Blog 8: Chapter 7 Review

I have always been skeptical of distance learning services. Perhaps it is the lack of social interaction, perhaps it is the oddity of sitting at one's computer for hours at a time, or perhaps it is just the predatory vibe one gets from watching distance educators' daytime TV commercials. It seems that distance learning removes some of the aspects of personal responsibility present in other learning modalities; anonymity is just a little too accessible.

While it is hard to argue with research, I do not agree with Roblyer's assertion that distance education is "just as effective" as traditional education. I do not understand how she can make this statement in the same breath as admitting that distance education can have severe consequences regarding social development.

However, I do understand that distance education has a place. I think the older a person is, or the more responsibilities they have in life, the more pertinent distance education becomes. For a single mom wanting to get out of a career rut, an organization like University of Phoenix is a great choice, but for a 15 year old embarrassed about their acne distance education should not be an option.