Distance Education

Distance education is a type of formal learning in which student and instructors are in different places. It may be synchronous or asynchronous. If distance education is synchronous, instruction is given at a particular time and, usually, at specific locations. If distance education is asynchronous, instruction can be received by students wherever and whenever they desire, as long as they have access to the Internet or, in the case of correspondence education, to the mail.

Distance education can be accomplished through:

• mail and post offices;
• telephones and voicemail;
• one-way or interactive radio, television, satellite, audio, or video transmission;
• video cassette recorders (VCRs) or CD-ROMs;
• electronic mail (e-mail) and the Internet (e.g., Web-based learning).

Many distance education programs also require occasional attendance by the student on the campus of the college or university offering the program.

Students enroll in distance education programs for many reasons:

• logistical: they cannot attend a campus away from their home;
• familial: they have child-care or elder-care obligations;
• professional: they cannot get away from their current job in order to enhance their future possibilities;
• geographic: the program may be offered at a location that is not feasible to attend for economic, cultural, or political reasons.

Choosing a Distance Education Program

Most successful distance education students have done plenty of research to find the program that is right for them. Some of the points you need to consider before applying to a program include the following:

• Do I have a place at home or at work that I can claim as my own for extended periods of study and communication with the program? Will family members or others around me respect my need to spend time on my own?
• What are the specific educational outcomes of the program? Is earning a degree important to me, or do I want to take just a few classes to learn a new skill or to complete a certificate program to increase my professional status?
• What are the total costs of the program? Do the fees include books and shipping, if necessary? Are there any additional expenses I might incur? Is there any financial aid available?
• Is occasional attendance on the campus in the United States possible for me, or do I require a program that can be completed entirely from my home country without traveling to the United States?
• If the program is synchronous (that is, given at a particular time), would the time difference between my country and the campus in the United States prevent me from taking part?
• How is the program information delivered, and what equipment will I need to receive it? If it is a computer-based program, does the computer that I use meet the requirements of the program?
• Will the information be delivered to me in a timely enough fashion (for example, if it is delivered by mail) for me to complete the course?
• What academic or technical assistance is offered throughout the program by the institution or the body responsible for delivering the program?

The institutions that offer distance education programs are almost as varied as the programs themselves. Programs are available through traditional U.S. colleges and universities, "virtual" universities, two-year junior or community colleges, private corporations, and other organizations. Virtual universities offer no campus-based programs at all; every program they run is a distance education program. The number of virtual universities is increasing, and most hold the same kind of accreditation as traditional, campus-based institutions. Be sure to check that your program is accredited before applying. Read more about accreditation.

Costs for distance education vary considerably. Distance education can save you the expenses of travel, room, and board, but the actual academic fees usually correspond to those of traditional learning.

If any period of residency on campus is required during the course of the program, you should include those costs in your budget as well. You should also inquire about the costs of the learning materials needed to complete each course, and allow for the shipping fees and import duties that you might face. If there is a campus residency requirement for your program, you will probably need a student visa to travel to the United States. Confirm what type of visa is required with the institution you are interested in attending. Contact an EducationUSA advising center and the U.S. consulate or embassy in your home country to ask how to apply for a U.S. visa in your country and any costs involved. Read more about visas.

While some programs have no requirements for admission, most have similar application procedures for enrollment into a distance education program as on-site programs. If the institution offering the distance education program also offers campus-based programs, the requirements for applying will likely be the same for both.

For admission to distance education programs, many institutions require satisfactory scores on admissions tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), and/or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Application forms, similar to the ones you would fill out for an on-site program, are often required, along with transcripts showing your past educational performance. Letters of recommendation, application essays, statements of purpose, plus some other requirements, which vary from program to program, are often mandatory.

Many programs, before they accept applicants, require them to complete surveys and exercises in computer literacy. Consider spending some time practicing or refreshing any skills that you will need.

Once you are accepted into a program, it is important to find out what the arrangements are for receiving course materials and what the requirements are for promotion to the next level. Depending on the number of credits you transfer into the distance education program, you should be aware that, in general, completion of the program will take at least as long as completion of a program at a land-based site.

Quality of the Program

You should research the history and quality of any distance education program to determine its value to you. Here are some questions that you might want to ask:

• How long has the institution been enrolling students in this program?
• How often and through what mechanism is the program reviewed for the currency of its curriculum?
• How does the variety of courses offered compare with similar programs at other institutions?
• What is the average length of time it takes for a student to complete this program?
• What have graduates of this program gone on to do, particularly in terms of transferring to other degree programs or finding employment?
• How can I contact some of these graduates and their employers to talk about their learning experiences and their preparation for a career?
• Where can I find evaluations of this program?
• Will this program be recognized in my home country?

Accreditation

The recognized accrediting body for distance learning-only programs in the United States is the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC).  Please visit http://www.detc.org/ to check that the programs to which you plan to apply are accredited.

College-Based Programs: Distance education programs offered by an accredited college or university must be included in the overall accreditation of that institution. There is no such thing as a "partially accredited" institution, and, therefore, distance education programs must meet the accrediting body's standards and requirements. Read more about checking the accreditation of institutions.

"Virtual" Universities: Regional accreditation of a college or university is possible even if the institution has no physical library, campus, or full-time faculty. For these institutions, located primarily in cyberspace, the process for attaining accreditation is quite similar to the one for campus-based institutions. Programs of virtual universities must be reviewed and updated as often as campus-based programs are.

Non-Accredited Institutions: If the institution is not accredited, be sure to ask these questions:

• Can you name some universities or employers that recognize degrees or credits from your institution? (Note: you are advised to verify any information given.)
• What provisions have been made in the event that the program is discontinued before I have completed my studies?

In general, students with degrees from institutions not accredited by a recognized body will find it difficult to have their degrees recognized by any municipal, state, or federal agency, any foreign government, or the majority of private employers.

Security of the Program

Many potential employers, funding organizations, and government entities are concerned about the security and integrity of a degree earned through a distance education program. Therefore, you will need to find out what means the program uses to ensure that the students who are enrolled in the program complete the assignments and take examinations themselves. Then you will be able to inform prospective employers and other interested parties how the program has ensured the integrity of your degree.

For example, since the student and the instructor are not in the same place when an examination is given, how does the program ensure that the right person takes the test? Some accredited institutions require fish-eye cameras, which are now quite inexpensive, to be attached to computers in order to photograph the person using the computer. Others conduct biometric procedures, such as retina scans or thumbprints, to make sure that the person taking the test is indeed the person who signed up for the course. Finally, you should be aware that many programs require examinations to be proctored by a consular official, member of the clergy, officer in the U.S. armed services, or faculty member of a U.S.-accredited institution.