Stress in Distance Education

Feelings in the balancing of the distance education are: stress, hopelessness, despair, confusion, tension, inadequacy, fear and shame.

Hopelessness is a situation that comes to negate the assurance that was seemingly there. When it comes to education, the key objectives of distance learning fail to be met, and therefore, the learner feels as if he or she has wasted a lot of time and resources.

Desperation comes about when the learner feels like giving up, due to  much pressure that is involved. Sometimes hand outs are issued just few days to the exam, whereas the learner is already busy with other issues, and therefore, feels he will not make it in the exams.

There arises confusion, due to many things that have to be done within a very small duration of time. This is because the work that is supposed to be covered is so tome-consuming that one cannot be able to finish up in time. In the same fashion, the task might require the help of the lecturer who is not available for those under distance learning or online learning modules.

Distance Learning

Learning and studying are things that require utmost concentration and time. They require one to be alert always to even be able to explore the different fields that it encompasses, as well as the depth of the course being taken or then subject at hand. As a student, one has a quest to gain information at least by using his time properly and maximizing it in time. It has always been good to create time for self and other activities that one is involved in. Sometimes it is difficult, especially when one has to balance between  many activities that one is involved in, and all of them require attention or they are interrelated. Distance education, or commonly known as distance learning, is a case in which one does not need to be in the class, so as to get certification, but just is required to read the content, and pass the examinations. It is a case that is commonly seen among the working elite.

Stress in distance learning emanates mostly from the performance levels that are caused by many factors, including lack of enough preparation, unpreparedness of the student, lack of the specific content that was required, so as to pass such exams, insufficient time to be able to complete all the tasks required, failure to have the updated material to handle the issues. Inadvertently, due to the large amounts that are paid for the facilitation of the same, the students are stressed as the funds are irrecoverable.

The effects of distance learning range from positive to negative. These, however, vary from one person to another. To begin with, distance learning is not as bad as it may seem, for it is convenient for people who are multitasking. It is in this case that one can study from any place that one wants. It reduces the risk of sometimes being jobless with the excuse of being at school. In this aspect, therefore, it promotes the lifelong learning. It is in this that the individual is able to reduce the costs of commuting. This money can be used to develop other areas or be saved. It further reduces the costs, as there is no boarding that is required to learn. This can be done from any point of the world that the student is. It is in this that the students can be able to learn even using the internet through the computer technology. The notes are fed in through the internet and the student can be able to access them.

However, it is also very possible that the distance learning will not be effective or efficient, especially because the required results are not going to be attained. For the certain courses, distance learning may not apply, even using the online portals as the degree course or the course outline may not be completed. This is because all the information may not be contained in the internet or the course may require that one sits in the class. In addition to this, the students are not able to work on their oral and personal skills, which are incorporated together with the learning as a complete set. It is also not the best, as it is asynchronous and does not give immediate feedback, as it is in the usual regular classrooms. Sometimes, there is a feeling of isolation to some students, due to the lack of interaction between the students and the instructors. This physical interaction to some extent is very vital.

It is very important to manage this stress or to reduce it. This can be done in different ways, as it also depends on many factors for it to be achieved. Also, it varies with the person and the place, as well as the nature of job that one is doing and many other factors. The best way to reduce the stress is to avoid it. This can be done by being in class physically, for it sometimes consumes almost the same amount and time. In doing this, one is able to reap the full benefits of the education, and can be able to concentrate and be sure of the contents required. It also reduces the cost of being hooked to the online sources which may not be the right materials required and may also end up bringing health hazards that could be avoided, if one attended the classes. In addition to this, the student can reduce the stress by doing things in time and not compressing or juggling many courses or even taking longer to read for the same thing, so as one can be able to get enough information as those who have in class. It is in this aspect that one also needs to get in touch with the ones who are attending these classes and take their notes which are updated, rather than going online, which may be tasking and thus, stressing. In addition to this, it is advisable that the student gets to identify whether there is a place nearby where the costs are lower, flexible time is offered and he or she can attend this, especially due to omission of commuting and boarding. Finally, the student can reduce the stresses through trying to squeeze in time for physical exercises that have been seen as the way to relieve stress.

It happened so that one student who was working away from our campus was taking the same degree course. We were supposed to have a continuous assessment test that was scheduled to be done on a Wednesday afternoon. He took full days leave, so as to be in campus before time, and to familiarize self with the environment, where the exam will take place. Unfortunately, the test was postponed to a date that would be communicated later, and he went back in frustration. Then it became even worse when it happened that the test was announced to be done on the following Monday. At that time, he had travelled on official duty and could not attend the class to do the test. The lecturer told him that he could only do an extra question in the exam. So, he ended up preparing to do an extra question in the exam within the same time. The exam was not any simpler, the test was the one that helped the rest of the students to attain a substantial total mark, but for him, it was so unfortunate. because he failed in the course. This is one among the many instances that the distance learning has caused a lot of stress, as he had to redo the course again.