Did You Know? According to an October 2008 report from the Center for American Progress, "Almost 70 million adults in the current workforce between the ages of 25 and 64 do not have a postsecondary credential: Forty-eight million of these adults have a high school degree or less, and 21 million have some college experience but no degree."

What is eLearning?

To define or describe eLearning, it is best to first define learning. Learning is the act of developing skills or obtaining knowledge. So eLearning just means that you develop skills and obtain knowledge using electronic means, hence the "e" in "eLearning!"

Q Is distance learning an effective way to learn?

• We believe that the answer is yes!
• You are able to learn and progress through a curriculum using electronic media more effectively than in a traditional classroom setting. Distance learning is no different from any other kind of learning in regards to its quality.

A lot has changed since the 1990s.

In the early days of on-line education, it was questioned whether E-Learning had the potential to be just as rigorous and effective. Today, more than 61 percent of all colleges and universities offer some form of distance education in their programs.

A great deal of research has been done in the past decade to illustrate that when it comes to quality, distance learning can stand with the best of them.

Statistics illustrate the effectiveness and increasing popularity of distance learning.

For example, consider these quotes from the report titled Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in On-line Learning by The Sloan Consortium published in October 2007:

• "A large majority (69 percent) of academic leaders believe that student demand for online learning is still growing."
• "A question often asked of online educators is whether online degrees are as good as those granted by face-to-face programs. Overall, only about one-in-five institutions disagrees with the statement that 'on-line programmes have the same level of credibility as face-to-face programmes.'"
• "Academic leaders do not believe that there is a lack of acceptance of on-line programmes by potential employers." 

Q Is distance learning right for me?

• Earning your qualification through E-Learning learning can be a convenient way to go to school, but there's still quite a lot of work involved.
• Take into consideration your professional and personal situation (e.g. will you need a baby-sitter for children if you attend night classes at your local university)
• Review your finances and budget—financial assistance is a help, but what if your textbooks cost more than you planned for?

Q. How can you know if you will benefit from the E-Learning programmes?

Start by reading the following statements and counting the ones with which you agree:

• I am disciplined and self-motivated.
• I am comfortable navigating the Internet and using e-mail.
• I do not have the time to commute to classes and find parking on-campus.
• There are no traditional colleges or universities located in my area that have the kind of degree or certification that I need.
• I am able to learn and retain information from reading as equally as I can from listening to students talk in class.
• The topic I want to study is offered via distance learning or online course.
• I would like my learning experience to focus on me rather than my instructor's lectures.
• I am interested in some of the potential advantages of distance learning.
• An online course or degree program in my field would be accepted or respected.

A. If you agreed with more than half of the statements above, then E-Learning learning is a great option for you to further your education.