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over a class in the same way they would a traditional classroom. Students can be asked to build structures, explain theories or take part in class discussions as well as many other tasks. This simulates a traditional classroom, and encourages participation in discussions and debates. It can also help struggling student in that they are more likely to ask for assistance. This promotes the feeling of a community that you would usually find in a traditional on campus class setting. This, before now, has not been present in the majority of distance education situations. These technologies have made it possible for a person sitting at home to experience the same things as they would in a traditional classroom setting.

Virtual Worlds such as Second Life can incorporate virtual campuses, classrooms, research facilities and libraries all in one accessible location on the web. This method is becoming increasingly popular, with, at present, approximately sixty universities or educational institutions having facilities in Second Life, including Harvard University. Virtual worlds such as this can be used for many things, including collaboration and communicating in real time between multiple participants. Researching concepts and products is also possible in these worlds, drawing on people from a vast geographical location.

To summarise, distance education has come a long way in recent years. New technologies have changed the way in which distance education students interact, study and learn. Overall distance education now offers a comparable education to that offered by on campus learning.

Learn more about this author, Rachel Evans.
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