Distance learning is a different way of education. Any learning basically involves two parties- the learner and the teacher or instructor. When the situation is such that the two parties are apart from each other and cannot have face to face interaction, they take recourse to distance learning conducted through virtual classrooms. The various resources used to impart distance learning are correspondence, audio and video media and electronic communication which for obvious reasons is now the most preferred one.
This is why distance learning is now also referred as e-learning. While providing more flexibility to a learner by eliminating locational constraints, it also demands a more organized and disciplined approach from the learner who should know the importance of managing time effectively. Distance learning or education is no less difficult than the traditional way of learning.
Distance learning often throws up attitudinal problems and issues among the instructors and students. The instructors often feel that their position in the teaching profession would diminish if they get involved in distance learning process. E-learning requires publication of study materials on internet that makes access to these easier. It creates a sense of threat among instructors that they would lose ownership of the course materials designed by them by virtue of their accessibility to public. Once they cease to have any part in distance education, the organizations running the activity are forced to engage people for delivering the packaged courses who may not be as skilled and knowledgeable as a professional instructor. Another deterrent for an instructor to join distance learning is the apprehension that the activity is not really given much priority by the educational institutions engaged in it. A distance learning instructor is more often than not inadequately compensated.
Their performance and contribution to distance education goes unrecognized notwithstanding the fact that such off-campus activities steal a lot of time that could be more remuneratively spent by an instructor for grant-fetching research and publishing of writings. The instructors fear that this way they stand to lose grants as well as their evaluations for career progression. With growing popularity of e-learning through various virtual classroom methods, it is high time the institutions involved in distance learning rise up to address these real threats and problems encountered by skilled instructors and find solutions.
Distance learning may not be suitable for all kinds of students. Also there are subjects that cannot be imparted effectively by distance learning. A student must possess some characteristics of maturity like flexibility, time discipline and accommodativeness to be successfully educated by this process. Distance learning is easier for people already employed as they are motivated and focussed enough to be free from distractions that thwart time discipline as happens in case of traditional students. However where distance learning fails to encourage collaborative participation, benefits from this process is diminished.
The element of remoteness in distance education makes it more imperative for learners to get attention of their instructors. The sources of threat perception among students arise from their lack of face to face contacts with fellow students and instructors. The inherent low degree of interaction and lack of communication often lead to a student misunderstanding disapproval from either student or instructor as threat. Video interactions have further enhanced this possibility by highlighting the deficiency of the institution before the student making his approach and response to the instructors and fellow students cynical. Students tend to respond to this situation by neglecting studies and deliberately becoming unparticipative.
