IV league colleges are many in number. Talking imternationally, one almost immediately thinks of Harvard as a prioritized and one of the foremost names or rather, one of the most commonly and generically thought of names when one is posed with a question of iv league colleges to name or mention. Harvard offers an impeccable distance education, one that is weighed with great intensity and one that is competitive in spite of it being more flexible than a regular attendance course such as a traditional course of study.  Today, an online medium is how one is educated even in a non-online course. For instance, a lot of education that is imparted to people who undertake a course at Harvard via the distance programme is taught online, people can watch lectures online once they are registered and enrolled as students at Harvard school or college, as one may call it. Harvard is one of the finest institutions in the whole world, and the process of enrolling at Harvard is by applying, passing the formal requirements of the college, and registering is the final step in the list of steps to be followed and adhered to before one can become a student at Harvard, whether it be a distance or correspondence course or traditional form of leraning course or medium.

IIM Ahmadabad, which is the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmadabad is one of the best colleges in the whole world and it is top ranking in terms of its quality of education and in terms of the fierce competition. Keeping this in mind, it is obvious that a distance education programme from a college such as this would be weighed in gold, in terms of an analogy for the value it has. A Harvard course of study entails an online education imparting as well as watching lectures that take place in Harvard classrooms online as well as taking the necessary tests and attendance at the campus of Harvard as and when needed. These requirements make and strike a balance in the whole structure of education of a distance nature.

Distance learning programmes can be learnt via the posting of educational material from the institute to the student’s home for imparting knowledge, and in the more recent times, the material for study that can be emailed online to a person’s email address and sometimes, posted on the website of the educational institute in a particular segment. Nevertheless, the education that is imparted via or in the umbrella of nontraditional or distance education study is more flexible and therefore can allow for a person to practice multifaceted activities. One can be learning another course and yet be able to undergo the process of a correspondence education or a distance education programme in other words. Speaking of great colleges, one thinks almost immediately of Harvard as being in the fore runners for the list of the best institutes in the world for courses and study purposes. Harvard offers MBA and business as well as administrative courses in the non traditional medium, which is distance education. Distance education programmes art Harvard are to be adhered to with their compliances and with proper and effective efforts. The process of enrolling has many steps, including checking the quotients of a person before allowing the entry of that person in the wonderful establishment of Harvard and in their student books. Distance education at Harvard has many and much material that is posted and sent out via the internet and with the use of email facilities. Students of the distance programmes can view and watch lectures on the internet, as they are held in classrooms of the establishment or the institution. The exams are held and the students are required to attend seminars or certain classes in Harvard directly as part of the curriculum.

Online or the internet, has made communication and the life of many a person simpler and easier to go about. The internet is a boon. Yes, like most other forms of communication, it tends to have its pros and cons. But in the case of valued education, that can be imparted for many topics of study (literally, one can think of any conceivable topic and do not be surprised that the particle topic of choice may be availed or can be availed by or via the internet). Online education, whether it be for an MBA or a Bachelor’s degree or an educational diploma that can be received online for an online study courses in fashion or design, to cooking classes and more online, one can be multifaceted in their learning and acquiring of the same via the facility of the online education medium.

A distance education or any learning via a distance medium of education is valuable to one who is either trying to multi task and do other things and pursue other activities besides a learning programme or it is also valuable to people who are more home bound than others. In the sense, if one wants to pursue a course by staying home, for instance, take the example of a housewife who may want to juggle her house chores as well as study further or take up a field of educative and informative study course or programme, then she can very easily opt for this medium and kind of education.

A person who is working or pursuing other interests could not find it easy to attend a formal or a formalized structure of education and for these people., this kind of education and system of education works best. Dist6ance programmes today are available easily, and yes, the key is to locate the programme that can be best recognized as the recognition of a study programme does go a long way and it does play a key, or an essential role in the scheme of the larger picture of any further education or work. Distance courses can also be availed at ease with the introduction of newer and more technologically savvy methods of education and learning.

The computer teaches a person so much, the internet is so fast and forward that one can literally know the miunte and minutest of details of an aspect or topic, making the two former stated methods of technocly user- and information- friendly. To the extent, that a correcopoosndec course of or from the very great university and school of Harvard, has course lectures that can be viewed online by the enrolled students in their correspondence course pursuit.

This does go to show that long distance, correspondence : in whichever way or term one may look and refer to it, or even in the case of online learning (the newer and more easy access study methodology available to persons in today’s day and age), the ways of teaching and learning imparted is done in technologically sound and fast ways, and the time commitment is of course, less than a formal education in a classroom as the term suggests, it is long distance and most valuable to people trying to juggle more or for those who are home bound.

Is a distance education programme as effective as a regular attendance-based programme

Distcnace education progrmamaes are as the name suggests very obviously, a programme of education that is learnt via a distance. This si the simplest way of portraying it. a distance education pragramme is also considered a programme that is corresponded and therefore it is a correspondence course (unless the material is online then it qualifies as an online course of study or a method of study that falls under the nontraditional umbrella of education to a person, and is online in nature to be more specific). Today, with the vast competition, it is essential to make sure that the right attempts are made for education purposes. The distance education programmes that one can avail are many and actually, are too many in number. From a cookery course, to a fashion and design course, to a correspondence course in literature and language study, there are so many courses one can study and indulge in. the key is to make and mark the most competetitive course via correspondcecne or distance education course, and aim at beign a part of that. The aim should be to try and carve out the names of the most competitive distance education classes and courses, and aim at abeing a part of any of those courses, and this helps in achieveing a foresight and a vision into the world of work and competition that arises when one finishes a course and enters the world of work and professionalism.

Today, a distance education course certificate of a diploma or a degrre (nature of graduation) from a college or school such as an equivalent of a NIFT for fashion or NIIT for computers or IIM for business and administration, ensures a stability in work and thinking ethics post graduation from a distance education programme as mentioned above from similar institutions that provide distance education as an option. Yes the regular attendance programmes are generally considered much more effective as they are physically attended and there are tutors who offer their valuable teaching skills by imparting education in a traditional classroom and this makes the whole exercise more effective and more of value. Thought the concept of distance education has gained precedence more and more, and though the certification is of high value, especially from great establishments, the traditional classroom form of education cannot be beaten, even till date.

Distance education is one route of studying that a person can consider in the various feasible options of study that are present in today’s day and age. In fact, distance education is often opted for by persons who choose to multitask or people who decide to have a more flexi style of learning, or in other words, flexible options of study, is possible by distance education methods and means. Distance education methods are in some ways more easily compliant or in other words, it allows space and flexibility in the medium of study as it is definitely a different genre of studying as opposed to a regular or a more traditional method of study, like the most common method known to mankind, which involves a classroom and a teacher imparting education and lessons in a class, and to a class. In a distance education method of learning, a student can be of any age group, so there is no question of an age factor or attendance to an educational medium or an educational campus.

Distance education involves education of a person through a distance, if one has to put it in really simple, lay-man’s terminology. Distance education is a form of getting educated through an online mechanism, in the very latest form of learning means and ways, or through correspondence which is sent out via mail or post, wherein study material is sent out, classes can sometimes be attended if need be at a local and registered institution closest to the candidate and that branch, which is most accessible, for some doubt-clearing and brushing up of study material sessions and so on. Distance education also has examinations just as every other form of or rather, every older form of educational method and medium has (IB which is an international branch of coaching of study in some schools today, do not adhere to holding examinations for children in a traditional way). Distance education has examinations or test papers, either online and even branch wise, or center wise held tests and exams, depending on the flexibility or the rule structures of the programme. Keeping this in mind, if anyone at any age wishes to further her or his capacity to take in more topics of study, and with or on par with what one is already undertaking to do, distance education is the answer and the key to it all.

The comparison of online courses and distance education programme, though they sound similar in terms of the fact that they are both methods of study that are different from the traditional ways and methods of study and education, there are differences in the two terms, both in the way they sound and the characteristics of them as well differ in more ways than one. For the same to be proven nd more clear, read on the tabulation below:

Online courses                                                                          Distance learning

1. Online courses are via the internet                distance education is via post or mail
2. This can only be internet related                   This can also have internet access

Or in other words, there can be internet

Emails and literature sent for this study.

Research can be done online as well.

1. Online courses are more flexible                   Less flexible as compared to online courses
2. Holds less weightage                                     Holds more weightage
3. Is less demanding of time and focus              More demanding and also requires some

campus visits to nearby centres that are registered, if needbe

Online courses can be done for many topics of study and interrogation. In the sense, today, with the prevalence and the vast impact that the internet and the television set has on nearly every one of us, it is evident and but obvious that the internet will offer more and more. In fact the technology of today is beyond belief and words cannot explain how much a part of everyones lives, technology has become. Technology plays an indispensible role in people’s day to day activities and day to day matters. In fact, from ebanking to ebills, there is very less today that cannot be doen just as easily through and via the internet. The internet allows for many transactions to take place as well on a reliable and efficient basis. Many courses have started on

the internet, allowing people of any age group to derive study and information via the simple and fast means of the web world and the internet. Yes, it is not as established as an actual degree derived or acquired from a college or center of study, or in that case, even distance education holds more weight-age but at the same time, the distance education method of study and learning ahs been around as a medium foer many a year now. For more on distance studies, cue on.

Distance learning programmes are those that can be learnt at and from a distance and therefore the terminology came into being and existence. The idea of a distance learning programme as mentioned before in this very website is for convenience and easier method of studying or deriving information as well as learning, and the key to remember is that the method and form of learning is with and at a distance. The programme of distance learning helps in gaining and deriving information in many more fields than one. In the sense, that since this type of education is easier on a person and or as well as a person’s schedule, there can be the pursuit of more than one course in the distance education curriculum and pattern that one can pursue simultaneously.

There are tips to better learning that one can imbibe and entail in the scheme of distance education:

-          Learn to contribute and make time for study everyday at home, in this type of education or in this medium of learning- I.e- the long distance education programme. However easy the subject may seem or tough, there has to be a contribution of time and energy everyday towards study, just as one would do if he or she attended a day scholar programme at a school or college (in the vicinity of a classroom)

-          Learn to take time and understand properly, whatever one is reading as part of the curriculum. Since there is no formal teaching and no teacher to tutor peruse imparting the education as in regular institutions, one has to pay attention and take aid and whenever conducted, attend the actual classes held in campuses on and off for a sealing of the education deal (in the sense, that, to revise and clear doubts, there are periodic or at times, conducted classes at campuses and assigned centers in some cases, for the same).

-          Do test examinations and time them, so you can sharpen the time keeping and the skills of writing in an actual examination. The idea is to keep time, to be able to train and practice for the actual examination and most importantly, the idea is to sharpen the student nature in a person’s personality or in other words, the key is to get competitive in the whole scenario for examinations and study or learning and this is one important tip to follow.

The University of Mumbai consists of two campuses out of which one is situated at Kalina, Santacruz and the second one is situated at Fort. The University of Mumbai has around 500 colleges affiliated to it and about 55 departments which impart education to more than 6 lakh students not only across the country but also across the world.

The University of Mumbai is considered to be the 7^th university in the country to have started the distance education courses in the year 1971. The Institute of Distance education started by the University of Mumbai has introduced various technical as well as professional courses though the distance mode. The university provides distance education to more than 70,000 students currently.

The various courses which are offered by the institute are

• B.A.
• B.Com.
• M.A.
• M.Com.
• M.Sc., Maths
• Two years Post-graduate Diploma in Financial Management (PGDFM)
• Post-graduate Diploma in Operations Research for Management (PGDORM)
• B.Sc.(I.T.)
• M.Sc.(I.T)
• B.Sc. (Comp. Sc.)
• M.Sc. (Comp.Sc.)
• M.C.A.
• B.Sc. (Nautical Technology) and many more.

The study material is usually provided to the students in the printed form in English or Marathi (in case of few subjects). The university also provides its students with various other facilities such as an Audio-Visual Centre, Library, Reading Room facility in Mumbai, Home-lending of books against deposit etc.

In a country which is geographically as huge as India, it might not be possible to construct schools and colleges all over the country in all areas. This is where distance education can be utilized. For students who might not have quality schools or colleges offering the course that the student wants to take up, then the student can take up a correspondence distance education course with another university or college which may be located else where. Hence inspite of being at home, the student will be able to take up a course and also study for it through the distance education program.

There are several students in India who have financial constraints and hence due to these reasons can not take up the full time courses which they might other wise have wished to. For such students the benefits of distance education are immense, for they can take up a distance education course with out having to pay too high a fees and while also having the option of being able to work and earn money thereby helping them make a living. Hence the distance education courses have several benefits to offer to students.