Distance Learning: UK The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of long distance learning for over a century and a half. Students can obtain degrees in a wide range of studies from a number of colleges and universities without ever setting foot on a campus. This offers extraordinary convenience not only to students living in the UK, but also to those who live abroad because they are in the military, traveling, or for other reasons. England is home to the world’s oldest external distance learning program. UK University, a distance learning component of the University of London, was established in 1858. It currently serves more than 40,000 students enrolled in their distance learning courses. This arm of the University of London grants bachelor’s and master’s degrees in an array of fields of focus. The vast majority of these programs can be completed entirely online, typically in two to four years of full-time study. Only five of the degrees the university offers do not permit entirely virtual work, but have a limited amount of on-campus coursework. However, the school partners with 200 institutions worldwide where these credits can be completed. Another option is the Open University, which has laid claim to being the first successful distance teaching university in the world, and is committed to exploring and developing strong educational plans using communications technology in order to provide individuals who lack the opportunity to attend classes at brick-and-mortar schools to receive a quality education. The school was founded with the idea of serving lower income populations using the media of radio and television. In fact, it was referred to as a “University of the Air.” The school opened in 1971 with an astonishing enrollment of 25,000 students who were offered four types of programs: mathematics, social sciences, the arts, and science. Enrollees were not required to provide evidence of previous education. Admission was granted based solely upon completing two foundation courses. Teaching learning and study skills was vital to this first wave of students, as many of them had not grown up with these basics. It is interesting to note that many of the first graduates went on to become teachers themselves. At its inception, the open university concept was met with suspicion. It took years of effort and evidence to convince naysayers that distance learning for people at all economic levels was not only feasible, it was vital. In the early days, class materials were delivered via late-night television programming and study kits delivered through the mail services. By the late 70s, student population had climbed to 70,000, with 6,000 students receiving degrees annually. In 1983 the Open University’s Business School was created, and it has since grown to become Europe’s largest school of business, serving not only Britons, but also the European community. With changing technology, the Open University graduated from late-night television broadcasts to videos that could be viewed at the student’s convenience, and then to computer learning in 1988, with three classes that required working with computers. As internet technology has grown to include instant messaging, email, streaming videos, and more, so, too, have the ways the Open University delivers educational materials. As technology makes virtual learning more and more feasible, the school has been able to add an increasing number of degreed programs. Modern languages and legal studies were added in the 90s. During this time and into the present, the Open University also established partnerships both within and outside of England. The BBC became central to the school’s information delivery, and a number of Eastern bloc nations began to work with the Open University to develop programs for their citizens. Currently, the school boasts an enrollment of over 20,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The programs, which range from six to nine months in length, offer students convenience and flexibility, although they do require work be completed by a certain date; testing and projects are also assigned a due date. In addition to traditional degrees, the Open University grants bachelor’s of arts and of science degrees. These open degrees aren’t specifically connected to a single subject area, and students can earn credits required for graduation from a number of fields of study. The Open University has become a hugely popular option both because it offers opportunity to those who might otherwise not have the means to improve their own lives through education, but also because of the many benefits of convenience. Learning virtually means students don’t waste hours a week traveling to and from classes. Nor do they lose time in a classroom setting in which the instructor must entertain questions from students that might not be useful to other students who are familiar with the material. In addition, people who are already well entrenched in the work world may continue to work while simultaneously earning a higher degree that will ultimately help them to advance at a quicker pace. While it’s obvious that anyone willing to commit to full-time study will complete the degree more quickly than students who must balance work and studies, it’s still better to take an extra year or two earning a degree, than not to earn one at all. And of course, another boon to long distance learning of this type is that parents of young children who are committed to improving their own lives and what they can offer their offspring have the chance to work toward a degree without sacrificing the needs of the family. In spite of all these advantages, distance learning isn’t right for everyone. In order to be successful, a student must be able to remain on-task over an extended period of time. It’s a mistake to assume that distance learning is going to be faster and easier because you don’t waste time in class. In actuality, it can require more of the student. When material isn’t clear, it’s the student’s job to do further research, for example. Students who are good at time management, self motivated, and determined to succeed will find that distance learning may be a terrific way to improve their futures. |
Students enrolled in one of England’s distance learning university programs can be assured they are receiving a high quality education because all such programs are given higher education approval only after they have been evaluated by the Higher Education Council for England’s Quality Assurance Agency. The council was established in order to guarantee that public funds are being well spent on schools whose programs meet a strict set of educational criteria. In addition, students should determine that any distance learning program they are interested in has been accredited by the Open and Distance Learning Quality Council. The easiest way to do so is by visiting its website. This organization, originally a governmental agency, has since been privatized.