Distance education programs are more popular than ever. College and high school students now have hundreds of legitimate distance education schools to choose from. If you’re new to the idea of learning through distance education, this article will help you understand the basics.

Distance education is any type of schooling that takes place away from a physical campus. Distance education is also known as:

• istance learning
• Virtual learning
• Online learning
• E - learning
• Online education
• Web - based training

There are two types of programs offered by distance education schools:

• Synchronous Learning Programs
• Asynchronous Learning Programs

With Synchronous Learning, distance education students must log on to the school’s website at a set time. Often, they interact with their peers and professors via group chats, web seminars, video conferencing, and phone call-ins.

With Asynchronous Learning, distance education students complete all coursework on their own time. They often learn via assignment sheets, message boards, email, pre-recorded video lectures, mp3s, and traditional mail correspondence.

Many students find that distance education courses give them the freedom to complete a degree while meeting their personal and professional obligations. Motivated learners are often able to complete distance education degrees in a fraction of the time often required. Distance education courses also allow students to network with participants from all over the nation.

On the downside, distance education courses do not offer the face-to-face interaction found in traditional classrooms. Some students find that they struggle to stay motivated and meet deadlines due to the independent nature of distance education courses.