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Distance Learning: Types, Pros, and Cons

Distance learning is the systematic teaching and learning environment which is designed to operate remotely by the implementation of several necessary technological and multimedia elements such as: Internet, E-mails, Audio-Video and etc.

In simple terms, distance learning is the platform through which the students can get an education anytime, anywhere without being present in the class, and with no face-to-face interaction with teachers.

In recent times there is an increment of courses that can be learned from distance overcoming the geographical barriers. Along with the growth of service providers of distance learning, there has been the development of its types too. Generally, it has:

  • Online learning

Online learning which can be also referred to as conference class is where the students and the teacher meet up in real-time using the internet. In comparison to other forms of distance learning, this one is more interactive as it is conducted in real-time.

  • Hybrid courses

Hybrid course is the blended form of tradition learning method and online learning. The students can take their classes from their respective location but are required to meet up in person at certain intervals during course.

  • Electronic learning

Electronic learning is one of the most popular types of distance learning. It is also referred as e- learning. The students access their course material on their laptops or computers. DVD’s CD’s and other different tools are used to deliver the courses.

  • Correspondence learning

Correspondence learning is where the students the do their interaction through mail. They receive the education material through mail and also submit the necessary assignment through mail.

These are some of the general types of distance learning that is in practice.

Pros of Distance Learning

Distance learning has lots of pros which in attracts the students to enroll in it. Some of the pros of distance are:

  • Saving of Time & Energy

By enrolling in distance learning course, students can save their time and energy as they won’t have to face hassles to attend the class on time. Also they will be able to maintain balance of between their work life and the studies.  Doing so there mind will remain free from stress and stay healthy

  • Flexibility

Flexibility is one of the main reasons which make distance learning attractive. Students can study whenever and wherever they want. You can get any degree you want without any geographical barriers. You can cover up the classes you have missed easily by using material that will be available online when you are free.

  • Saving of money

In comparison with the regular programs, distance learning also seems cheaper as it helps in saving lots of minor costs that would have occurred going to normal colleges. So, it is suitable for the ones who are looking for an affordable courses.

  • Learning at your own pace

Unlike classrooms where you have to go along the pace of your teacher and other students in the class, in distance learning you can go on your own pace. Every people learn in different spend in different way. You can learn bits by bits as the materials are provided by your service providers.

  • Familiarization with technologies

There is use of lot of technologies in distance learning in order to provide the education to the students. You will be able to learn about new software, working mechanism of various forum discussion sites etc.  

Cons of Distance Learning

Despite having such attractive pros, distance learning as fair share of cons. Some of the cons are:

  • Students Being Distracted

There is a high chance that the students will be distracted as they cannot be monitored properly. The effectiveness of online class largely depends upon the dedication shown by the students.

  • Complication of Technologies

Distance learning is highly dependent on the uses of technology. Any sort of technical difficulties whether that are with the service provider, students or the third party elements can halt the progress of the class.

  • Lacks Interaction

In distance learning on cannot experience proper social interaction. You will be able to interact with the other people by phones and internet but it won’t be effective as face-to-face.

  • Quality Compromise

There are situations where the course provider isn’t able to provide the service effectively to the students, mostly due to the lack of quality faculty members. Sometimes even if the instructors are good they might able to perform and deliver their best in online plat form.

Distance learning has a fair share of pros and cons and it also depends on the students who want to take on the course depending on their situation. Some research has shown that with the proper application of techniques, distance learning can be as effective as campus-based learning.

digital marketing in nepal

Digital Marketing in Nepal

digital marketing in nepal
digital marketing in nepal

Being in the year 2020 just think about daily life without the internet. Seems very odd and difficult, doesn’t it?

Most of the entity whether that be a living being or non-living, have a digital presence of their own and its increasing as days pass by. Due to easy access to the internet and several other technologies, the number of users in the virtual world has been increasing continuously. This scenario has given birth to a new platform filled with opportunities for growth and business i.e. Digital Marketing.

What exactly is digital marketing?

In simple terms, digital marketing refers to the activities carried out in order to connect with the audience using several available digital channels like social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) email, websites. The activities that are done depends on the goal of the marketer. The goal can in order to maximize the sale, strengthen the brand, simply reaching out to the audience, etc.

Types of digital marketing

As discussed above, digital marketing encompasses various several activities or methods. We will be talking about it here as follows:

1. Search engine optimization (SEO)

SEO is one of the popular aspects of digital marketing. It is the process of optimizing the website so that it can rank higher in the search engine result and deliver more traffic to your websites. Generally, there are three types of SEO.

a. On-page SEO

Here the priorities are given to the contents that are on the page. Elements like keywords research, Meta- description, headings, image optimization, etc.

b. Off-page SEO

In this case, the focus is given to increasing the page rank through link building, improving domain authority. Basically it involves activities that are done outside of your website which affects the ranking.

c. Technical SEO

Technical SEO is related to the backend of the website. Generally deals with the code of the website. It has no relation to the content or promotion of the website.

2. Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing means the marketing activities carried out using various social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, etc. in order to promote the content, driving traffic, creating brand awareness, etc. Audio, video, text, image, and other content formats.

3. Pay Per Click (PPC)

PPC is the method of marketing where the traffic is driven to the website by paying the ad publisher every time some users clicked your ad. Google ads can be taken as the best example of PPC. You can pay for your website to be showcased at the top of Google search result pages.

4. Email Marketing

Email marketing is where the company runs an e-mail campaign with the goal of reaching out to as many people possible through mails for Informing them about the latest information, Discounts, Maintaining an existing relationship, Product promotion, etc.

5. Content marketing

There is a popular saying “Content is King”. The statement is very true and applicable in digital marketing. Content is the core that drives traffic to your website. Google also ranks content as one of the main elements for the better ranking of the website.

Importance of Digital Marketing in Nepal

Digital marketing has several importance in Nepal and we are discussing some of it:

a. Targeting the market

One of the main advantages of marketing through digital platforms is that we can easily target our customer cluster. We can even reach out to large number of customers easily in comparison to traditional marketing. The number of users of social media is increasing day by day which is a good sign for marketing through digital channels.

b. Gain a competitive edge

In a country like Nepal, it is quite difficult for small businesses to gain an advantage against big business houses. That’s where digital marketing comes in; it has helped many of the small scale business to gain fame and to be heard throughout the country. Some small business, restaurants has become a household name after getting popular in social media.

c. Cost-effective

In comparison with traditional marketing, digital marketing is far more economical as it enables us to earn 2x, 3x or even more revenue with the same budget that we use in traditional marketing.

This happens because we are able to target our service to specific customers with ease and generate traffic.

d. Data-driven

Digital marketing is data-driven. We can track the progress that we are making and make changes according to it. We can know about the times that our ad was clicked, views, engagements, shares and measure its effectiveness.

Other several importances can be:

– Reaching more people

– Generate leads

– Easy communication

– Suitable for all business

– Competitor analysis

– Brand strengthening

Scope of Digital Marketing in Nepal

We all know Nepal is a developing country and in a situation like this, every sector is in a growing phase. New startups are being formed or the existing ones are trying to expand their territory.

Along with this, there has been significant development of technologies and are getting cheaper too. There has been easy accessibility of the gadgets, internet services for the regular people. The number of people using various digital platforms has risen up significantly in comparison to the past years.

Due to factors like these, the market of digital marketing has been rising and industries whether that be of a small scale, medium scale, or large scale all have been reaching out to their customers and prospects using the digital platform. Digital marketing has started to become a necessity rather than just a trend or medium to reach out to people. Judging by the current growth of the market we can be assured that the scope and the potential of digital marketing in Nepal are very good.

Digital Marketing Career in Nepal

As we have discussed that the market for digital marketing has been improving at a very fast pace, the manpower for optimum utilization will obviously be needed. Every company wants to maintain a good digital presence and it has become a necessity for most of the organizations. And for that a capable digital marketing strategist is in demand in the job market.

Not Just bin Nepal , the career scope in digital marketing is very good in all over the world.

            (Source: indeed.com)

Here is a data showing the growth of digital making job in the market. This shows that the career in digital marketing will be very good. This is just one of the data showcasing the job demand; there are other several researched data which shows the good career scope in digital marketing.

So, it is safe to say that the growth of digital marketing Nepal inevitable and will prosper influencing all most all of the sectors taking them to next level. It will become a necessity in the market so it’s better if you start to learn things relating to it.

If you are interested and are planning to kick start your career in digital marketing sector in Nepal, then we Forward Academic Team Nepal have been providing digital marketing training. The training will be of one month period where you can get immense exposure regarding digital marketing.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you are interested in the course.

By Aashish Uprety

What is Distance Learning?

Distance learning is an educational option that allows students to earn college credit or take classes for personal enrichment any time, anywhere. This option is offered by many colleges and universities, but what does a distance course entail? How do they work and what can students expect? Read on to learn more about this convenient learning format!

Overview of Distance Learning Courses

A distance learning course is simply an educational course that is delivered remotely, meaning that students can complete some or all of their coursework without having to be physically present in a classroom on any campus. There are many different kinds of distance learning courses. For example:

  • Online Courses are usually offered alongside traditional courses at colleges and universities and allow students to receive instruction entirely from home. Students are responsible for their own access, which will require a computer and an internet connection (at a minimum).
  • Hybrid Courses blend distance learning with traditional classroom-based delivery methods. While these courses contain a flexible distance component, students still need to attend some classes in person. The amount of campus-based classroom time differs from course to course.
  • Conferencing is a method of live distance learning that has students joining an audio or video classroom setting via a telephone or a group chat program (such as Skype). Students may conference with a group or vis-à-vis with an instructor.
  • Correspondence Courses allow students to receive their educational materials by mail and in turn, return any completed assignments by mail.

These distance learning options are a necessity in situations where daily travel might be impractical, and they’re a helpful alternative to traditional courses for students with chronic illness, mobility issues, or disabilities. Also, the flexibility offered by distance learning makes it a sensible choice for working students who may not have the time or availability to attend a traditional course.

Scheduling Flexibility

Distance learning courses typically allow students to access course materials at their own convenience. For example, while an online college course may contain the same schedule of lectures as its classroom counterpart, the best place and time of day to access them are largely left up to the student.

However, distance learning courses may also be conducted in real time, meaning that while students do not need to be physically present in a classroom, they will need to be on a certain website (or conferencing program) at a certain time on a regular basis.

Course Deadlines

Deadlines for completing any coursework will also vary by course. Students may need to keep up with reading and homework assignments or make arrangements to take proctored exams, either online or on campus, at specified test dates. On the other hand, some distance learning courses do not have any deadlines at all and are fully self-paced.

Success with any distance learning course requires a great deal of discipline and organization. Check out Study.com’s brief course on college success skills to learn strategies and tips for staying motivated when you’re going it alone.

Availability of Courses

Distance learning courses are available for nearly every subject and at all levels of education. Students enrolled in these classes receive the same quality of education as traditional students, with the same instructional support and access to campus resources.

Students may now earn a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, or even a doctorate without setting foot inside a classroom. Students can also access distance learning courses to update their job skills or continue their education.