Mental Health Continuing Education – Is Distance Learning Right For You?
For many people who choose mental health continuing education, distance learning is an attractive option. You’re not 18 anymore, and now you’ve got an entire LIFE to coordinate. These programs are tailored to people who work, have families and are otherwise engaged in everyday things. However, it’s not for everybody. First, let’s look at the advantages of distance learning for mental health continuing education; then, we’ll consider some of the disadvantages.
You Can Study When And Where You Want. These courses allow you to log in at any time and do your coursework. This is really convenient for those of us with busy schedules. You can also study anywhere, which means that you don’t have to spend time traveling to and from school. It’s just a matter of turning on your computer wherever you are.
Save Money As Well As Time. You may also find yourself spending less money with distance learning. You can get your mental health continuing education coursework done without having to spend the money on traveling, attending seminars, eating lunch on campus and other things.
Focus Your Time To Use It More Effectively. In a normal classroom setting, you have to sit through the lecture, even if you’ve already covered it. With distance learning, you move at your own pace, which means that you can skip over things that you’ve already studied or that don’t pertain to you.
These are the reasons so many people choose distance learning for their mental health continuing education course, but you should be aware that there are some downsides too:
The Technology Can Be Tricky. To make your lectures, discussions and tests, you’ve got to have a computer that’s capable of running all the necessary programs. You also need a certain speed and memory capability. Sometimes, upgrading or getting the necessary software presents challenges you weren’t expecting, as well as added costs.
Planning And Time Management. For some people, distance learning isn’t such a good idea. It takes a certain kind of discipline to make all of your assignments and take care of all the little things, especially if you’ve also got a job to think about. You have to be good at planning and time management, and even though you don’t have to show up for tests, the deadlines are serious. There are also lots of other little things to remember, like posting to discussion threads.
Teach Yourself. Distance learning is a little bit like teaching yourself. If you’re doing a mental health continuing education course through distance learning, you’ve got to be a self-starter.
No Direct Access. Another disadvantage is that you don’t get to actually meet your instructors or classmates. This can be a big turn-off for students who need that face-to-face contact.
You can get your mental health continuing education certification in a real classroom or through distance learning. Consider the pros and cons of each before you make a decision. You might want to talk with someone who has done a distance learning course for further advice.