An institution offering an online education must provide a matching and worthwhile curriculum, equal to that provided for traditional, on-campus students. A diverse selection of courses, high-quality professors, academic standards, and a growing collection of degree programs are all important for distance learning, as well as traditional programs. Schools must not treat an online education as an easy way out, but offer it a convenient alternative for the potential students. Online programs may be folded into existing departments, or have their own department, depending on the needs and capabilities of the faculty and school.
An online education instructor faces the challenge of teaching students they won't see face-to-face, making it impossible to read facial expressions and body language. Therefore, the distance learning instructor must make an effort to be as accessible as possible through other means, including online chats, discussion boards, rapid email responses and scheduled office hours to receive phone calls. They must make online lectures and presentations as interactive as possible, using a combination of audio, video, powerpoint and other presentation tools. They should create an open forum for students to discuss class assignments, ask questions, and understand the special challenges facing distance learning students.
A student participating in distance learning must remain motivated to work independently. Without physically attending scheduled classes and interacting with professors and other students, face-to-face, it can be easy to lose focus. The convenience of an online education is that individuals can study and work whenever and wherever they please. Developing a schedule is important to ensure assignments are completed on time and no work is missed. An appropriate, distraction-free learning environment is important. Have the required technology, which probably includes a computer and high-speed Internet access, and any other required tools or services. Technology problems can often arise in a distance learning environment, so students should keep "help numbers" handy and update programs and software as recommended.