University Distance Education.

This article is about education over a distance. For learning that is spaced over time.

Distance education or distance learning is a mode of delivering education and instruction, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional setting such as a classroom. Distance learning provides "access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both.Distance education courses that require a physical on-site presence for any reason (including taking examinations) have been referred to as hybrid or blended courses of study.

This mode of education has been necessitated by the fact that we have at a time a number of limitations that do not allow us to fulfill our potential in as far as our personal development is concerned. This mode has an inbuilt  qualities that enable us to do so.

However, according to the study made by Patrick Seleta Ngoma of the Department of Adult Education and Extension Studies at the University of Zambia, a number of observations were made by some of his respondents concerning this mode of providing education to learners.He says that :

Since the birth of the University of Zambia in 1966, degree programs have never been offered entirely by distance learning. The trend has been that the students would complete first and second year courses by distance learning mode. Thereafter, it is compulsory that they transfer to full time to complete their studies. The research sought to determine students motivation and attitudes towards completing studies entirely by distance learning mode. The findings were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics such as tables, frequencies, percentages and mere counting. The sample of the study consisted of 27 distance education students (81.5% male and 18.5% female). Questionnaires were administered to the randomly selected students during the 2004 Residential School. 85% of the respondents expressed negative attitudes towards completion of the studies through this mode. They gave reasons like it would take too long to complete studies, degrees acquired would be inferior to those attained by full time studies etc. The few (15%) who expressed positive attitudes gave reasons like employers would not interfere in the studies, students would not lose their jobs and they would always be with their families. The respondents, however, suggested effective strategies that would strengthen and improve the delivery of distance education by the current arrangement and/or any other like full use of university provincial centers, use of computer and the internet in the delivery of course materials, assignments, comments, etc. It was hoped that the findings would benefit the University of Zambia administration, distance education students, employers and other stakeholders involved in the administration of distance education in Zambia.