Distance Learning

After technology has become in every home and for every person, each of us has the opportunity for distance education in international universities, which is possible and easy.

It's not complicated at all. All you have to have is either a computer or a mobile phone and an Internet connection to obtain a degree in your specialty from an accredited university remotely.

Obtaining university degrees is now one of the ways to help you develop and increase your career.

Did you know that in 2020 and 2021, more than 34000 certificates were awarded at accredited universities in distance education?

What is distance education?

Distance study is the education of students who may not always be physically present at the university or college face to face with lecturers and classmates. But only via the Internet through a computer screen or mobile phone.

Open online courses, which offer broad interactive participation and open access through the World Wide Web or other network technologies, are modern educational methods in distance learning.

There are universities and institutions that have been providing their students with online education services for many years. But it was not available in all countries, especially in Arab countries, due to the delay in accessing the Internet to us.

Online education is a flexible educational delivery system that includes any type of learning that takes place online. Online learning gives teachers an opportunity to reach students who may not be able to enroll in a traditional classroom course and supports students who need to work around their schedule and at their own pace.

What are the types of distance education?

• Video conferencing.
• Hybrid distance education.
• Online courses.
• Timed online courses.

What is the concept of distance education?

Distance learning, also called distance education, e-learning, and online learning, is a form of education in which the main elements include physical separation of teachers and students during teaching and the use of various technologies to facilitate student-teacher-student communication.
Why is distance education better?

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What are the difficulties in distance education?

• Ineffective time management.
• Lack of instant internet connection.
• Not receiving timely feedback.
• Not receiving clear instructions or expectations.
• Share time management apps and resources for students.

What are distance education tools?

• Google Classroom
• features for K-12
• Pear deck
• Blackboard
• Coursera.
• canvas.
• Edpuzzle.
• Khan Academy.
• edmodo.

Advantages of distance learning

There are many features and positives of distance learning, the most important of which are:

• Greater and faster access to information
• A good idea for anyone who doesn't like the idea of ​​traveling.
• Lower costs so that tuition fees become lower.
• The student can save travel costs and move from one region to another.
• Reduce or limit culture shock when a student travels to another country to study.
• Lectures can be accessed at any time.
• Communications technology has become a real revolution in society.
• Obtaining internationally recognized certificates.

Disadvantages of distance education

• Interaction with lessons and lectures will be more difficult than if it were face to face.
• Traveling is actually fun, and here you will deprive yourself of this pleasure.
• The person will become more introverted due to the lack of colleagues near him.

The future of online education

Online teaching is here to stay. Many students prefer online classes because it provides flexibility in their busy schedules. With the proliferation of information and knowledge, students must become lifelong learners in today's world, and online education plays an important role in helping individuals access learner-centered, self-directed education.

As software, hardware, and Internet access improve, more options for online education will become available. As student enrollment increases faster than classrooms can be built, students become more proficient in using technology, and students pursue education that meets their needs, the future of online education will continue to grow. Online degree programs will become more widely accepted as they become a more common practice.

Enrollment in online courses and programs by year (undergraduate and graduate)

In practice, the data suggests that students currently enrolled in a college or university program and those considering an undergraduate or graduate degree program are likely to have opportunities to take online courses, as well as options to earn a degree through a full program or Partially online program.

Distance learning costs

The cost cannot be limited to one or two lines. Each university has its own fees, but on average, the cost of one academic year can range from 500 to 12000 dollars.

For example, if you wanted to study business administration, the amount you would pay would certainly be much greater than if you preferred to study a Bachelor of Arts and Languages.

When does distance learning start?

The traditional academic calendar begins in the fall and includes two 15-week semesters (fall and spring) and, in some cases, a shorter summer semester. 

Some online programs adhere to this schedule, offering courses two or three times a year and giving students the option of several annual start dates. There are also programs that operate on a quarterly basis, offering four ten-week terms per year.

However, there are many online degree programs that use alternative academic calendars, offering five, six, or more courses per year over shorter periods lasting four, five, six, or eight weeks. 

These programs may have more start dates, and usually allow students to take only one or two courses per semester without lengthening the time it takes to earn a degree.

While the total time to completion is usually the same for programs that use traditional versus alternative academic calendars, the student experience can be different. 

In a master's program that uses a traditional calendar, full-time students often take three courses over the course of a 15-week semester, which means they must complete readings and assignments for three courses simultaneously.

 Programs that use five-week classes compress 15 weeks of learning into five weeks, allowing students to focus on one course at a time while completing three courses sequentially in the traditional 15-week semester period.

Is the distance education certificate recognized?

In addition to institutional accreditation, some types of degree programs may receive programmatic accreditation. 

Programmatic accreditation is administered and awarded by national organizations in areas such as business, counseling, nursing, psychology, and social work. 

Choosing an online program that has programmatic accreditation can be beneficial in several ways. 

In fields that require licensure, program accreditation may serve to reassure students that the program's curricula provide adequate training for eventual licensure. 

It can also provide potential employers with assurance that graduates from this program are prepared to work in a particular field, and assure students that the program offers coursework and other types of training (clinical internships, professional residencies, field education).

The most important specializations in distance education

This is a list of the 19 most important majors in distance learning universities:

1. Finance and accounting
2. Agriculture and life sciences.
3. Arts.
4. Humanities.
5. Business Management.
6. Computer science.
7. Engineering.
8. Law and political science.
9. Date.
10. Hospital management.
11. HR.
12. Marketing.
13. Mathematics, statistics and data analysis.
14. Medicine and public health.
15. nutrition.
16. Human Development.
17. the sciences.
18. social science.
19. Veterinary Medicine.

Distance education in the field of analysis and economics

• Online Bachelor's in Data Analytics.
• Online Master in Business Intelligence.
• Online Master in Data Analytics.
• Online Master in Data Science.
• View more online analytics software.

Distance education in business

• Online MBA programs.
• Online Master of Accounting.
• Master in Online Marketing.
• Online Master in Organizational Leadership.
• View more online business software.

Distance education in communications

• Online Master in Communication.
• Online Master in Public Relations.
• Online Master in Strategic Communication.
• Online Bachelor in Communication.
• View more online calling software.

Distance education in the field of psychology

• Online Master's in Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling.
• Online Master's in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling.
• Online Master in Rehabilitation Counseling.
• Online Master's in School Counseling.
• View more online counseling programs.

Distance education in the field of cyber security

• Online Master in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity.
• Online Master in Digital Forensics.
• Online Master in Information Security Policy and Governance.
• View more online cybersecurity programs.

Distance education in health care

• Online Master of Public Health.
• Online Master in Health Administration.
• Online Master's in Speech-Language Pathology.
• Online Master in Clinical Research Management.
• View more online healthcare programs.

Distance education in nursing

• Clinical Nurse Leader Online.
• Online Master's in Nursing Administration.
• Post-Master's Nurse Practitioner Certificate Online.
• View more online nursing programs.

Distance education in the field of social service

• Online Master of Social Work.
• Online Bachelor's in Social Work.
• Online MSW in Clinical Social Work.
• Online MSW Programs in Macro Social Work.
• View more social work programs online.

Universities for free distance learning

We present to you the 5 best online universities to obtain internationally recognized degrees:

1. The Open University in Britain

Experts in distance learning for over 50 years, allowing you to coordinate your time between studying and your private life. The university's teaching strategy and world-leading teaching technologies mean you'll get an immersive and interactive learning experience supported by specialist teachers every step of the way.

Specializations available at the Open University:

• Arts and Humanities
• Biology
• Business and management
• chemistry
• Computing and information technology
• Creative writing
• Criminology
• Graphic Design
• Early years
• economics
• Education
• Engineering
• English
• The environment
• geography
• Health and social care
• Health and wellness
• Health sciences
• History
• International studies
• Languages
• Law
• Mathematics
• Psychological health
• Music
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Politics
• psychology
• Sciences
• social science
• Sports and fitness
• statistics

2. University of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida is one of the free distance learning universities in which a student can study and obtain an accredited certificate.

The acceptance rate at the University of Florida is 49% and tuition costs $14,000 per year.

One of the best specializations that can be taught remotely is health care specializations, and the university offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.

The most important specializations at the university:

• History
• English language
• Political Science
• media
• the press
• Business Management
• social science.
• Graphic Design
• Politics
• psychology
• Sciences
• social science

3. Columbia University in New York

Columbia University in New York City is a private university in the United States of America.

It is one of the distance learning universities where students can study and earn an accredited online degree. It was established before the American Revolution.

It was famous for graduating American politicians and economists from it, and it also graduated more Nobel Prize laureates in science than any other American university. The university's main campus is located in Manhattan Heights in New York City.

The most important specializations at the university:

• Humanities.
• Business and management.
• Arts, design and architecture.
• Natural sciences and mathematics.
• Computer science and information technology.
• Environmental studies and earth sciences.

4. Harvard University

Harvard University is the oldest and most prestigious American university, one of the oldest and best universities in the world, and the largest university in the world in terms of area and equipment.

It is one of the eight universities in the Ivy League. It located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the American city. It was founded by the Protestant minister John Harvard in 1636 to correspond to the universities of Cambridge and Oxford in Britain.

The most important majors at Harvard Online:

• Visual design and effects
• Sports
• Agriculture, forestry and environment
• Press and media
• Social and human sciences
• applied Sciences
• Digital science
• Art, music and design
• Law and political science
• Linguistics and Cultural Studies
• Economics and business administration
• Psychology and psychiatry
• Computer Engineering

5. Yale University in the United States

Yale University was founded in 1701, which makes it an ancient institution on the global level.

One of the greatest evidences of the university’s antiquity is that it contains buildings from the eighteenth century.

Yale is located in the United States, specifically in New Haven, and it is the third oldest and most prestigious university in the United States. Yale opened its doors with the aim of preserving European culture, customs, traditions, history and societal values.

It is a private American research university where students acquire rich knowledge because university life is a life full of experiences, knowledge, activities, sciences and cultures, which allows students to engage with diverse cultures and nationalities.

The most important majors at Yale University Online:

• English literature
• Economy
• History
• Education
• Visual design and effects
• graphic design
• Education
• tourism
• media
• Social and human sciences
• applied Sciences
• Art, music and design
• Linguistics and Cultural Studies
• Music
• History of art and civilizations
• Software Engineering.

6. Saudi Electronic University

The university also provides higher education based on the best education models based on e-learning applications and technologies and blended education, which combines direct attendance education, attendance through technology, and the transfer and localization of pioneering knowledge in cooperation with universities, bodies and faculty members internally and globally.

The most important specializations at the Saudi Electronic University:

• Administrative and financial sciences
• Computing and informatics
• Health Sciences
• Science and theoretical studies

How do you choose the right university for you to study remotely?

There are many things that you should pay attention to when choosing a university for distance learning. Check the following:

• Determine your specialty first and know what the advantages of this specialty are.
• Select the country you want to obtain a certificate from.
• Create a complete budget for what you have.
• Look for scholarships for students who want to study remotely.
• Choose the university based on its global ranking.
• Do not choose the first 10 universities in the world if your budget is limited.
• Always ask the university to send comprehensive information about the teaching mechanism.
• Find out what the study programs are and their dates before registering.

Free remote learning

It is also possible to obtain a full or partial scholarship for anyone who wishes to complete his studies online, and here we have summarized a list of the most important online scholarships:

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

Commonwealth Scholarships support anyone seeking distance education, for students and candidates from developing Commonwealth countries to study over 30 Master's degree courses offered either in partnership with universities in developing countries, or delivered directly by UK institutions. Scholarships cover tuition fees.

Edinburgh Global Learning Scholarships

The University of Edinburgh will offer 12 scholarships to nationals of selected developing countries to pursue one of over 30 distance learning MSc programs offered by the university. Each scholarship will cover full tuition fees over three years.

University of the People Scholarships

University of the People offers online, accredited, tuition-free US college degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science. The programs are taught by world-class professors affiliated with universities such as NYU, Harvard, Oxford and more in a small, supportive virtual classroom environment. UoPeople prepares its students for employability by offering internship and mentoring programs to gain work experience with its partners such as HP and Microsoft; In addition to academic study of the industry.

Free online edX courses

edX is an educational platform that gives students from any country the opportunity to take free online courses offered by leading universities around the world. The course is available to anyone in the world – from any demographic – who has an interest in developing their own knowledge. With the exception of professional education courses, edX courses are free to everyone. Some courses have a fee for verified certificates but can be audited for free.

Coursera Free Online Courses

It is an educational company that partners with the world's best universities and institutions to offer online courses for anyone to take for free. Currently, they offer courses in a wide range of subjects, including humanities, medicine, biology, social sciences, mathematics, business, computer science, and many more.

Udemy Free Online Courses

Udemy is the world's largest marketplace for teaching and learning. Over 50 million students in over 200 countries take Udemy online courses to advance their careers and pursue their passions. Over 150.000 courses available on-demand, 24/7, via iPhone, iPad, Android, and Web.

Khan Academy courses

Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that aims to change education for the better by providing free, world-class education to anyone, anywhere. With a library of over 4500 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history and hundreds of skills to practice, Khan Academy will help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace.

Academic Earth courses

Academic Earth believes that everyone deserves access to a world-class education. The platform offers a comprehensive range of free online courses from the best universities in the world.

Conclusion

While it is easy to see both the benefits and importance of distance education, such as increased flexibility, mobility, and affordability, it is equally important to acknowledge the potential challenges with distance learning for students.

From elementary school students to graduate students, e-learners at all age levels must overcome unique obstacles in virtual education, such as asynchronous communication and constant opportunities for time wasting.

E-learners also face challenges that, while often present in traditional classrooms, can be magnified in a virtual environment, such as delayed or unclear teacher comments.