In the past decade, distance education – commonly referred to as ‘distance learning’ – has become an increasingly popular way for education institutions to provide access to their programs and for students to learn about topics and get education they might not otherwise be able to pursue. Distance learning offers the possibility of receiving education in a flexible manner that accommodates the many time-constraints imposed by personal responsibilities and commitments.
At ChI, we offer hybrid distance learning to teach students from all around the globe. Our goal is to join the best features of in-class teaching with the best features of independent and online learning to promote active independent learning and reduce in-person class time.
The nature of our programs is centered on person-to-person relatedness, thus we do not provide an on-line curriculum that is solely technology-based. We do not offer instructional DVDs, teleconferencing, and lesson plans.
Students travel to Berkeley, California and join with other students in 5-day learning modules. These face-to-face sessions provide important interaction and instruction for the development of personal, interpersonal, and theoretical skills. In addition to attending 5-day learning modules, students work independently and communicate with the faculty member and classmates via email, list servers, and social media for information sharing, conversations, projects and assignments.
- Serves the needs of the part-time student who cannot afford to spend time on campus regularly to take a course.
- Provides access for students who are in geographically remote areas and do not have readily available access to similar education in their areas.
- Promotes self-directed learning.
- Encourages integration of out-of-class activities with in-class activities to allow for more effective use of traditional class time.
- Distance learning is more "student-centered" than "instructor-centered" allowing students to process and self-direct their learning from the instruction provided, tying it to their own situations.
- Distance learning is more "student-centered" than "instructor-centered" making it the student’s responsibility to process and learn from the information and instruction provided
- Students do not meet as often with classmates and the instructor face-to-face as one would in an on-campus traditional learning environment
- Students are responsible for ensuring their own access to Internet technology and related skills.
- With more flexibility comes more responsibility on the part of the learner. Students must learn to work well independently and without the constant guidance and monitoring of an instructor, making distance learning a challenge for those who are not easily self-motivated.
- While distance learning may be more flexible, it is not less work than a traditional on-campus class.
Student Requirements for Hybrid Distance Learning
- Students enrolling in ChI’s hybrid distance learning programs must follow the regular admissions and registration processes, pay regular tuition and fees, and meet all course prerequisites.
- Distance learning requires that students are extremely self-motivated and disciplined, function independently, and employ strong time management skills.
- Students need to be able to use Internet technology, receive information in various formats, conduct independent research, work alone, share their work and educational experiences with others in various formats
- Students must be prepared to dedicate an average 10-20 hours per month to the program in addition to the travel and classroom time of the 5-day modules.
