7 Passing Reasons for Online Learning Failure

in Education by Denise Gabbard — May 19, 2011 at 9:37 am | 0 comments

Why Doesn’t Distance Learning Always Work?

Distance learning has been around since the 18^th century, in the form of correspondence courses– which were thought to be inferior to classroom learning. In the past decade, distance learning has finally earned the respect of the majority of students, instructors, hiring managers, and the general public. Widely available computer access and advances in technology have made online learning quite similar to attending a brick and mortar school. However, there are still glitches in the system, and some of the best attributes of distance education can be pitfalls for some students.

Here are some reasons that students fail courses, give up on a course, and even drop out of school altogether:

Initiative– Distance education offers flexible scheduling and the ability to study and work any time, enabling students to work it around their own schedules with their family and work commitments. However, this requires the student to be self-motivated and schedule the time to actually sit down and complete the coursework. Procrastinators will tell themselves they will get to it later, but they may never get around to it.  

Location– Another plus to online learning is that you can work anywhere there is an internet connection and a computer. Studying while at home with the kids or on vacation becomes possible with distance learning. However, with those remote locations also come more demands on your time. It is hard to focus on your schoolwork if your little one is tugging on your sleeves because they want to play, or your husband wants you to spend some quality time with him. Unless you are self-disciplined, online educations can be nearly impossible.

Pace– Most online courses allow you to work at your own pace when it comes to completing assignments, and getting reports and tests completed. Of course, if you need prodded to keep moving forward, you may find yourself putting things off until the next of never.

Lowered Costs– Tuition is sometimes lower for online courses, typically no activity fees, no commuting costs, and many textbooks are available in digital format to save students on costs. How can this be a detriment? Unbelievably, some students take schoolwork less seriously because they have less invested.

Internet Courses– One of the most positive aspects of distance learning as we know it today is the great technology available for coursework. Instructors can use audio, video, text, and graphics of all kinds to teach their subjects. While this is wonderful for most people, if you are not tech-savvy and have difficulty navigating virtual environments, it can cause lots of frustration and be quite stressful.

Limited Human Interaction– After working all day and running errands to stores and the bank, most people are content to study and  relax at home. On the other hand, some people thrive on human interaction on all levels, and online learning might be difficult for you, especially if you learn best by asking questions. One other negative point is that you’re missing networking opportunities with both instructors and other students that might serve you well in the future when job hunting or looking for a business partner.

Attitude– Like most things in life, a positive and can-do attitude will serve you well while pursuing an online education. Being too cocky self-assured is not advised. Students who thrive in this environment realize that a collaborative process and maximum participation is vital.  Those who ‘know it all’ will have trouble meeting their goals and will quickly become disillusioned. Obviously, your motivations for pursuing your goals is an important factor. Mature students already in the workforce, or attempting a return, often work with a higher sense of urgency toward their educational goals, with a “get ‘er done” attitude. Those who are taking classes because they have no other immediate plans, or someone else wants them to often lack the attitude it takes to hit the books (and the computer) and get their education completed.

 

Distance learning can be a wonderful option for students who could not otherwise consider college. However, it is necessary to first take a personal inventory and realize your shortcomings so that you can have a plan in place to resolve those issues and be successful in your academic career.

 
Click the link if you think you have what it takes to get your degree online.

 

Tags: attitude Distance Learning initiative internet pace