Brief Synopsis of Barron's Guide to Distance Learning: Degrees, Certificates, Courses

Barron's Guide is a good introduction to distance learning. Its first chapter puts distance learning into perspective by describing it, providing a short history section showing that it is more than 100 years old, explaining why it was introduced, giving a brief synopsis of the types of distance learning, and commenting on course credit, degrees programs, and the cost and credibility of distance learning programs.

The second chapter provides a profile of the student most likely to succeed in such a program, namely, one whose need for it is high, for whom class participation is not essential, who is a self-starter, punctual, self-assured, comfortable with the technology of distance learning, a good reader, and one who is able to travel occasionally to campus.

Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6 deal with accreditation, earning and transferring credits, the cost of distance learning, and the details of preparing for and choosing a distance learning program. Chapter 7 is a directory of available distance learning programs.

Last modified: Wed Apr 7 14:41:53 EDT 1999