by Jean Sidden

Created on: December 31, 2009

Distance learning has opened education up to many who may not otherwise be able to take advantage of college. There are a number of reasons why a person might be unable to physically attend college classes on a campus. Distance learning has closed the gap for those who need the access of home instruction but it has other advantages as well.

Some students may not be physically able to be transported to a campus and sit in a class several times a week. Additionally there are universities that now offer distance learning to those who live in vastly different geographic locations from the university. Some courses of study are partial distance learning and require one or two short visits to the physical campus per school year. But in any configuration distance learning has made adult education available to a broader student population

Besides being able to attend school in the convenience of your home, distance learning classes offer the ability to go at your own pace. If you are unable to finish an online lesson in one session it can easily be broken up to accommodate a busy lifestyle. Those with small children or even a full time job find this a much more suitable way to get their educational goals accomplished.

Along with the ability to pace your education according to your own schedule, classes in a distance learning course of study are often compressed. This means that completion may be possible in a shorter amount of time than attending classes on campus. If you are able to organize your time and give your online classes a regular commitment you may find you complete your course of study in a much more timely fashion than the length of a college semester.

Distance learning may present opportunities to gain degrees or certification in a number of specialized areas that would otherwise be difficult to find. It also presents continuing education units for those professions requiring regular updates of training in order to maintain licensing and practice. Some schools offer online teacher certification programs. Besides accessibility these online classes don't fill up and therefore are offered to a larger group of students. Conversely, online classes are also not cancelled due to low enrollment.

Because the high overhead of hiring an instructor, scheduling a room in a building and paying for lights, heat and/or air conditioning is eliminated, distance learning classes may cost far less than courses being held on a college campus. This is a wonderful feature for those on a limited budget who are unable to pursue their education due to financial constraints.

By being more accessible, cutting cost and broadening the horizon of course availability distance learning is becoming more and more necessary and acceptable. With colleges and universities buckling under the burden of increased costs, distance learning courses help them keep their doors open. Because of the universal appeal of online courses distance learning is reaching students who heretofore might never have pursued higher education.

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