SHOULD BUSINESS EDUCATION BE DONE IN DISTANCE LEARNING?

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.
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