Distance learning has come a long way. Once the domain of dubious “as seen on TV” correspondence courses promising diplomas in such arcane disciplines as air conditioning installation and VCR and gun repair, distance education has entered the mainstream. Today, institutions ranging from the Ivy Leagues to local K-12 programs offer virtual coursework on their Websites, iTunes, YouTube and Second Life. Originally designed for working adults, online courses are now a real component of every phase of “traditional” education, and for a generation brought up on the Internet, the transition is seamless. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 66 percent of post-secondary learning institutions offer distance learning programs, with 12.2 million enrollments in college-level credit-granting distance education courses in 2006-07.
At Berklee College of Music, distance learning tools are a far cry from the mail-in music theory correspondence courses the school offered back in the ’50s, but the goals are the same: to connect Berklee’s instructors and curricula with a global network of musicians. According to Debbie Cavalier, Berklee’s Dean of Continuing Education, the scope and learning outcomes for Berkleemusic.com courses are similar to Berklee’s face-to-face environment, but the path to get there is different. “We’ve structured our online courses to address many different learning modalities,” she says. “Text, audio, video, live chat, discussion board activities, Flash interactions and hands-on projects are all provided throughout the lessons to help students gain knowledge through their preferred learning style.”
At Berkleemusic, students can enroll in individual classes or work toward an intensive three-course Specialist Certificate; four, five or six-course Professional Certificate; or an eight, nine or 12-month Master Certificate. Classes run 12 weeks and cost $995, or $1,195 for college credit. Each week, students work through the lesson material, post questions, upload assignments, listen to and critique each other’s work, answer questions, interact with their instructor, receive feedback on weekly assignments and participate in a weekly class meeting online. “The class community becomes a vibrant online learning environment with lots of communication and musical exchange,” says Cavalier. “Students who are new to Berkleemusic are often surprised by how much they learn, how rigorous the Berkleemusic online courses are and how connected they feel to their classmates and instructor throughout the 12-week term.”
At Berklee College of Music, distance learning tools are a far cry from the mail-in music theory correspondence courses the school offered back in the ’50s, but the goals are the same: to connect Berklee’s instructors and curricula with a global network of musicians. According to Debbie Cavalier, Berklee’s Dean of Continuing Education, the scope and learning outcomes for Berkleemusic.com courses are similar to Berklee’s face-to-face environment, but the path to get there is different. “We’ve structured our online courses to address many different learning modalities,” she says. “Text, audio, video, live chat, discussion board activities, Flash interactions and hands-on projects are all provided throughout the lessons to help students gain knowledge through their preferred learning style.”
At Berkleemusic, students can enroll in individual classes or work toward an intensive three-course Specialist Certificate; four, five or six-course Professional Certificate; or an eight, nine or 12-month Master Certificate. Classes run 12 weeks and cost $995, or $1,195 for college credit. Each week, students work through the lesson material, post questions, upload assignments, listen to and critique each other’s work, answer questions, interact with their instructor, receive feedback on weekly assignments and participate in a weekly class meeting online. “The class community becomes a vibrant online learning environment with lots of communication and musical exchange,” says Cavalier. “Students who are new to Berkleemusic are often surprised by how much they learn, how rigorous the Berkleemusic online courses are and how connected they feel to their classmates and instructor throughout the 12-week term.”
The immediate benefits are obvious: Online courses offer flexibility and convenience; and students can usually log in anytime, anywhere. Classes are generally available on an affordable a la carte basis — and with the average yearly tuition at a four-year college creeping over $25,000, cost is certainly a consideration…Web-based audio curriculums are exploding: Berkleemusic.com, which is largely recognized as the pioneer of online audio education, leads the market with the world’s largest catalog, offering more than 100 accredited courses and 30 certificate programs to more than 25,000 students in 90 countries…
That said, the notion of the “real world” is evolving, and smart students are exploring new models of working. “Global collaboration is taking place in all sorts of industries,” says Garcia. “In recording, people are collaborating and working together more without being in the same studio. I think distance education actually prepares you for that new world, where you are working with people who you don’t see, people you are not in the same room with.”Ultimately, online education is just like most things in life: What you get out of it is in direct proportion to what you put into it. “It is an utter myth that online or distance learning is simply a bunch of resources made available online — it is not,” says Hambly. “What is essential is carefully crafted pedagogical systems where a relationship forms between the student and his or her peers and learning advisor. If potential students find that the courses are without appropriate advisor moderation and guidance, my advice is to stay well clear of them as you will not be getting a valuable educational experience. It is in the interaction, or, ‘social learning,’ where the real learning takes place.”
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