Strengths and Weaknesses of Distance Learners
As previously defined, distance education is an
official educational system that uses communication technology as its platform
for leaning. In difference to in-class courses, distance education does not
promote physical presence of teachers nor students in a classroom. Distance
education uses technology to provide the necessary materials and guidance for
successful course achievement and completion. Nevertheless, students practicing
distance education have strengths and weaknesses that deliver from the basis of
this modality. These characteristics may impact learners differently, since
each student has different attitudes towards their learning process and life
expectations. The multiple-intelligence aspect plays also a very important role
when choosing the appropriate courses and materials; this at least, worked for
me.
There are strengths that a distance education learner can acquire or develop
while coursing this method. One of them is becoming more technologically
skilled. The usage and interaction with technology is an important aspect of
everyday life. The use of computers and internet is a must, nowadays. Distance
education lets the learner explore different ways to investigate, produce, or
transfer information. Since technology is the main platform for class
interaction, the student can explore the World Wide Web to successfully find
the resources needed to complete original and precise work, not mentioning that
there are also social platforms where they can exchange ideas and thoughts with
different colleagues and teachers. In my case, the usage of technology has
taken me to accomplish my goals in college and develop significant learning
fully applicable to my life and professional career.
Another strength
that could be found or developed in distance education is autonomy. Distance
education lets students decide when and how they will be working on their
assignments. Becoming autonomous is a major encouragement in new wave educational
institutions, and distance education promotes this value highly. Autonomy is a
synonym of responsibility; therefore, this is a major strength that every
student and person should have. In my opinion, as part of my adult life, being
autonomous is a guarantee of success and personal balance.
In regards of the weaknesses that a distance learner may encounter while
coursing this type of system, two come to my mind: the poor interaction and
feedback from teachers and other students, and the experience with technology
in a negative way. As humans, we are naturally social. A distance learner may
find the aspect of loneliness hard to overcome, at least this happen to me
once. Since the interaction among the class is through a virtual platform and in
many cases only in written form, the learner may find himself unsecured about
his progress, what to do with the assignments, and/or even when to do them.
Learners who are not accustomed to self-directed courses may feel
isolated from the rest of the group and the learning experience itself. This
may drive the student to feel unmotivated, depressed and unsecured; these last
aspects could be igniters that may encourage students to abandon their studies.
At one point, when I went back to finish high school, I enrolled in several
distance courses, and these aspects, mention above, made me regret being part
of them, but I must confess that my main failure was that I wanted to learn
like some of my partners and never paid attention to my own way of
learning.
Furthermore, another weakness that a distance learner may have is the use of
technology. Technology nowadays is changing at rapid rate, and new applications
and appliances are being used in distance education courses. The problem then
resides in the skills that the learner has and the accessibility to such
technology. For instance, certain courses need modern computer programs to
accomplish their objectives. For instance, let us say that a student does not
know how to manage this programs or worst cannot get the programs at all. This
may cause frustration and discouragement to an extreme level.
In conclusion, there are different issues a distance
learner may confront when using this educational system; however, distance
learners should be encouraged to think positive and become aware of the
difficulties that they may encounter in this system; by this I mean, getting
informed. Distance learning is, sometimes, taken as an easy to pass-class
experience, but the fact is that it should not be taken for granted. Students
(including myself) should meditate on the risks and challenges of this
modality, and the educational institutions should disclose this information
explicitly when recruiting students. From experience, something that helped
define what skills and aptitudes I was best at is the Multiple-Intelligence
Test; therefore, I encourage students, teachers, and any educational
institution to promote its usage since this is an essential aspect that may
significantly impact the formation of any person who wants to achieve learning
and academic competence.
Just for fun: I share with you my Multiple Intelligence Test results.
Intelligence type
|
my totals
|
Linguistic
|
13
|
Logical-Mathematical
|
22
|
Musical
|
10
|
Bodily-Kinesthetic
|
15
|
Spatial-Visual
|
15
|
Interpersonal
|
15
|
Intrapersonal
|
13
|
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