So, what needs to be done to ensure that a distance learning course is a success, in a nutshell, treat it like a project. In this project, the project team is made up of you the student, the provider and their back up team and resources, the tutor that will work with you, and some important stakeholders. If you are the student, appoint yourself as the project manager. If you are an employer, appoint yourself as the client and behave like a major stakeholder in this project.
It is important that you research potential providers. Look at the range of courses they offer. If it is massive, everything from dog handling to nuclear physics, then back away. If it is focused, with a core area of expertise, investigate that provider further, they are more likely to be serious and knowledgeable in that area of expertise. Check out the potential providers accreditations. In the UK and most developed countries, there are government appointed, or approved, accreditation bodies, sometimes known as validation bodies. If the provider is nationally accredited, in their field of expertise, by that countys recognised accreditation bodies, that is a very positive sign.
Once you...