10 MUST-haves for a Distance Learning Course

In this age driven by technology where time management is a crucial factor, taking a break from work to continue education can be a tough decision to make. Here comes the role of distance learning and education.

While these courses offer you the convenience of learning from the comfort of your den, it is important to ensure that the experience is a hassle-free one. Here are a few pointers you can consider before choosing a distance learning course and institute.

1. Quality of material:-

This is the primary source of knowledge for any programme offered through distance learning.

IGNOU claims to thoroughly revise the entire curriculum every three years.

Availability of supplementary text books is also another factor one must look at before selecting an institution.

2. Promptness in response:-

Since they operate through innumerable study centers, the quality of response normally is better in these cases.
The ease of admission process, query handling and effective counselling are factors one must look for while selecting a course.

The way the institution attempts to steer you towards a particular programme communicates a lot about the nature of the college.

If the counselors are just interested in making you sign up for a course, be varying.

If a college/ study center takes days to respond to an email, it is a sign of worse things to come when you actually enrolled.

3. Ease of examination:-

It is important that the university takes the responsibility and is fully involved in the evaluation process.

Moreover, examination schedules must be flexible and preferably online and on demand.

Many more echo the same sentiments.

4. Online support:-

This should be a major criterion in your decision making. Many colleges offer entire course material online.

The Learning Management System (LMS) as these schools call it, must be easy to use, interactive and support live chats, query management and effective means to communicate.

Online submission facility for assignments and electronic marking, if available, would be very good value adds.

5. Student support:-

More the merrier must be your mantra. 

They must have online support for course materials, assignments and project work submissions, placement support, audio visual learning aids, and e-learning facilities. 

A very robust Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) is essential for successful DL experience.

6. Access to study center:-

One should always look for study centres near one's place of work or residence. 

Verify if the study centres have the required expertise and experience, in terms of faculty and resources.

Some study centres end up having more number of students than they can handle. So it is important to find out the ratio of students to counsellors at the centre.

The ideal ratio must be 60:1. Do not count part-time counsellors, they just may not be available when you need them.

7. Lab/ Library support:-

This is especially important when the institution in question offers programmes like visual communication, science subjects, engineering courses or even hands on courses like fashion design, interiors etc. 

The college must be able to demonstrate adequate facilities for practicals so that your course does not end up becoming purely theory-based.

8. Quality of support faculty:-

This is very difficult to assess at the time of admissions. 

But still visit the study centers and interact with the faculty available.

Try to see their qualifications in the brochures. If there are senior students, make it a point to ask them.

9. Approvals:-

This is applicable only to professional programmes, which need further approval from respective agencies.

For example, an MBA needs the approval of AICTE, a BEd needs the approval of NCTE and so on. So look for relevant approvals.

In case of open universities this may not be applicable. But it does help if the institution conducts it in the full-time mode as well.

It will assure you that the university has the necessary expertise in delivering the relevant programme.

10. Cost of the programme:-

This is the clincher. Other things being equal always go for the cheaper option.

Finally employers treat all distance learning programmes almost on an equal footing.

Also please ask those who have passed out of the programme as to check for the delivery and quality of materials, level of customer support provided, quality of their doubt clearing services and their ability to conduct exams and deliver results on time