At some point of their existence, all distance-learning programs have been questioned on effectiveness, competition, social impact or real value. In fact, there was a time when correspondence courses were the cause of shame for students, who were seen as "second-class" employees.
Times have changed and distance learning programs are as reputable as traditional learning on campus or in-classrooms, but with countless opportunities for leaning at home or in a place away from an educational center.
Evaluating distance learning programs is today easier than ever before. There are traditional printed magazines with sections aimed to help consumers in different aspects of everyday issues, including online education.
Furthermore, the Internet provides you with unimaginable elements making evaluation of distance learning programs of any type easier. Comparing traditional schools that also offer online courses and degrees, with those institutions that only operate online, and even the existing correspondence courses and other resources for distance educations such as courses on CD-ROMs and other removable media.
Finding whether a school is worth your time and money depends on a number of factors including your personal goals. However, you must pay attention to a few little or big details that make online learning the difference between improved knowledge and a waste of time.
The first factors to take into account when evaluating an online school is accreditation, student service, administration and faculty. In the United States, the decentralized educational system of accreditation is one of a kind, so being enrolled in a program from an accredited academic institution is important.
In the United Kingdom, the equivalent system to the American model is the Royal Charter, so keep this in mind when you find that your chosen online school is not U.S. accredited, but exhibiting this British accreditation.
How can you know if a school or leaning institute is accredited? It is expected that distance-learning programs include an accreditation statement regarding the institution offering such program; however, it is not always visible at first glance.
The reason this may happen can be a web site clustered with information, or there is a specific location for the statement. If there is an "About us" link or "Our Mission" it is more likely to find the accreditation statement within these area, otherwise try the search facility on-site or browse the site map, if any.
In relation to administration and faculty, this factor is mostly associated to universities and colleges that offer a wide variety of distance learning programs, in which case you need to find a list indicating the names of each college's faculty, names of every administrator and overall qualifications.
Best Practices Compliance and course approval process are other factors that speak aloud of an online institution by themselves. As it is also expected that any school providing distance learning programs have a contact form for students support.
Most legitimate distance learning programs provide the name of the academic institution, with mail and email addresses, phone numbers and online options for contact different areas such as billing, teaching support, feedback and comments etc. Although there are many other factors that can be evaluated, these are the basic you must pay attention before it is too late.
