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RSS feedsSo you want to go back to class. You're able-bodied, confident and mobile. You live in one of Britain's major cities, you have no job or childcare commitments to get in the way and, luckily, the course you want to follow is at the college just around the corner.
Well done the five per cent of you who fit that bill. For the rest of us, once we pass normal college leaving age, a mountain of obstacles awaits.
The internet has been subtly changing things, however. Computer-based learning isn't going to do away with the classroom - at least not completely - as there are many occasions when you'll need to work face-to-face with your tutor or debate with your fellow pupils.
But the computer can complement some forms of study, replace others, and open doors to students who would otherwise be left dreaming of what might have been.
Pros and cons
Nicky Philby is a lecturer with 20 years of teaching experience, and is in no doubt about the pros and cons of online learning. "Flexibility and adaptability is the big plus," she explained.
"A traditional course takes place at a certain time and place, which is not good for everyone. Online teaching can raise inclusivity so that people with disabilities who can't physically travel to a college, and parent/carers with young families, can bring the tuition home."
Philby believes that online study can often push students' work to a higher level by bringing them into contact with experts they would not otherwise deal with.
"It could be the difference between settling for bricklaying at the local college or architecture at university," she said.
"Online studying creates 'virtual centres of excellence'. Maybe the authority in your field lectures in the US, in which case the web removes the geographical barrier."
It can mean virtual tutorials with other students, using tools such as instant messaging to talk through problems and work on projects. If you study a little-known subject, there may be only a handful of students worldwide in your field, but they are only as far away as your desktop.
There are disadvantages too. Such flexibility of study can be unsuitable for a less disciplined student and, although it sounds marvellous to email your tutor for problems with an essay, this lack of personal contact can hurt.
"Every tutor has used tutorials to draw problems from a student," explained Philby. "Often it emerges that they're having problems at home or difficulty balancing work and study. Things can get missed if you only communicate via email."
While the more motivated might find 'virtual peer groups' stimulating, the lack of a physical class spirit, working together in groups, even going to the bar afterwards, can remove an important part of student life. So consider what you want from your course and be realistic about your levels of self discipline.
What's on offer?
If you can think of a course, you'll find it online, be it a glorified quiz or a post-graduate degree. The most impressive development in recent years is the calibre of available courses.
Many of our universities, particularly the newer ones, are canny about marketing and realise that offering greater flexibility gives them an edge when it comes to hooking students.
"It was never the case that three years' study at 18, followed by a job for life, suited everyone, but the last decades have forced real change," said Philby.
"The need to adapt to new technologies means we have to acquire new skills throughout our lives. Hence the government's lifelong learning strategy."
Couple that with technology that can deliver home learning - your PC, an internet connection and access to email - and students and colleges can communicate in new ways.
As for cost, online learning isn't the cheap way out. A good quality course will cost about the same as those where you attend a campus. Significantly, none of the four students we interviewed cited cost as their reason for studying online. Just remember that you won't be paying for accommodation or travel and you needn't give up your job.
First class or second best?
It's the old internet conundrum: loads of choice but entirely unmediated. How do you tell serious colleges from charlatans? Actually, it's not so hard. See the Contacts section below for ideas on where to start looking and for some questions you should ask.
Choose carefully and there's no reason why your qualification will be viewed as second best; quite the opposite, according to recruitment consultant Tony Cready.
"Distance learning develops skills that employers find attractive. They see you as a self-starter, self-disciplined and resourceful," he explained.
A 2002 survey by the Financial Times saw employers ranking 'interpersonal skills' as most important in a new recruit, followed closely by 'ability' and 'willingness to learn'. The least important factor by a long way was that a student studied away from home.
If you study with a reputable college, then the qualification should be of an identical standard to that for campus study. The University of London has offered distance learning for 150 years and makes no distinctions.
"There can't be a difference," argued Philby. "Reputable colleges see this as a revenue-spinning future. They are sensitive to being seen as second best, so the last thing they're going to do is compromise their product."
STUDENT PROFILES
The web designer
Jason Mark left school at 16 with a handful of GCSEs and an "obsessive" interest in computers, which led to jobs in technical support. A decade on, he'd "had enough of recovering people's files from the Recycle Bin and telling them not to pour coffee into their keyboards".
An interest in design led to the web design courses at Exeter University, and he recently completed the 10-week Programming Undergraduate Certificate. The course builds, through short modules, into a BA (Hons) qualification.
Two young children made it impractical for Jason to move from London to Devon, so how has he found working for a degree online?
"Hard! Who wants to get down to homework after a working day and putting the kids to bed? I burn a lot of midnight oil," he admitted. "That's the tough bit but it's also the advantage. Studying online lets me mould the course around my life, to keep earning. The fact is, if it wasn't online, I couldn't be doing it."
Jason says the same thing as many who study online: you need the right technology. The prerequisites for his course are a Windows PC with internet and email access, and broadband is recommended.
"You're going to have no fun watching animations and video over a slow internet connection, and you want to see your pages as others see them. Don't make life hard for yourself," he said.
The journalist
James Lehman took the Online Postgraduate Diploma Course in General Journalism from the London School of Journalism (LSJ).
"Since I graduated six years ago I've worked in marketing," he explained. "I decided to make the move but I couldn't afford to stop working."
The full course (comprising four modules) spans two academic years, leading to the Postgraduate Journalism Diploma which is recognised by the National Union of Journalists.
"I was nervous about squeezing this around my job but they let you take a break between modules as long as you complete within five years," said James.
All lectures and tutorials are delivered in real time over the LSJ's secure website. There are message boards for each course group where students can chat, motivate and support each other, and space for individuals to show their work. Here, tutors and students can offer comments and opinions.
There is also a virtual classroom for personal meetings with your tutor where you can discuss the written work for your portfolio.
Students commit to one tutorial per month and one lecture per week, with five to eight hours reading, research and written assignments each week. They must achieve 85 per cent 'attendance' at lectures and tutorials.
Assignments are returned to tutors by email or by posting to your private classroom, and tutors give email support between lectures and tutorials.
James found real-time lectures a good idea for staying motivated. "You can rack up eight hours study anytime but having to be there for lectures at a specific time prevents drifting," he said.
The linguist
Open University degrees are not named and come in two varieties, BA and BSc, with students compiling modules towards their eventual degree.
Terry Bray started the journey with a course in French. The OU is founded on distance learning, so it's no surprise that it was an early adopter of e-learning, with courses graded E-enhanced, E-focused or E-intensive depending on how much study is based at home.
French is E-intensive and Terry welcomed an environment where most course content was online, including lectures, tutorial support, conferencing and interactive CD and DVD-Rom.
"I'm comfortable at a computer and I find that vocabulary and grammar tests work well when you can repeat them ad nauseam," he said. Terry One terrific innovation saw the OU Library going online, giving students access to more than 6,000 journals, 100 databases, 500,000 texts in electronic format, digitised theses and portals containing websites chosen for their relevance to OU courses.
The historian
For David Sander, the internet was a lifeline. Six years ago, the freelance newspaper sub-editor lost his mobility and his livelihood in a car accident. Originally a "complete technophobe" he found the internet and email a way to maintain and build friendships, using the web and message boards to research palliative care for his condition.
His increasing expertise (and endless hours online) led to a new career in online sub-editing, and this year it has led him back to studying, as he embarks on the University of London's BA in History.
The programme is supported online through a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), which is accessible through Internet Explorer. The VLE gives access to study guides and learning materials, and lets students communicate with tutors and fellow students through online seminars.
David said that this environment "gives you the opportunity to work with, and learn from, students across the world. It's an irony really: from feeling trapped, I'm travelling more than ever before."
It's in your hands
Freeing time, letting us shoehorn study around our lives, giving access to university libraries the world over, allowing us to brainstorm with the entire online population of the planet; the emerging picture of online learning is one of access for everyone, and access to a much wider range of sources and influences.
We've looked at a very few of the online options here. By the time you read this the world of online learning will have grown more. There's been a lot of hype about how the internet is going to remake our futures, but online learning is one thing that really could change yours.
A degree of caution
So, why put in all this effort when you can buy a degree off the shelf? Along with invitations to buy Viagra and Paris Hilton videos, our Hotmail inbox groans with adverts for instant qualifications from American 'universities'.
There's no stress and no worry about failure. But remember, no serious institution sends out bulk emails and none will award qualifications solely for 'life' experience, although you may win credit toward a degree.
Avoid organisations claiming accreditation from an association not recognised by the Department for Education and Skills. You know they sound dodgy and so will potential employers and colleagues.
Here's a checklist for choosing a course:
- What qualification will I receive?
- Is it recognised by employers or professional associations?
- What are the admission requirements?
- What are the main aims of the course?
- How is it taught and who are the teachers?
- What materials are provided?
- Will I be able to get the books I need?
- What support is available from the institution and/or locally?
- How is it assessed?
- Who is responsible for setting and marking exams?
- How long will it take?
- How much will it cost?
Grants and loans
Student finance is a confusing patchwork of loans, bursaries, grants, career development loans and scholarships, but you stand a greater chance if your course leads to an accredited qualification. Visit www.lifelonglearning.dfes.gov.uk, which sets out the financial support available for students of 19 and over.
The Learning and Skills Council has useful information for those aged 16 and over. Try your local education authority, which can tell you if your course qualifies for support. Help for those juggling study and childcare may be available, see www.childcarelink.gov.uk.
If all else fails, you can borrow up to £8,000 via a Career Development Loan, see www.lifelonglearning.co.uk for more details.
CONTACTS
www.clicktolearn.org.uk
Dedicated to developing people and businesses in rural areas in the UK.
www.dfes.gov.uk
Department for Education and Skills. View colleges and awards bodies here.
dmoz.org
The Open Directory Project's listings of online courses. Global and comprehensive.
www.findacourse.com
Comprehensive guide to UK courses, online and classroom-based.
iet.open.ac.uk/coursesonline
A centre for research and development of online teaching and learning.
www.ldonline.org
Open resources for those with learning disabilities.
www.learndirect.co.uk
Hundreds of online courses. Very good for IT, office and personal development.
www.open.ac.uk
The Open University is a pioneer of distance learning (and now online learning).
www.ukeu.com
UKeU provides online study, in tandem with a host of UK universities.
www.worldwidelearn.com
Huge directory of online courses and accredited online degrees.
www.exeter.ac.uk
Exeter University.
www.lsj.org
London School of Journalism.
www.londonexternal.ac.uk
University of London.
See also:
All Online
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