Distance education is a way to teach students online. Lectures and duties are sent online, Students attend classes at home instead of in classes. Because of the Corona pandemic, Distance education strategies commonly used in universities and colleges in primary and secondary schools have also been adopted. Many schools are now forced to provide distance education opportunities and implement these strategies effectively.

Goals of distance education

In addition to the main goal of transferring knowledge and information to students, Distance education has many other objectives, Which we can summarize as follows:

Increase access to learning opportunities and make the educational process more flexible for students and teachers.

Enhance overall experience in teaching and learning.

Promoting and developing basic skills and competencies in the 21st century.

In particular, Be sure to provide learners with basic digital knowledge in their fields and professions. Or in short, help students get jobs in the future world.

Meet learning patterns and the needs of millennial students.

Reduce the cost of university education without compromising its quality.

Be at the forefront of the development of education technology and digitization of this system as an inevitable response to technology.

Increasing the dissemination and dissemination of education and empowering self-management systems in the learning process.

Simultaneous and asynchronous education

We can divide distance education into two main categories:

Synchronous Education

Asynchronous education

You must have a good understanding of the differences between these two categories and the differences between them, Different forms of distance education fall into one of them.

Here’s an explanation for each category:

Synchronization refers to simultaneous learning at the same time. Refers to the method of distance education where educational materials are delivered to students at the same time. You need direct contact between students and teachers, You can use techniques such as live conferences to do so. Simultaneous education is the smaller form of flexible distance learning. In all cases, Students should meet with their teachers and other colleagues at specific pre-agreed times. As a result, this approach limits their ability to learn as quickly as they want, This can be frustrating for some students because it limits their freedom.

Asynchronous Asynchronous Education:

In the case of asynchronous distance learning, Students receive a range of subjects with weekly deadlines. This gives them the freedom to study and learn as quickly as they can. Not only that, This type of distance education provides students with more opportunities to interact with topic content as well as with colleagues because they have access to and interact with the permanent conservation of educational materials through online chat, tests, reviews and more. As a result, Both students and teachers benefit from the flexibility of asynchronous learning, That enables them to create and consume educational content in proportion to their free time and schedule.

What are the types of distance education?

Distance education is a vast world with many forms and methods, All fall into one of two main categories: Simultaneous or asynchronous education, Some of them may be a combination of the two, including: Video conferencing. Remote hybrid education. Offer online courses. Special online courses. Let’s take a closer look at each type: Video conferencing is usually one or more people who come together and use video capabilities to communicate online. This model falls into the category of simultaneous learning using tools such as Zoom. Blackboard collaboration. Adobe Connect. or other simultaneous communication programs that allow students and teachers to communicate with each other regardless of where they are. Video conferences strengthen the teacher-student relationship and provide a clear structure for the process of planning and preparing lessons, This makes it an integral part of the distance education process.

Remote hybrid education

Hybrid education combines simultaneous and asynchronous methods. Students receive deadlines to complete tasks and exams, They then start studying as quickly as they do. They then deliver tasks through online forums and platforms. The more students learn, This was the best access to new modules and themes. This method is very effective and successful for students who prefer independence and self-reliance in their studies. Read also: The best mental games to exercise your mind and strengthen your memory Open an online training course is one of the most common forms of asynchronous education this gives students a lot of freedom. before allowing them to learn at their own speed, Teachers provide them with online study guides and textbooks, In addition to the most important ads about it. Students who understand the importance of self-study will excel in this type of education. But it actually requires a lot of commitment and self-motivation. This type of education can be a major challenge for students who lack this skill, They may be confused by providing course materials, They may lose motivation to work and study effectively, which affects their academic performance. Final. Fixed-time online training courses – the most common form of distance learning, Students log on to a private website at specific times and must complete a series of semester activities according to pre-set deadlines. These activities usually include specific conversations or discussions as well as other exercises and teaching tasks. Some online courses encourage students to interact with each other, But they still limit their ability to learn as quickly and as quickly as they do.

Advantages of distance education

The benefits and benefits of distance education vary according to their different categories (simultaneous or asynchronous), But they generally include:

Self-stimulation: Distance education forces students to take on a greater responsibility, which motivates them to develop and develop many skills such as: Discipline. Organizational skills. Time management skills.

Flexibility is perhaps the most important feature associated with distance education. Gives students flexibility that may increase or decrease depending on their type and the nature of the subject matter. However, It generally allows students to adapt their schedule to their time and attend lectures and classes from wherever they want. Read also: Flexibility and adaptability: Basic skills are the most successful in the labour market!

Easy access to and sometimes adaptation of educational materials, Some people may not be able to attend traditional education because work or family responsibilities may hinder students. However, Distance education makes it possible to continue learning anytime, anywhere. Because students only need a computer and a good connection online. Not only that, Teachers can prepare, review and modify educational materials to suit the different needs of students, This is not possible with traditional education systems.

4. Saving time and money provides distance education with time and money, Neither students nor teachers need to waste valuable time travelling between home and campus (or educational institution) because they can learn and teach from home. They do not have to do anything about housing, the cost of travel, the price of textbooks and other necessities to complete the traditional course. This makes distance education a unique and relatively inexpensive experience. Read also: How to become rich: Simple habits that will make you rich in the future

5- Provide a fun interactive experience: It is true that traditional education can provide a higher rate of interaction, But it’s not necessarily fun. Unlike the process of distance learning, Distance learning allows students to participate in many interactive activities that increase their efficiency and enhance their performance. Examples include virtual tours to websites related to educational programs. How does model distance education work? Distance education in many higher education institutions is no different from traditional education systems in terms of duration and length of lecture. It usually lasts eight weeks or a full period. During this time, Teachers will: Prepare weekly learning topics. Provide topics for students to discuss. Add homework, Explain its solution and details of its completion. Record lectures, videos or presentations (explanation of the main article). Students then spend their time: Watch lectures and presentations. Do the necessary research on the topic discussed. Add a new publication to the education platform and discuss it with other colleagues. Providing homework. Participate in a live video conference. If you have any other questions, Please contact the teacher by email. To abide by these steps, by both students and teachers, A key to achieving the goals of distance education and making it a successful demonstration process.

Is there real value in distance education?

Although distance education was considered less important and valuable than traditional education in the past, Today, however, it competes with and sometimes surpasses traditional education. This is largely due to new technology and video that makes distance learning look elegant and help keep students engaged. Students. Read also: Everything you need to know about open book exams online and how to prepare for them, what are the disadvantages of distance learning? There is no doubt that distance education has many benefits and benefits, But that doesn’t mean that without negatives and loopholes, We can summarize them as follows: The process of distance learning, The risk of losing the deadlines for the task or examination. Without face-to-face lectures, Many students may lose motivation and desire to learn. Distance education can be effective for students who are proficient in working independently, But students who are less able to organize and prioritize may have many problems and may not benefit from this learning method. Distance learning is already cheaper than traditional education, But it comes with many additional costs that can be a burden on some, For example: The ability to provide suitable computers. difficulty in getting a good internet connection, Especially when suburbs or remote areas. A camera is required (in some cases). There is a constant need for computer maintenance. Many students may not be able to obtain or provide these supplies, This makes distance education an unfavorable and unsuccessful experience.

Are distance learning certificates certified?

In recent years, Distance education has gained wide popularity. In the fall of 2017, More than 3.1 million students enrolled in remote higher education institutions. This number is increasing, Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic led to the total or partial closure of cities and countries. The increase in this number has been accompanied by an increase in the reliability of distance education and the university is now considered a good distance university as a genuine educational institution. However, It should be noted here that caution must be exercised before enrolling at any distant university, Where some educational institutions may offer unapproved certificates, Or they may be fake and are intended only as fraud. Look for more scholarships on the opportunity there are three types of accreditation by academic institutions: Programmatic accreditation: Accreditation for some study programs only. Regional accreditation: It means that the university or academic institution is recognized by various regional bodies and institutions. National accreditation: It means that the educational institution’s programmes and certificates are recognized at the national level and recognized by a particular state or by all national institutions in a country. Be sure to check the certificates and so on granted at the end of the program before joining any distance learning program if the certificate score meets your future goals. We therefore provide you with a comprehensive guide to distance education, its most important forms, features, disadvantages and limitations. Do you find yourself equipped with the skills and possibilities to participate in this type of education? Or do you prefer traditional teaching methods? If you do, What’s the reason?