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Some Aspects of Distance Learning The main goal of distance learning (or distance education) is to give people opportunities to gain the kind of education they need at this or that stage of their lives. The teacher’s tasks in distance education are to modify a course taking into account students’ needs, to provide advice on personal curriculums, to guide learning projects. According to the method of getting information there are synchronous and asynchronous learning systems. The first foresees the simultaneous participation of both teachers and students, e.g. interactive TV, teleconferences. The latter includes courses with printed materials, audio-video tapes, CDs. The exchange of information is done via the Internet and e-mail and doesn’t require the simultaneous participation, the students decide themselves on the time and curriculum. There can also be mixed learning systems. Universities that offer such educational forms use different technologies, which can be divided into 3 main groups: case technologies, network technologies and distance proper ones. The core element of case technologies is independent students’ work with printed and multimedia materials. They can consult using the e-mail, participate in conferences, download the information they need from the university’s server or from electronic libraries. Network technologies are based on teaching programs, electronic textbooks available via the Internet or local computer nets. Students meet teachers only at the final examinations. Interim computer tests can be done at home. Distance technologies proper – education via TV and satellite channels. Different forms and means of communication can be applied according to the content of lectures. For example, introductory lectures can be given by highly-qualified teachers and shown on satellite channels. Another kind of lectures can be a video film or a record of discussion of prominent scientists. Students have to present their course papers orally - either to submit them in the form of a video film or to present them at the face-to  -face meeting. It’s necessary to mention that only universities which meet state requirements have rights to provide distance education.

But to create successful distance education programmes, the universities might try to start these programmes as an addition to the generally set curriculum. The students might be provided with the alternative to take either distance or regular course. While such a training sample version students can provide a good response to certain points, enlarge and edit the course to their needs, thus being the co-creators of it. That can appear to be a valuable experience for both sides.