Academic Insights – #7 top tips for... distance learning

My name is Fernando Rosell-Aguilar

and I am a senior lecturer.

I work in distance learning,

designing and organising courses

for distance learning.

Distance learning takes place normally

in people's homes at a time

that they choose when it's convenient for them.

The learning comes from a number of sources:

it could be websites, books,

all sorts, and you digest

that information at your own pace.

I think anyone

can be a distance learner.

Some people just like

an app on their mobile phone

so they can learn

small chunks of information.

Other people want

to get a qualification out

of their studies.

Or they may want something

a lot more geared up

towards their professional development.

There are very short courses

and there are very long courses

that lead to full on university qualifications.

The difference between face to face

and distance learning

is that in a face to face situation

you have the opportunity

to ask questions

if you haven't understood something.

What you tend to find

is that the materials

have been written

so that they provide the answers

to any questions you may have

already in the materials

and the answer goes beyond whether

it's correct or incorrect.

It normally has an explanation

of why it's right or wrong,

and that helps you as a learner.

As a non-native speaker

you may find that

it's an extra challenge to study in English.

You are expected to

submit assignments in good academic English

and you may need a little

bit of extra support with that.

A really good idea is

to try shorter courses.

There are institutions that

offer lots of

free learning materials as

samplers of their courses.

Studying at a distance

doesn't necessarily mean

that you have to do more work because

you're on your own.

It just means that

you have to be more committed,

and you have to

be motivated to make sure

you see this through.

Go the distance.