Online tutors or e-tutors support students via the internet. Correspondence study, independent study and essentially any educational process taking place outside of the physical classroom constitute distance learning. Students today can complete distance learning projects on smartphone devices, a school's network or through a private training provider. Learners get intensive support by experienced online training experts throughout the course. Students can expect to have a dedicated tutor who will help build their confidence, develop their study skills and give support by telephone, email and discussion forums. Students also should expect distance learning tutors to have immense knowledge of the subject that they teach as well as a relevant degree or a professional vocational qualification at least one level above the level of the course they are teaching.
A growing number of high school teachers share resources and ideas through distance learning projects. These projects have become a popular preference to the costly alternative of going out of school for training. They take place through forums, blogs and social networking tools such as Twitter. Professionals in many fields turn to the Internet for sources of information, training and inspiration from other experts.
Distance learning projects range from basic English, math and science, to more complex studies such as psychology, liberal arts and nursing. Improvements in the speed of Internet connections mean that educators can transfer higher-quality audio and video over networks. Students enrolled on any distance learning course of study may need the ability to take part in audio and video conferencing in order to complete the course, and there is new demand for skills in podcasting, webcasting and video conferencing.
Students should be aware that some universities may not have the capability to offer all required courses through distance learning. Another common obstacle is the time zone in which the course takes place. This is especially significant in classes that require video and audio conferencing; therefore, this option may not be a ideal for students from other countries. Students interested in a formal distance learning project should contact the university prior to purchasing any course to ensure that they are aware of the accreditation of the institution and the faculty's qualifications and experience.