
need to feel the dynamic of their online classes.
Extra resources and services.
Quality distance learning services also invest in different tools and resources
that will additionally enhance the quality of their syllabus
and give students the full learning experience. Plagiarism checker is a good example of
such service that students can use when writing their papers and course
assignments to ensure their academic works are completely unique and original.
This plagiarism checker will scan their content against all web pages and a
comprehensive database of over 20 million academic works to deliver a
plagiarism report with a list of used sources and highlighted sentences and
paragraphs that need to be cited.
Interaction and Collaboration
among Peers. The students want to have the opportunity to collaborate
and exchange opinions and ideas with other people who have same experience as
they do. Learning as a social activity has been pointed out by many studies,
where the students can share their knowledge and build better mental connection
regarding the material, drawing their own conclusions and generating ideas from
their mutual experiences.
An effective online course should
be designed as an open and organized online community where students can work
together in groups, initiate interactions through forums, get involved in
discussions led by their lecturers and be part of online study groups that
promote peer to peer interactions. This way they have better chances of
building long lasting relationships which will benefit their professional
networks during and after they complete the online course.
Additional Tools and Support.
One of the best things about distance learning is the possibility of enhancing
students’ learning experience by using different multimedia content. The
institutions providing e-learning services should offer their students proper
balance of written, video and audio tools and assignments to cover the main
points of the course curriculum and allow them to get the most out of their
experience. The best online courses give their students access to quality
online libraries and provide them with tools they can use to self-assess their
knowledge, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and track their progress
throughout the course of their study.
Accessibility and Implementation
of Innovation and Technology. A great advantage of distance learning is
that it becomes more accessible and comprehensive with the implementation of
the ever-evolving innovations and technology. The online educational platforms
should create and provide dynamic interactions with an exhaustive approach and
they should also be accessible from different devices (laptops, iPads,
smartphones) and from any place in the world so that the students can have a
truly flexible study experience.
