by Don Patrick Amarasinghe

Created on: June 03, 2009   Last Updated: June 13, 2009

Distance learning refers to a learning process without face to face communication with an instructor, in a virtual space, using computers and Internet technology. Historically, the precursor of technology-based distance learning was correspondence education, which started in Europe and the United States in the mid-19th century, used the postal service as a delivery mechanism. The on-line education system has many credentials historically earned, while it was developing on a rough path. At present, there are institutions solely provide on-line education, Phoenix phonics for example, and many traditional universities, and colleges those provide Internet based on-line courses. It is a supplementary method now, even adopted in K-12 school system. As the Center for American Progress has reported the number of students in K-12 system involved in on-line education has increased almost ten times in the United States, from 200,000 to 2million, in between 2001-2007(Cavanaugh 2009). As Goddard (2000) estimated, the demand for higher education will be increased up to 150 million individuals in 2025, and this means there is a substantial market potential for on-line education. The system now has a huge support structure, for example, national accreditation for the institutes provide on-line education, federal and state level financial aids and grants for eligible students. The on-line education system is becoming a 21st century leading pedagogical method.

Despite all these advances, distance learning students face with notable difficulties in pursuing their education due to a number of factors. Among them the following stands out as very important and require further research and studies to reduce their negative affect for the performance of the students of on-line learning. They are: the very nature of the pedagogy and isolated feeling ; lack of reference facilities such as libraries; on time review and evaluation difficulties and unavailability of instant interactions; demand for high standard writing and reading skills; stress, concentration problems, self-discipline and time management and mal- adaptation to the on-line learning environment; quality of teachers and as a consequence the quality of the knowledge provided; insecure feeling and lack of open mind; technical difficulties with the internet and computers; and the comparative cost.

A frequently reported difficulty in distance learning is the lack of human touch, and face to face contact as the students are

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