The allure of e-learning

Abstract

Once upon a time, distance learning meant using the postal service to receive educational tools, submit papers and receive feedback. Now, thanks to the Internet, submission and feedback can be virtually instantaneous. However, although online education is a growing business, it doesn't necessarily mean that traditional classroom doors will be closed forever. Distance education is not for every student, particularly undergraduates, and not for every course. However, online education is well suited to graduate students due to their different lifestyles. Research has shown that e-learning can be as effective, if not more effective, than classroom based programmes. E-mails are answered faster than phone calls and faxes. Students can quickly access vast amounts of information via the Internet and, in many cases, can connect to the library that is offered at the distance educating facility. Other advantages of online learning are discussed and a guide to what can be expected when embarking on such a course is given.