A 2007 survey by Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) showed that students enrolled in WPI's distance learning programs tended to be older than on-campus students. Distance learning is ideal for older students who have busy family and work lives that prevent them from attending on-campus classes. In recent years, however, younger students seem to be catching on to the advantages of distance learning by enrolling in online courses; these students embrace distance learning technology as a tool to access information from around the world while older student tend to use it only for convenience. Due to the widening age range, an incoming distance learner can expect to have at least some of her peers embarking on the same educational journey.
Having a disciplined work ethic and independent thinking is useful if you are planning on starting a distance learning course. Since you won't have instant access to a class full of people, you need to be able to process information independently without the interpretive assistance of classmates or professors. Some learning styles are better suited to distance learning. Students who learn easily from sensory information tend to do better than students who need hands-on experience.
Distance learning can be delivered on a variety of platforms and media types. Learning materials range from books and CDs to interactive websites with easy access to professor feedback. With the advent of faster Internet connections, classes can now include streaming video lectures, podcasts, and interactive multimedia that approximates the experience found in an on-campus classroom. Students should look into how a class is delivered and make sure they have the technological equipment and skills to access all of the classroom materials.
Strategies for teaching a distance learning course often differ from those used in an on-campus class. Since distance students tend to self-select themselves as motivated learners, teachers can depend on students to engage with the class more seriously. Distance teachers should feel free to suggest independent research and inquiry with distance students for the same reason. The limitations of having no in-person contact with the students does affect the teaching strategies needed for distance learning, however. Course directions need to be explained in a clear and concise manner since learners may have busy work lives and are not available to ask questions right away.