Motivation is an absolute necessity to complete any kind of course; teachers are given the responsibility to motivate students to complete assignments or tasks and increase their potential. In the case of distance learning, teachers and students lack face-to-face communication, which can affect motivational techniques used by traditional teachers in a classroom. A teacher-student relationship is an important factor in motivation for students; students must feel they have a secure relationship with their teacher, whom they can approach easily and discuss issues. The relationship is professional within distance learning but lacks the more personal experience for both teacher and student in a traditional face-to-face teaching situation. Students may not feel they can approach a teacher for support because the important teacher-student relationship is not present -- students may not feel full academic support and motivation through electronic means as they would with personal contact with their teacher on a daily/weekly basis in an institution.
Distance-learning students are isolated from student services, tutors and peers who can provide additional support throughout learning. The teacher in distance-learning programs is almost solely responsible for supporting the student; there are no additional classes to attend, no notes from other students and no facilities available for student use as there would be on an institutional campus. The student is almost completely reliant on one teacher, which adds increased pressures to distance-learning teachers.
Technology is the main resource for distance learning -- it provides teachers and students with communication, vital information, assessment and feedback. Teaching methods must be adapted to technology, rather than the traditional teaching experience of adapting technology to teaching. Teachers must produce and use material that can fully establish key ideas and concepts through the Internet; they can provide additional learning resources such as books but the teacher cannot physically show a student how to complete a task without creating extensive visual aids. Teachers, in this sense, are limited in what they can teach a student.
Many distance-learning students are adult learners and may not be accustomed to the Internet or materials used in distance-learning courses. Normally if a student lacks key skills necessary for a course, he will look to peers and facilities to increase his knowledge, or may enroll in an additional course. Students taking distance-learning courses will have to purchase additional courses in computing and Internet use, and many will be reluctant to do so. The teacher then faces the task of overcoming inexperienced students and explaining topics that are not relevant to the course, providing additional help in technological aspects of the course. Teachers may also find it difficult to communicate and build a good relationship with students who are not experienced in Internet communications, which may negatively impact the teaching of the course.