Earning a Degree Through Distance Education Essay

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Plan of Argument

Earning a degree through distance education is better than through a traditional institution because, distance education offer degrees that provide high quality skills and knowledge than traditional institutions. The institutions have great financial and personnel ability to develop and implement good programs. Furthermore, distance education offers a wide range of degree courses compared to the fewer courses offered in traditional institutions. The quality of learning through social interaction in distance learning institutions is greater than that in traditional institutions.

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However, traditional institutions are able to offer high quality degree courses (high skills and knowledge) if the courses are flexible and dynamic to changes. The institutions’ have the ability to develop good degree courses if they get assistance to develop the programs. Traditional institutions may offer a wide range of degree courses if they have a well organized management to coordinate many degree courses effectively. In addition, the quality of education emanating from social interaction may be improved by developing programs and teaching method s that encourage diversified way of thinking in students.

Experiences

My sister Anne earned an undergraduate degree through both the distance education and traditional institution. She was able to improve her grades when she pulled out of a traditional institution and instead enrolled in distance education. In addition, my uncle who is a professor and a university professor undertake two postgraduate degrees from through distance education because traditional institutions could not offer the courses. My friend Sarah, who is a school teacher, acquired better problem solving and teaching skills due to her learning in a distance learning institution in comparison to a traditional institution.

Earning a degree through distance education is better than through a traditional institution. Distance education is better because it offer degrees that provide high quality skills and knowledge than traditional institutions. Distance education is also very instrumental in offering a wide range of degree courses compared to the fewer courses offered in traditional institutions. Finally, distance learning institutions provide quality learning through great social interaction than that in traditional institutions. Education that is offered in various institutions of learning is very vital, and it would be a better alternative to learn through distance education than in traditional institutions to ensure students get quality education.

Final Draft

Earning a degree through distance education is better than through a traditional institution. Education refers to the process of imparting knowledge, positive judgment and wisdom to students usually done in education institutions. Education systems have been developed and established to provide knowledge and training to both children and adults. Primary and secondary education systems usually provide knowledge to the young people (children and teenagers), while higher education institutions provide knowledge to post-secondary students or those who are already working. Universities all over the world provide both undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses to their students, with a high number of people enrolling in higher education institutions. Higher education degree programs provide knowledge, skills and training to people who are responsible for any country economic growth. Though both foreign and traditional education institutions provide knowledge and skills to students in order to enable them become competent in their profession, the institutions vary in the quality of degree courses they provide to the students. This has made earning a degree through distance education better than in a traditional institution. The university management is responsible for organizing and coordinating all degree courses that are offered to the students in their institutions. This paper will discuss whether earning a degree through distance education is better than through a traditional institution. Although both institutions offer degree courses to the students, degree courses earned from distance institutions are better than those from traditional institutions. Students who earn degrees through distance education have a great advantage over those who earn degrees from traditional institutions.

One major advantage of earning a degree from a through distance learning rather than from traditional institutions is that, students undertake courses that provide better knowledge and skills. Though both institutions may offer similar degree courses, degree courses from distance learning institutions have the ability to provide students with the high quality knowledge and skills. This is very vital in equipping the students with the necessary qualifications to enable them become competent professionals, which in turn maximizes productivity in their work. Distance education institutions are very flexible and dynamic in developing degree courses to match the technological advancements and the changing needs in various professions. For instance, modern technological advancements have demanded development of degree courses to accommodate these changes. While traditional institutions are not able to accommodate effectively such changes in courses that they offer, courses through distance learning have been able to adapt to these changes over a very short time. Technology enables students to undertake their class and field work using effective education tools which in turn promote high quality learning. A good example is the use of GIS (Geographical Information Systems) in biological courses and equips students with better methods of carrying out their research accurately (data collection). While distance learning institutions have adopted this kind of technology to provide biological students with quality research education, traditional institutions have not been able to do so effectively.

My sister’s Anne experience in the university has made me understand how distance learning degrees are better than traditional institutions’ degrees. After her secondary education, she enrolled in a traditional institution for her degree (A Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science).My sister was bright but after her first year in campus, she didn’t perform according to our expectations. She complained that her classes were very boring, with lecturers using very old methods of teaching. After her second year, she enrolled in a distance learning institutions in search of an exciting and enjoyable way of learning. In her third year, she performed excellently and everyone congratulated her. According to her, the lecturers taught using computer-integrated learning methods.In addition, the class conducted research work using modern equipment and analysis done using computer technology. She has been employed in the Department of Environmental Research as a research scientist which has developed great skills and experience in her. Her desire to become better and learn has made her make plans to undertake her Masters degree in GIS application in environmental studies. This indicates clearly how distance learning can do wonders in providing skills and knowledge necessary in a given profession. However, some people are of the view that traditional institutions are equally excellent in providing quality degree courses just like the distance learning institutions. Like earlier stated, what determines the quality of the degree courses offered by an institution is its ability to be flexible and dynamic with technological advancements. Traditional institutions that develop degree courses to match modern changes have a good opportunity to provide high quality courses just like the distance learning institutions. I would like to refute this claim by stating clearly that though traditional institutions have attempted to compete with distance institutions in providing courses that integrate technological advancements, they do not provide better degrees than distance institutions. Though some traditional institutions may match distance institutions in providing high quality degree courses, only a very small number falls under this class. This experience has proved to me that earning a degree from a distance learning institution is better than from traditional institutions.

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I strongly support learning from foreign institutions than in traditional institutions because distance learning institutions provide a great range of degree courses to students than traditional institutions. In the modern world, we have very many professions which demand proper knowledge and skills necessary to make graduates competent. A high number of professional fields demand that learning institutions develop degree courses that cater for all these professions. The aim of education is to ensure that students finish their courses when they are fully qualified and competent in their profession. In the world over, people who work in various professional fields are usually trained to become qualified for productive performance in their work In most cases, the ability of the students coupled with their desire to work in a certain profession determines the student’s choice on the course he or she would like to undertake. The students’ interest enhances the student’s commitment to learn both their class and field work.

Different students’ talents interest and desire and to undertake certain degree courses play a vital role determining their future career. In order to build the student’s interest and talent, education institutions offer quite a great range of courses to the students.

In order to ensure that all student’s needs and interests are catered for, higher education institutions try to accommodate as many degree courses as possible. The distance learning institutions are very good in providing a great range of courses to satisfy the student’s needs.On the other hand, traditional institutions provide a narrow range of degree courses because they experience some limitations their facilities, staff and finances. Due to this reason, distance institutions have attracted and continue to attract a huge number of students from various regions who enroll in the institutions because their courses are not available to them in the traditional institutions.

My uncle is a Bio-technology university professor who teaches wildlife management bio-technology students. Though he had undertaken his undergraduate degree in a university within our home district, he earned his Masters and Doctorate degree in Sweden. Bio-technology is a modern science concept which is not offered in most traditional institutions. Other degree courses that are closely related to this concept include, Wildlife management, Environmental studies, Agricultural Economics and Animal Husbandry. Though my uncle took an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Management without the bio-technology concept, bio-technology has been integrated in modern wildlife management. This has created the need to have professional in this field, which encouraged my uncle to undertake his post-graduate degrees based on the bio-technology concept. The traditional institutions did not offer the courses at the time when my uncle enrolled in a distance learning institution. Apart from the wildlife management course that my uncle wanted to pursue, other courses (Animal husbandry) with the bio-technology concept were not available in traditional institutions. This supports the notion that distance learning institutions are better in providing a wide range of courses than the traditional institutions.However; traditional institutions may also provide wide range of degree courses. The institutions’ management is responsible for organizing and coordinating degree programs offered in the university based on the institution’s financial ability and capability. If the traditional institutions have the ability to provide a wide range of degree courses, they are able to provide the courses. For instance, some traditional institutions are able to hire qualified lecturers, provide various courses’ facilities, and even develop courses that match with modern technology changes. The institutions can equally provide a wide range of degree courses just like the distance learning institutions. However, even if the traditional institutions also offer a wide range of degree courses they do not match the distance learning institutions great range of courses. Though some traditional institutions have made a great step in providing many courses, distance learning have managed to out compete the traditional institutions. This is attributed to the distance learning institution’s higher financial ability and highly qualified lecturers than the traditional institutions. While the distance institutions are able to offer a wide range of courses more easily with minimal difficulties, while traditional institutions experience some difficulties. Students learning will be better in distance learning institutions due a wide range of courses to choose from.

Another advantage of distance learning is that students enjoy better learning by sharing of ideas and knowledge from a heterogeneous population of students and lecturers, whereby a myriad of ideas emerge from this kind o institution.. In a traditional institution the students’ population is usually homogenous, with students sharing similar ideas and beliefs. A traditional institution enrolls a large number of students who come from within who are in most cases similar in their thoughts and how they look at things. Distance learning institutions enroll students who come from varying society set up which results to different lifestyles, behavior and beliefs. During learning, education institutions allow students to interact with each other which in turn encourage learning from their different experiences. Education through shared ideas and knowledge is very vital in assisting students to learn new things and exchange ideas. Learning occurs through the students’ presented views and their experiences.

Where students come from different cultures and beliefs, a rich sharing of knowledge and ideas is very likely. In distance learning, the students’ population is made up of students with different abilities, talents, beliefs and ideologies. In a traditional institution a high percentage of students share similar ideas and experiences. It would be therefore correct to state that, learning through social interaction is best in distance learning institutions than in traditional institutions. Distance learning allows students to interact with new people and hence sharing of new ideas and knowledge. An experience by my friend Sarah who earned her undergraduate degree through a distant education system made me realize how advantageous it is to earn a degree through distance education. Sarah is a high school teacher, who earned her diploma through distance learning. After teaching for two years, Sarah decided to further her education by undertaking an undergraduate course. After much evaluation, Sarah decided that she would enroll in a traditional institution near her place of work. Sarah began her learning in the institution which proved very convenient for her. However, her daughter was diagnosed with diabetes which came with a new financial challenge. It became so difficult for Sarah to pay her fees and take care of her daughter’s medical expenses that she decided to pull out. Fortunately, she won a scholarship which required her to move to a distance learning institution. This was a very great opportunity for Sarah, and she joined the institution as soon as possible. During her learning, she was able to interact with students from various regions of the country and other parts of the world (other countries). My interaction with Sarah has proved that learning in the new institution was better than in the traditional institution, the major reason being her sharing and interaction with students whom they do not share similar ideas, thoughts and beliefs. Different regions of origin of a huge number of students promote dissemination of a mixture of ideas in students. Through our discussions, I have realized that Sarah has learned of different and new ways of looking at things and reasoning, owing to her interaction with new people from the various regions. She has developed different ways of looking at issues which has assisted her understand her studies well. In addition, her interaction with the students has improved due to new learned skills to handle different personalities better.

On the other hand, traditional institutions offer opportunities for social interaction in students and teachers just like in distant learning education institutions. Though distant learning encourage interaction and sharing between students who differ in their ideas and beliefs, traditional institutions may be able to match this if they encourage students develop different ideas and knowledge for quality education. The type of education courses offered, and how they are offered moulds the student’s way of thinking or of looking at things. With flexible and dynamic methods of teaching, students can understand and interpret the same information in different ways. This gives room for different ideas and thoughts to be developed by students who earlier had similar ideas.

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However, I would like to disregard this argument by stating that research that has been carried out to compare the two institutions has shown that, distance learning institutions provide the best environment for quality social interaction. Though traditional institutions may attempt to develop different ideas in students, the similarity in the environment where they grew up still hinders successful social learning. It is important to note that though traditional institutions are capable of providing students with skills that enable them look at issues in different ways, distant learning institutions provide the most favorable environment for students to share ideas and knowledge well

Conclusion

Education is a very important aspect in someone’s life.It imparts knowledge and equips students with skills that are required in becoming a competent worker. The quality of education offered by different institution differs. This is influenced by the type on management in an institution and the ability of the institution. This has made earning a degree through distance learning education better than through a traditional institution. Through distance learning, students can undertake courses that provide high skills and knowledge. In addition, students enjoy a wide range of degree courses in distance education than in traditional institutions. Furthermore, high quality education is encouraged by great social interaction of students and teachers as compared to the interaction in traditional institutions.

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"Earning a Degree Through Distance Education." IvyPanda, 28 Oct. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/earning-a-degree-through-distance-education/.

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IvyPanda. (2021) 'Earning a Degree Through Distance Education'. 28 October.

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IvyPanda. 2021. "Earning a Degree Through Distance Education." October 28, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/earning-a-degree-through-distance-education/.

1. IvyPanda. "Earning a Degree Through Distance Education." October 28, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/earning-a-degree-through-distance-education/.


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IvyPanda. "Earning a Degree Through Distance Education." October 28, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/earning-a-degree-through-distance-education/.

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