Heading Back to School? Know Your Learning Style First

With continuing advances in technology, people who need to get additional schooling have more options available to them. Whether it's to earn a college degree, acquire new skills for a promotion, stay up-to-date in their present position, or switch to a whole new career, students are no longer limited to the four walls of a classroom. Higher education offers an array of options, among them telecourses, distance learning, online classes and computer-based training. But as learning specialists point out, these new learning alternatives may not be right for everyone.

So how do you determine your learning style? Basically, in the same manner in which you ask questions of college counselors and consider various factors when selecting a college. But when determining your learning style, you're asking yourself questions about your study habits, your learning style, and other preferences. Here's a look at the various learning options available and some initial questions for consideration.

TV LEARNING
Telecourses are an ideal alternative for busy working adults, for enrolled students who need to take additional courses on a flexible basis, and for those who want to explore a particular subject area.

With telecourses, students view the lesson of the day by either tuning into a particular television channel or cable system, or by watching a video or DVD supplied by the instructor. The televised lesson is complemented with textbooks, study guides and classroom instruction. Since telecourses are equivalent to traditionally taught college courses, students follow the same enrollment and tuition guidelines as students taking on-site classes and have all the on-campus student services available to them.