What are problems encountered in distance education?
There are many problems that distance education presents to a new market of students. Today’s world is pushed forward at blinding rates to accomplish more and more in periods of time that grow shorter and shorter. The world operates around the clock. New advantages such as twenty-four hour banking have become commonplace. People sleep, the world never does. Due to this, distance education will become more prevalent as time progresses. Professors become multi-media monitors as the student's progress towards a distance degree.
In our region, the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools began dealing with the new issue of distance education (Hankin, 3). Middle States published Guidelines for Distance Learning Programs. This publication dealt with the role of the student, the role of the professor, and the perceived benefits in a distance education program. Middle States took into account every preparation that goes into distance programs.
A large problem comes from online research. Key words may turn up in other articles that have no relevance to the topic at hand. Students are using their time for other things than college research. The web introduces no boundaries. This will lead students away from learning. Students will occupy computers for hours without even starting work. Students need a way to direct their focus (Hankin, 3).
Interaction between students and their professor dramatically fell when involved with a distance program. Students skip class when they are required to be at a specific time at a specific place. What will stop students from cutting class when there is no scheduled time for attendance? The faculty needs to be properly trained in modes of delivery to maximize the number of students involved with a program (Hankin, 3).
Many students value the social aspects of the college experience. Students learn valuable lessons from networking at social university functions. The benefits of distance education to these students do not measure up to traditional universities. Certain schools famous for their social aspects will feel much less motivation to offer distance education (Fornaciari, 3).
Benchmarking presents many problems when dealing with the uniqueness of one university versus another. Benchmarking is defined as taking the competitive advantages and practices of another entity and making those qualities part of daily operations. More distance programs will develop into poor replications of quality education.
Universities will invest a large part of their budget to developing a distance education. These funds are taken from programs currently in practice. Operations vital to the atmosphere of the university will be sacrificed for distance education due to inadequate revenue generation. Overspending will result from universities compensating for a weak distance education program.
Differentiation is necessary in the new field of distance education. Differentiation in distance education strives to attract new customers and develop customer loyalty. This is accomplished by inventing unique programs that warrant a premium pricing program. Differentiation is difficult because new operations are commercialized over night. New brand images, features, services, and technology are constantly benchmarked by weaker competitors.
The jobs of educators using distance education programs becomes increasingly difficult. The main goal these people have is to avoid reinventing the wheel (Hankin, 6). The must analyze the present modes of operation to see where strategic advantages come into play. They must identify the threats and weaknesses of their university and capitalize on them. The future of education must run efficiently before mass acceptance of distance education becomes prevalent.
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