Distance Learning
Years ago it was unimaginable to get the world’s famous universities’ education here at home. Today it is easily available through online studies. The internet and computer technology development has advanced the “online learning”, as a new form of distance learning. If you have got a computer, the Internet and the amount of money, at present, you can have an access to any learning course in any other country.
Anna Jobava is among those students who have already completed the online courses. In her view, this method is very successful for those, who are working, are experiencing shortages of time and at the same time are the full time students of other Universities. “Online learning gives students the opportunity to shape their own schedules more conveniently. Of course the program also has its disadvantages, which primarily is reflected in the fact that the student is not allowed to put questions to the uncertainty of case “, – says Jobava.
However, a solution has been found here as well. Some Internet-teachers periodically hold interactive communication with students with the help of video, telephone or web-conferencing, which are widely used in Internet communication, such as “Skype”.
The head of International Association of Training and Employment Programs- Gocha Goguadze says, that online learning settled down in the United States since about 1986-87. “We can say that this type of learning became one of the form of higher education, internship and professional growth,” – said Goguadze.
He said that one of the advantages of this method lies in the fact that the student is given the opportunity to learn at some universities one and the same time. “When I was a student in 1989, I was studying online at various faculties at” California Davis University “and at the same time I was a full time student at Berkeley University. This was the best way to get education in different areas at the same time. ”
Online learning is relatively cheaper than studies at home and the graduate diploma is exactly the same degree taken at home, after graduating the full time course. Anyone can register online on their own through the Internet and after finishing studies he/or she will have to pass the final exam at the British Council in Georgia, or in some cases individually through the Internet.
This system failed to gain popularity here in Georgia. When choosing, the people mostly preferred to learn at home. “It can be really good to learn online, but I still prefer education there on the spot, where on one hand we have direct communication with the tutors and teachers, which means a lot to me and on the other hand we will live among friends and acquaintances, which I think is very good,” said fourth-year student Teona Magradze.
The lack of interest towards such method is not only among young people, but also among a lot of professors and teachers, which shows the fact, that the public is informed incorrectly, or, moreover, many are not aware of anything in this regard.
Second year student David Namtalashvili is not against to distance learning methods, but he has no clear idea about how the method works. “Vaguely heard about it, but I do not have a clear idea. Why not? I would like to learn with this method, I think, I would have the more time-saving opportunity, because you would not be tightly fastened to only one sector and you will be able to learn and do other job simultaneously in the private sector”, – says David Namtalashvili.
Unlike to David, third year student Mindia Mindiashvili, heard nothing about distance learning method, nor does he know where to find necessary information. “Nothing I have heard of online teaching, and I do not have an idea at all, where I can get any information about it.”
While talking with the students, it made clear that the community suffers from a lack of information about the distance learning, however, they have nothing contrary to it. For some, this is acceptable, for others not, and still, to study here, or to study abroad if they have to make a choice, each of them prefer to study abroad.
Famous Universities and Organizations online courses:
British Councils: www.britishcouncil.org/ge-education-distance-learning-courses.htm
Columbia University: www.cvn.columbia.edu
BBC BBC: www.bbctraining.com
Harvard: www.extension.harvard.edu/DistanceEd
University of Missouri: www.cdis.missouri.edu
