| Welcome to Degrees to Succeed! Our site is a comprehensive source of information for professional, trade, and vocational schools in the fields of the culinary arts, information technology (IT), graphic design, web design, animation, fashion design, interior design, business, and many others. |
Distance Learning: "Is it for me?"At first, distance learning sounds too good to be true: learn on your own time, from your own home, at your own pace, even while holding down a full-time job... could it really be that convenient and easy? It's definitely convenient -- that's probably the biggest draw to this fast-growing educational sector -- but you might want to wait before calling it "easy." In fact, most distance learning students will probably tell you that taking a course online is more demanding than taking one in person. While distance learning may give you an incredible amount of freedom, you'll need to remember that with freedom comes responsibility. How will you manage your study time when you no longer have regular class meetings? How will you keep up with your readings when it seems like, whenever you plan on getting some schoolwork done, something else comes up? And what will you do when you have a problem or question and there isn't a teacher within earshot? The answers come down to how motivated and disciplined you are. In order to be a successful distance education student, the most important factor is your ability to budget your time wisely. Whereas a traditional classroom environment provides weekly or daily meetings where you can check your progress -- many online courses are far less restrictive. Assignments may still be given out weekly, but without regular meetings, it's up to you to determine your own schedule, which usually means planning around your existing workload (at home or the office, if you work). It's also key that you be able to communicate effectively through writing, since that's how most of your assignments and interaction with your classmates and teachers will be conducted. You'll also need to be proactive and quickly ask for guidance or help when you're having trouble. The only way your teacher knows how you're doing is by how much you communicate, so it's important that you get in touch as soon as you feel yourself floundering. It's all too easy to fall behind. And it probably goes without saying that you'll need a computer and a modem (or virtually unrestricted access to someone else's) if you're going to fully devote yourself to your online studies. Distance learning can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be a great challenge -- especially if it's your first time taking a class online. As long as you know your goals, dedicate yourself to them, set aside time for your studies, and seek out help when you need it, there's no reason you can't be a success! Additional resources:
|