[originaltext]M: Julie, I’ve heard you’ve got an online degree through distance

M: Julie, I’ve heard you’ve got an online degree through distance learning. Congratulations!
W: Thank you, Richard. That is attributed to the increased availability of the Internet throughout the world.
M: Yon know, I’m quite interested in online learning. Can you tell me why you chose this way of studying?
W: Well, for me, the most compelling reasons for trying to get an online degree are time and money.
M: What does that mean?
W: With an online course, you can enroll in a class, do assignments on the Internet, and even communicate with classmates in chatrooms or on bulletin boards. All of these activities can be clone from the comfort of your home or laptop: any time; any place.
M: That seems very nice.
W: Yes. Besides, getting such a degree can be cheaper, because you don’t have to pay associated costs related to an overseas adventure: airfare, housing, local transportation, etc.
M: Oh, that sounds quite attractive.
W: But remember: for all these benefits, there are a number of obstacles to this kind of learning.
M: Really? What are they?
W: Above all else, you have to consider how a degree from an online school will he received by future employers. In some countries, companies might feel that the academic standards of such an online institution are not as challenging or rigorous as a regular residency program.
M: Oh, I see. Does it have any other disadvantage?
W: Sure. You probably won’t have face-to-face contact with other students since everything is online. Such contact is very important in learning how to deal with many aspects of non-verbal communication that aren’t obvious in an on line chatroom.
M: That makes sense. Thank you for your information about getting online degrees.
W: You’re welcome.