Flexibility, Time Management, and Comfort through Distance Education

Kathleen Reid is a 3rd year Political Science Major and Sociology Minor. When she needed to fulfill one of her science credits she opted to take FNH 200: Exploring Our Food via distance education after she “heard from friends that [this] was a good course and the format was easy to understand.” She had never tried the distance format before and was pleasantly surprised when FNH 200 “turned out to be a fantastic course.”

FNH 200 has introduced Kathleen to key concepts related to the science of food, including the Canadian food system, chemical and physical properties of foods, issues pertaining to safety, and government regulations. “This course taught me a lot about food, how it is made and preserved, the nutritional value of certain items, and about human health in relation to food,” shares Kathleen. FNH 200 has had a practical application for Kathleen as well; it has “helped clarify certain myths and required one to be more engaged with their food.” She describes how her course knowledge has impacted her life outside of the classroom. “When I go to the supermarket I can explain how cheese is created or why a certain item is packaged a certain way.” Not only is Kathleen meeting her science requirement but she is gaining valuable practical knowledge that affects her everyday life.

Kathleen’s course was in the online format of distance education and “was fairly straightforward.” The course requires students to participate in “online discussions (a tool where you could chat between classmates) lesson modules, assignments, and online quizzes.” Kathleen admits she “was surprised to see video clips within the lesson plans and was impressed with how well the plans were laid out so you knew what to take away from the readings.” The well organized lesson plans and unique activities for each module made it easy for Kathleen to navigate through the course from the comfort of her own home.

Kathleen has also gained transferable skills from her distance education course. Before taking FNH 200, Kathleen was used to taking campus-based courses and following a prescribed schedule. With FNH 200 she reveals, “I think it has helped me with my coursework because you have to stay on top of the readings. It definitely improved my time management skills and it was convenient to take a distance course because it gave me more flexibility to work.”

The advantages to Kathleen participating in distance education seem to be endless. In addition to the practical application of course content and the transferable skills acquired, the course allowed her to have more time at home where she could learn in a more comfortable setting. “I could wake up in the morning with pyjamas and tea and work through the lesson for the week,” she explains. Most notably “the course allowed [her] to log in more hours at work and maintain some flexibility because it allowed [her] to spend less time on campus.”

In regards to the online format, Kathleen thought her course readings and lesson modules were written in a concise, easy-to-understand manner. “The material is a lot easier to absorb because it is laid out in a simple format. The course is well structured and you do not have to worry about due dates changing or making sure you understood the reading correctly.” How assured is she about the quality of distance education courses compared to on-campus courses? She shares: “knowing the set up of this distance course I would feel confident in recommending it to my friends.”