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I am reminded often of something that my uncle once told me: "Time moves on." He was right of course - and that's never been more true in the world of higher education. Largely the preserve of the well-to-do in the past, higher education has proven to be a means of upward mobility for millions in our world today. Where is higher education heading in our century, the 21st century? Perhaps the most fundamental shift has occurred because of the availability of the PC (personal computer) and the Internet. Because of the Internet, our planet is 'shrinking' - and distance is less of a factor in our travel and in our decision-making. It is now possible to carry on all sorts of activities with others physically located all over the globe. In educational circles this has ushered in the era of 'Distance Learning.' Let's put it in it's most simple form: Distance learning means that a student can participate in class - in India, let's say - when the school is located in Boise, Idaho. Distance is no longer an obstacle - in fact, distance from the school, from the instructor, or from one's fellow-students has become irrelevant. What matters now is receiving the course content, whether one lives down the street or in another continent. The U.S. has a population that is aging, as is well-known. And an aging population is one with increasing responsibilities - work as well as family - that throw up road-blocks and obstacles in the path of the would-be student. Distance learning is a solution that works for them - as academic assignments and classroom participation can now be completed around work schedules and family activities. Here's our take on the situation: as more and more schools start distance learning programs, more and more adults will take advantage of them and enroll. And when these students graduate, they will bring their up-to-date skill sets into the workplace. As a result, business will greatly benefit. Overall, we can see the American worker becoming more and more efficient. Our workforce will then be positioned to keep - and retain - better paying jobs, as we compete in the global marketplace. When you enroll in a distance learning program, your entire academic course of study will be handled via the Internet, using your PC at home. No doubt you will have to purchase handbooks and textbooks for offline study, but usually your class lectures and course assignments will be handled online - either in a chat room environment or through sending e-mails. Completing an assignment with other students is commonplace - and this prepares the student for the kinds of real-world collaboration that is common in many companies today. One way in which distance learning programs differ from more traditional approaches is in the area of testing. The old approach, which stressed a kind of 'regurgitation' of all the course content in writing the exam, is typically not possible online as the student is not physically present in a classroom. This means that the student could look at their notes and text without impunity. So in distance learning programs you will instead complete research projects and collaborate with others on assignments. These types of activities actually force the student to take what they have (supposedly) learned and put it to good use - completing their research and course projects. What all this means is that distance learning programs place an emphasis on 'doing something useful' with the knowledge that you have gained. You will be required to show mastery of a subject area, not by regurgitating facts but by using what you know. And isn't that exactly what you and I must do every day, in the real workaday world? In fact, by some measures, graduates of distance learning programs are perhaps better prepared to 'hit the ground running' and be productive in their career from day one.
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About the author: John Chaplin talks about Distance Learning and University of Phoenix. Learn more about obtaining your college degree at www.university-phoenix.com Get your own completely unique content version of this article.
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