Week 7- main task

Distance Learning in America

“The development of new technologies is creating a revolution in education and training in the United States” (Strehle: no date)

Distance learning has been used as an aid to studying as well as a primary resource of education in America. Most of the ‘on-campus’ programmes offer an increasing amount of online information for students. The use of distance learning technology is controversial in America, some academics view this as a threat to the quality of higher education. Distance learning uses a lot of new technologies and they are rapidly expanding in America. This has caused the obsolescence of ‘early teaching methods’ worrying the ‘old school’ style of teachers.

There is question whether distance learning is taking over ‘on-campus’ learning, or whether the number of students is simply increasing. The opportunity for students to learn in their own time allows them to have jobs at the same time, whilst gaining an invaluable qualification that is revered by many American employers. Strehle argues that there are simply more people applying for higher education and that there are still enough benefits to on-campus learning that people will apply for on-site University regardless.

It is the public institutions that are responsible for a lot of the distance learning, with 90% of them offering some sort of distance learning course. This does not include highly selective Universities (Harvard, Yale, etc.) They think that learning starts in the laboratory.

Employers are particularly keen on distance learning, as employees can get new qualifications and skills with fewer costs for travelling and lodging. The military are also keen to use this type of distance learning for their recruits, to cut costs and use time effectively.

Whilst a lot of Americans are worried about distance learning and it’s effects on the education system, I think that it has provided a good alternative to conventional learning and it has a lot of positives, such as learning in your own time and space with less costs. I don’t see this new system encroaching on campus based universities, but simply offering those who for some reason can’t attend, an alternative way to learn.

Strehl, G, (no date) Ingeta, Distance Learning In America, http://www.ingenta.com/institute2000/strehle.pdf [06.03.09]