Business
education has been defined by various person’s based on what they believe
education in business should set out to achieve. Shield (1930) Defined business
education as economic education not of the academic sort, long in theory and short
on fact, but that which gives the student knowledge of basic realities of
business life and relationship. Dane and Brinkman (1961), business education
consist of the group of related, occupationally focused and general education
subjects, systematically arranged, which are prescribed for possible
certification in a field.
Lomax (1964) refers to business
education as that field of education which deals with business experience both
for specialized occupational uses VBE and for general use GBE.
Distance education or distance
learning is a formal hearing activity that occurs when students and instructor
are separated by geographic distance or by time. Learning the course material
is facilitated by communications technology such as television videotape,
computer or mail. Sturt C (2013) it is a field of education that focuses on
pedagogy technology and instructional system. It is designed for learner who
lived at a distance from teaching institutions or education. With flexible
study options and distance learning, you can study online from home, work or
any where in the world. Which means that in distance education course delivery,
method, students may not be physically present with their teacher in a class
room for teaching and learning to take place.
There
are three types of distance learning:
1. Internet: These courses are offered
online and allow for flexibility in time and/or place for learning and study.
2. Correspondence: Correspondence courses
are self directed. Students purchase a kit that contains course material,
including instructions for completing assignments, due dates and exam schedules
and then work independently toward mastering the material.
3. Mixed mode (in class and internet):
mixed mode learning combines in class and online academic information. The
greatest benefit of distance learning is the reduction in time spent on campus.
Argument for Control of time
Being in control of your own
schedule is a huge benefit of taking a course in distance learning. I
understand that time is hard to come by, but making a commitment and scheduling
time will force you to make time for a course and to continue to grow. Also
with a distance learning course, you are able to go at your own pace. For
instance, if you are taking a marketing course and already have a great
referral plan set up, you can skin through this section and really focus on the
content producing strategy that you know you need to get to.
It saves money for the learner that he
would have spend in ravel, accommodation or lodging. Because distance learning
will avail you the opportunity to stay close to home and study at any
university of your choice. It helps you to save that money that would have used
to be traveling to and flow and even the money that would have been used to pay
for accommodation if it is a regular programme that you are running with that
main institution that is far from home.
It
helps to overcome the sense of disorientation for the Nigerian learner studding
outside the country. The learner remains within the home environment while
content materials and developing language skills, technical skills, research
skill and educational proficiency needed are gradually acquired. From any
university of his choice.
It overcomes the difficulties in
obtaining visa for educational travel since the learner can stay in his country
and study in a university outside his country of origin.
It provides for an increase in
access to education for those who otherwise have no other opportunities due to
work, financial problem and their nature. Business education emphasizes on
skill acquisition which it stated can be achieved by training and retrain of
workers. But there are some offices or parastatals that are so busy that can
not allow her workers to go for regular studies so distance learning provides
chances or opportunity for such group to further their education and become
more competent for their work.
It
also provide opportunity for those that do not have money and the disable to
acquire knowledge.
Argument against
Time
and frustration is involved in learning how to get on-line for novices. Novice
here refers to those that have little or no experience on information and
communication technology this group of person will become frustrated if
enrolled in distance learning.
Students
must be more active and self-directed in learning environment-depending on
individual motivation and initiative: this is possible because a regular
learning environment will pass true a student and the student on the other hand
will pass through the institution which means university is not about reading
and written or acquiring specified skill only but a student will also learn how to associate
with other students, how to speak good English even how to dress well and all
about social and moral aspect of life which cannot be learnt in distance
learning.
Some
students that are very serious about their studies will also serve as a
motivational factor in regular schooling. Occasional feelings of
isolation-potentially less group support for learner leading isolation and possible non-completion of program: In a
learning environment, teachers and co-students serve as models and motivational
factor to student since regular school
setting involves physical contact unlike distance learning where student
interact with only system (computer) and people in it which you can’t see
physically.
Demand
large effort to create and maintain the technological infrastructure: Because
machine in distance learning performs the whole duty of a teacher, it posses
the problem of procuring those machine and maintaining it appropriately so that
it can serve the purpose it is meant to serve.
Occasional
internet provider downtime: Because distance learning is done with computer and
occasionally internet providers use to have their down time i.e they will be
out of service or the network will be poor and it will have bad effect on the
learner because he will not achieve much without proper internet service.
From the discussion above, it is
clear that business education should be done in distance learning because when
taking a course online, you have the possibility of gaining as much more than
simply reading out of a textbook. Online programes often feature content in a
variety of forms such as video, audio, text, worksheet and more people learn in
many ways and reinforcing content in multiple formats enhances the chance of
truly understanding what is being taught and because distance learning offers
educational opportunity to those that their working place can’t give chance to
go to campus for their education and even those that are disable that takes it
difficult to move from one place to the other.
Summary
Having
seen the method and reasons for distance learning that it provides for an
increase in access to education for those who otherwise have no other
opportunities due to: work, their nature and financial problem. Their choosing
of distance education as a delivery method is that they want to learn at their
own pace or at a time location that is convenient to them. A majority of
distance learning students are people who want o stay close to home for various
reasons; they must care for a confined relative at home. Other students are
physically challenged and cannot easily travel to campus.
REFERENCES
Accolades and Criticisms of distanced education http://www.people.menphis.edu/-ffowler/criticotable.html.
Azuka et al (2006) Foundations of business education
in Nigeria.
Bestor A. (1956) the restoration of learning New York:
knops A journey through the history of distance education http://www.people.memphis.edu/ffowler/title
html.
Hatchins R.M (1936). The higher learning in America,
New Haven: Yale University Press.
Sturt C. (2013) sitemap current students staff library
university CRICOS.