Emma Jones

When I was approached to write a piece on open and distance learning education, I came up with this piece. After reading it through, I have come to the conclusion that my life has changed completely because of it. I didn’t realise how much until I wrote about it, and got half way through proof reading it. This is what I wrote:

‘When I got married I quit my job in the legal profession. Eighteen years on, and three children later, I decided that there had to be more for my future. I had the time to spend on anything I wanted, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I looked through the courses that Oxford College ODL offered by open and distance learning, and realised that this mode of education was a very good place to start. I had picked out the characteristics of education that I didn’t want to bother with, and there were quite a few! Examples of these were not sitting in a classroom with younger students that would show me up, stringent rules and class times that had to be adhered to, and cramming for and worrying about exams that were taken in large halls full of these again, young students. Oxford College ODL through their distance learning and open learning courses was offering me what I wanted, all that was left to do was to choose where I wanted to start.

I decided to start with two courses that were completely different, so I enrolled in one that I thought would help me understand the world around me, and one that would help me with confidence and my relations with my children. The first came in the form of a sociology diploma, and the second in a diploma in life coaching. I knew I was taking a lot on, but this was just for me, and I could take five years to complete them! It hasn’t taken me anywhere near that long to complete them both. I have completed my diploma in sociology with distinction, and I am on my penultimate assignment for my life coaching diploma. I have been able to put a lot of time into my studies, but it has only been shy of two years now and I have accomplished more than I thought I would have been able to.

My plans are to move onto a diploma in psychology next which my background in sociology has given me a deep interest in, and for myself rather selfishly, I am going to enrol on the English Literature program which I believe will give me the confidence to enjoy the writings and works of those that spent their lives composing pure and quality entertainment. I couldn’t have done all this if it wasn’t for the distance learning and open learning courses offered.

Through me, my children have gained confidence. My education in life coaching has given me the ability to support my children without interfering which gives them confidence. My son has since started his own business with my support, and my daughter is studying through distance learning as I am, whilst she trains in distance running. She has realised, as I have, that there are many ways to get a quality education, and it doesn’t have to get in the way of other ambitions.’

Distance learning and open learning have changed our lives greatly, and there are many reasons to study this way. I have come to learn that education is not something to be scared of, it is something for everybody, and it is something that you should be able to take at your own pace. Distance learning has done this for us along with show us that education is not just there for those who want to further their job prospects, but it is also there for people to simply gain knowledge in subjects that they are interested in and through this it is impossible to describe the feeling of confidence that is achieved. I had always thought that further education was for those that had to make more money to support themselves and it was just a tool to further their job prospects. It is much more than that and has opened my eyes to a whole new way of life. It is for me, it is for my children, and it is for everyone. Distance learning doesn’t discriminate. It is a gift. About the Author

Emma Jones is from Chelsea London. She studies at Oxford Distance Learning. For more information on Oxford Distance Learning please see www.oxforddistancelearning.com.

Norman Fleming

Learning at home has a great many benefits like the ability to learn whenever and wherever you like. But distance learning is still getting an education and that means paying attention to the course material and presentations you receive online, and also the hard part of studying and doing your homework and assignments.

In order to be successful you will have to learn to avoid the day-to day distractions that exist in your current living arrangements and you will also need to develop good distance learning study habits. You need to create a routine and environment that is conducive to learning and the time and space to study and learn.

The basics of creating good distance learning study habits start with your physical surroundings. Your study space needs to be well-lit and ventilated and it also needs to be as free as possible from outside distractions like people, telephones, loud music and the greatest distraction of all, television. You wouldn’t let your kids do their homework in front of the big, blinking screen, so why do you think that you can learn while you are watching your favorite soap opera or reality show?

Create a special place in your home for your distance learning study program. It can be your kitchen if that is separate from the rest of your house. It can be your rec room or a newly cleaned storage area. It can also be your living room, as long as you turn off the television. As long as it is clean, uncluttered, and quiet it will work for you and your studies.

If you have enough room in your house or apartment then you might wish to consider purchasing a desk and organizing it so that you have everything you need near at hand and all in one place. Then find a good chair with strong support for your back as you listen and learn. It should be comfortable enough to study in, but not too comfortable that you want to take a nap. That comes after you have done your work. Organize all of your supplies and material around you and you are ready to get to work.

You also need to organize your time in order to develop good distance learning study habits. Set aside regular times to go online for your lessons unless they are pre-scheduled and allow for adequate time to study and complete assignments. Stick to your routine religiously unless an emergency happens and tell everyone, especially your friends that you will be unavailable during this period of time. Follow the basics to create a distance learning program that fits your life and your schedule and you will be well on the way to a productive and successful distance learning program. About the Author

This article courtesy of http://www.university-phoenix.com

Dale Lawrence

Education can have many different impacts on your career

Your education can have far reaching impacts on your career. For example, educations can influence your career in the following ways:

• Educations dictate what career fields you can enter. You can’t become a doctor unless you are educated in the medical field, for example. How do people become pilots? They get flight school educations. • How educated you are determines how far you will advance in your field. People with higher educations will win advancements more often and reach higher positions over all than people that are less educated. • How educated you are can play a role in your salary. People with higher educations get paid more than lesser educated people for the same exact work.

Get ahead with distance learning Wow, you say. That’s sounds good. I’d like to get more educated but how? I don’t have the time to quit working so that I can work with educators in my new program. You don’t have to quit work to get educated when distance learning is involved. You can further your career by getting a college degree with a distance learning program. Many colleges provide programs either through correspondence or using the Internet.

Imagine how proud you’ll be in your next interview when you talk about going back to school. Sounds good for your career, doesn’t it?

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http://www.get-a-new-job.com

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