Common Difficulties With Distance Learning Courses and How to Overcome Them

Distance learning courses could be a very strange environment for students new to the field. Like every other way of study students find some common difficulties in this way of education. Let's focus on a few of these with possible solutions on how to avoid them.

Motivation

When you study trough a home study course self motivation is one of the major concerns. This is especially difficult after you had a tough day at work and then have to sit down and do your bit of studying for the day.

The best way to keep your motivation up to par is to reward yourself for every chapter or work piece you complete with something you like a lot. It is really difficult to turn down a social engagement in order to study, prioritization is essential. You need to decide what is more important, a nice party or furthering your future career.

Interaction

A lot of students participating in distance learning courses find it difficult to study without the constant help and interaction with a teacher or other students. A good way to create these interactions is to choose a course with multimedia aspects that includes; video, audio and written lectures. It is also important that you join social media groups or forums that contain students studying the same course as you do. That way you will be ensured that you have some kind of support network and help when you struggle with certain parts of the course. Some courses will also include a live chat option where you will be able to make contact with the lecturer, use this function to your advantage.

Technology

Technology can be a problem during distance learning courses, either by the over use or a loss of internet access. Some courses place a high focus on the use of technology, while there may be students that do not have the means to acquire these sources. Another major dilemma could be the loss of an internet connection during a study session. All you can do in this regard is to try and ensure that you have a stable internet connection and that you access the course material out of peak times.

Skills development

A big concern with distance learning courses is the loss of skills and the development there of. A specifically named skill is that of oral communication. The best way to ensure that you do not lose your oral and narrative skills is to talk to a friend about the course you are taking, and relay some of the things you have learned. Another option is to use a voice recorder and record yourself as you discuss the course with yourself. This will help you to stay relatable and to remain focussed on your studies.

Conclusion

Even though the use of distance learning courses has its pitfalls there are ways to overcome them. You simply need to ensure that you choose a course that you can relate to and set yourself achievable goals.

Susan works for a company called Distance Learning, the company provides high quality Distance learning courses. In her spare time Susan likes to write blog and articles about different aspects of her distance learning.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_J_Wright
http://EzineArticles.com/?Common-Difficulties-With-Distance-Learning-Courses-and-How-to-Overcome-Them&id=8063080