1. How would you describe yourself as student in a distance learning environment?

I see no difference in the online classroom versus the seat except that I don't actually see my classmates. I do talk to them more in the online than I ever did in the classroom.

2. What distance learning program are you enrolled in? Major or Area of Interest?

I'm an MBA student taking an elective course in Media Communication Management at Webster University

3. Why did you choose distance learning vs. a traditional learning institution?

The local campus doesn't offer Media Communication Management and I find the field interesting. I may decide to pursue another MA in this area.

4. What are the challenges that you face with distance learning programs?

There is a lot of reading and a lot of writing. You don't get the advantage of simply sitting through a lecture, taking a few notes, and never cracking the textbook. We're required to interact with all of our classmates - even if we don't like/know them. There are no multiple-guess quizes; the assessments are papers and not all that short. It's HARD!

5.What are the advantages you experience with distance learning?

The biggest advantage is that I can take a course that wouldn't be offered here from a professor who wouldn't come here. I'm also being required to read the text and to think through the objectives enough to write papers on them.

6. Do you think distance learning is the new wave of the future? Why or why not???

It's clear, it's here now. Almost every college in the country has courses by DL and many have full degrees online. To me, the biggest thing is that you can study at the finest colleges in the world with absolute experts as professors. It will be the way we see education delivered in many fields in the future, it's cost effective and meets learning objectives as well as (often better) than in-the-seat courses.

Your list of schools includes the heavily advertised programs only and some of these have a questionable academic reputation. Don't forget to include the DL offerings at Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Florida State, UMass, etc... these are not in the same class as your examples but they too are DL.