Final answer:
Distance learning offers convenience, flexibility, and accessibility, making it a preferred educational option for those with constraints such as work, disability, or distance from campus. It allows part-time learners to manage their schedules effectively and caters to a wide range of students' needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Considering distance learning as a mode of education is advantageous for numerous reasons. One major draw is the convenience it offers, as indicated by a survey showing that 96% of students have a computer at home, which facilitates online learning. 65% reported an inability to come to campus, making distance learning a practical option. Moreover, those who are 41 or older, constituting 24% of the respondents, may find distance learning a more suitable fit for their lifestyle.
Distance learning can accommodate a diverse range of needs; for example, 17% of students took distance learning classes due to a disability, and 71% to fulfill transfer requirements. Despite the expectations of student responsibility, similar to traditional classes, online classes offer additional flexibility, allowing students from distances of 16 miles or more to easily participate in coursework. This flexibility is reflected in the high demand for more distance learning courses (95% would like more offerings).
The effectiveness of distance learning is comparable to traditional education when it comes to student responsibilities, although it offers a different approach to maintaining attentiveness. For many, especially part-time students who make up 40% of the populace, with 20% engaged in distance learning, the value of virtual classes is their ability to accommodate busy schedules that may not align with fixed class times, seen in how the math department now provides more evening classes.