Is Distance Learning a good alternative to going to Uni
I didn’t do traditional university. I got a bunch of catering qualifications at further education level. In my late 20s/early 30s I did the Open University. I really enjoyed it and came away with an Honours degree in Humanities with Lit. Should we be encouraging more students into distance learning. Do the none academic things about Uni mean as much as the academic?
Comments
I did my second undergraduate degree through the Open University. I started when I was 8 1/2 months pregnant with my first child and it was brilliant; the flexibility was all important when I was juggling a new baby, then a toddler, then a second baby. I think that the first year of my son's life was one of the happiest of my life, due to the combination of gorgeous baby and studying fascinating subjects.
We were very keen that both of our children should go away to University at 18, for the same combination of independence and support that we felt had been so beneficial to us.
Whether it is a good alternative depends on the student; some thrive in distance learning while others would be better off in a more traditional environment. But lots of students have no choice because of their personal circumstances. The majority of my students are mature working class women with families, many of whom never went to college for various reasons. They study around their work, caring responsibilities, disabilities, etc. But it is not easy, many students drop out, especially those with mental health challenges (the subject of my doctorate - I dropped out of my first OU degree during a mental health crisis when I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder). It requires determination and a clear end goal is helpful for motivation when it gets hard.
I don’t think there’s any harm in letting young people know that they could do it distance learning as an option, but I’m unsure about ‘encouraging’ it (as separate to encouraging learning in general, by whatever route suits - including vocational/FE/HE - which should always be encouraged to any and all that might benefit from it).
I think they can do, additionally don't underestimate the benefits of studying with a cohort of others who you can discuss material with, especially when you are straight out of school and haven't yet learnt how to learn.
I've done both, and given the choice I'd have preferred some of the distance learning I've done to have been in person - it would have cut the time it took to master the material. It really seems to be subject dependent.
I think different things will benefit different people. I'll also note that "traditional uni" vs distance learning aren't the only options: there are plenty of places where living at home with your parents and attending the local tertiary institution is a viable option. There's also a significant difference in the sort of experience you'll get in different kinds of institution. In the US, for example, being a student at a small liberal arts college is quite different from attending the massive party school, and different people will thrive in different environments.
Like @North East Quine, I think I benefited a lot from going away to university, because it forced me to be independent. Had I remained living at home, I'd have done plenty of studying - studying at university wasn't so terribly different from studying at school - but I'd have followed the path of least resistance and just eaten the family meals that my mother would undoubtedly have kept making, just relied on all the fabric and facilities of my house being there, and generally not had any need to develop self-reliance.
Eldest Cnihtlet is away at college more than 1200 miles away. She's flourishing there - and the fact that she has to fly there with only the stuff she can carry, and can't pop home for the weekend has been good for her.
I'm expecting #2 to stay living at home. They're different people, and have different needs and challenges.
But then, distance learning allows you to fit your study around your life rather than the opposite--and that can be good if you have commitments you can't or won't duck, like caregiving, or if you have interests that a standard residential university isn't likely to provide for you, all in one place. I scoured California for a university that provided BOTH Greek and Hebrew, and it came down to a single school--though UCI told me later they would have found an independent study tutor for me, if I'd applied. But I didn't know, and I'm glad I didn't, as I met Mr. Lamb at the school I did attend. And I much prefer to study languages with a large group, anyway.
Not everything can be studied online but there is a surprising range of subjects available. The Open University offers degrees in nursing and social work, for instance. The students have placements arranged locally in their own workplaces and do their studies online. Great for students with families who want to continue to earn while studying.
As for public speaking, distance learning doctorate students regularly present online and have opportunities to do so in person. I lecture online every week and regularly present at online academic conferences. I am a very experienced public speaker.
As others have said, there is no one answer. It depends on the person and in that person’s needs.
As an adult with a bunch of disabilities I think I'd want at least something hybrid where I could follow most things remotely and only turn up occasionally in person to get to know other people.
Academic conferences and seminars with guest speakers are things that very much should be hybrid though - as it makes a huge difference for accessibility to have that digital option.
I think they're an excellent idea but there needs to be far, far more of them. And given the fact LBLet#1 couldn't find an industrial placement for his industry year and had to go straight into year 3 of his degree (computer science) I conclude that British industry and business wants people with skills but is not particularly interested in doing anything to train people in those skills.
This, I think, bears repeating. I think it's this problem that the apprenticeship levy was aimed at, but I suspect it would need something with a considerably more clout in both carrot and stick to get firms out of the "5 years experience plus a degree" trap so many are in.
Which is fantastic until you come out, sign on and have to go back home because you can't afford to live independently
You still have those skills.
What skills are you referring to?
Sorry to push this further - can you put names to these skills? Just saying "soft skills" conveys very little meaning to me. I need precision to know what we're talking about.
Google soft skills and you will find many lists such as this one: https://resources.workable.com/hr-terms/what-are-soft-skills
I gained those skills after, not at, university, to be honest.
I don't get the impression that those were the kinds of skills @Alan29 was thinking of, but rather the skills necessary to live independently (essentially self care).
Those self care skills - do we learn them at University simply because that's the first time most of us aren't living at home, and if we didn't go we'd learn them just the same when we did finally leave home?
I can't speak for Alan, but I think that's true to a point; though University can be a more forgiving environment for learning some of those than your first job.
I was surprised that so many of my two sons’ friends at uni (male and female) did not know how to even cook pasta, let alone how to prepare full meals from scratch. My sons had to shop and cook once a week before leaving home for uni.
His cousin, after a gap year, turned down a uni place to start a coveted engineering degree apprenticeship with BMW, living away from home, though she returns home most weekends. She gained the most confidence and resilience from solo travel during her gap year. A lot of her coursework is completed online as well as working at the plant. The youngest, still at school, is keeping his options open, looking at both uni and apprenticeships.
All four are multi-skilled in ways I certainly wasn’t at their age and all very articulate, knowledgable, capable and self-aware. Doing D of E, shuttling between two homes, being expected to cook once a week, are some of the ways they have developed their skills and confidence.
I went away to a traditional university, where I gradually learned to spread my wings after a very sheltered upbringing. I am glad that this generation has so many more varied opportunities.
All those skills are included.
We told our own kids that the operative word in "going to university" is the first one. And they all did.
Right, but the skills referred to by Caissa don’t require leaving home to learn.
Yes, but both you and Alan were replying to a post by Karl talking about the case where people did leave home to study:
https://forums.shipoffools.com/discussion/comment/725281/#Comment_725281
I hadn't done much in the way of solo cooking before going to university, although I had plenty of experience as vegetable chopper, washer-upper, and general kitchen minion. What I had was mostly a certain knowledge that cooking could be done, plus a basic cookbook and the ability to read.
IME, knowing that something can be done is a large part of the battle. If you know that, for example, changing a car headlamp bulb is a normal thing for people to do, then it's not too much work to look up what kind of bulb your particular car requires, and look up the steps required, and then do it. If you don't have an idea that that might be possible, perhaps you just take your car to the garage and say "my headlight stopped working".
I remember when headlight bulbs went from one category to the other. One of my pet peeves is car designers making it harder and harder to do basic things like that.
Me, I'm surprised how many regular cyclists don't realise that indexing gears, recabling, puncture repairs, chain, cassette and chainwheel replacements are all pretty easy to do with a few tools.