Through distance learning students are able to embark upon a course of study without suffering the loss of a salary or incurring the costs of relocation so often associated with registration on a traditional course . Provided a student is motivated to achieve the particular end result he or she can study when and where they like ... be it at the kitchen table in the middle of the night or in the sequestered calm of a library. Through the Internet students can become part of a vibrant and growing community of students and teachers ...a community made even more fascinating and stimulating because it embraces individuals from all over the world as opposed to a single country or group of countries. The positive and beneficial effect of such cultural interchange cannot of course be overstated.

However, setting aside these evident advantages can it be said that distance learning is in fact effective?

Some frequently asked questions include:

… Is online distance education as effective as traditional face-to-face teaching?

Research comparing distance education to traditional face-to-face teaching does show that teaching and studying at a distance can be as effective as traditional teaching, provided the appropriate methods and technologies are used and provided students are able to interact online and receive prompt and constructive feedback from their tutors (Moore & Thompson, 1990; Verduin & Clark, 1991). In fact it is interesting to note that student achievement tends to be higher for distant as opposed to traditional students (Souder, 1993)

… What type of student or teacher do you have to be in order to benefit fully from online education?

Students who participate in online distance education programmes are, usually, voluntarily seeking further education, are older than students who attend traditional colleges or universities ...and are highly motivated and self-disciplined. Quite often such students have existing qualifications and are seeking to improve upon these ...or to investigate other disciplines and areas of expertise altogether.

Online distance learning is clearly regarded as being of paramount importance in today¹s world. It has opened up new areas of study and research to thousands of individuals ... and it will continue to increase in its importance and relevance and become even more accessible as technology improves.

Speaking in November at an international e-summit in London, the United Kingdom¹s Minister for Adult Skills and Learning , Ivan Lewis said:

"The Prime Minister announced in September 2000 that there would be 6000 UK online centres including in all public libraries in England by the end of 2002. Today, he was able to announce that we have achieved that goal six weeks ahead of our target date and the centres are now enabling people to get access to PCs and the information they need in the knowledge economy.

"Everyone in England should be able to find a UK online centre near to their home. 2,000 are in public libraries and the rest are located to provide easy access for all. One of our main aims is to reach people in disadvantaged communities by providing low or no cost information and communications technology (ICT) services. We want to encourage them into learning and updating their skills. "

Semple Piggot Rochez (SPR) has been offering online tuition for the University of London's LLB since 1996. We began with a small pioneering group of online students and now offer this particular programme to many students living and working in all parts of the world. We also offer blended learning programmes which combine traditional face to face teaching sessions with high level synchronous and asynchronous tutorials and discussion boards, a sophisticated programme of study for the LLM together with a growing portfolio of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Courses designed for law practitioners.

Those of us involved in online distance education are acutely aware of how important it is to maintain fees at a reasonable and affordable level. Hence, we at SPR try to ensure that our fees are kept as low as possible but that the quality of our course provision is maintained at an extremely high level.

Our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions and use the LLB either to enhance and develop their existing careers through a greater knowledge and understanding of the law and how it applies to their own area of expertise or to re-qualify as lawyers ... either as solicitors or barristers.

The University of London's external law degree is prestigious and has an international reputation for excellence. The programmes we provide reflect this ... they are demanding but, with the resources and support we provide, we believe them to be both rewarding and enjoyable

We have programmes of study for both Graduates and Undergraduates.

Our Graduate programmes are offered either entirely online or partly online with some face to face teaching and they can be completed in either two or three years, depending on which Route is chosen.

Our Undergraduate programmes are delivered entirely online and can be completed in either three or four years.

The entrance requirements for all these programmes are set by the University of London and can be found in the university's Degree Regulations and General Regulations although an outline is also provided on the "Steps" link of the SPR web site

At SPR, we take a multi media approach to teaching and have produced courses which are at the cutting edge of legal education and net technology.

Our students are each given their own personal workstation on our advanced Learning Management System, equipping them with a range of tools such as a personal webpage, personal calendar, an email messaging system and private online chatroom facilities.

Our extensive materials are provided in electronic format and can be either viewed online or downloaded to a computer.

Our soundfiles, which can also be listened to online or downloaded, bring the lecture theatre direct to the desk top.

We provide each of our students with access to Butterworths Online resources, to Westlaw, Lawtel and PLC Magazine ... in short, to an Online Library which rivals in its quality and extent the libraries of most universities and leading law firms.

And all of these materials and resources can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year... provided you are able to access the net, our materials and research tools are available to you online wherever you are and whenever you need them.

In addition to all this, we provide our students from all parts of the world with the opportunity to interact in both our discussion and debate forums and in the virtual tutorials which are held live in our own dedicated chatrooms.

We also run face to face weekend seminars in Oxford in October, November, February, March and April.. These seminars are held in the particularly beautiful and relaxing environments of Corpus Christi College and Christ Church and, for those who are able to attend, provide an ideal opportunity to meet fellow students and tutors ...

When visiting our web site please take a little time to look at our free specimen materials and download a free copy of our Annual Law Review together with our Study Guide for Distance Learning.

On a lighter but equally informative note, do visit Consilio at - http://www.spr-consilio.com. Consilio is our free interactive online magazine and an important part of our Course resource. We ask students to visit the magazine regularly and, in particular, to check out the Law Reports, Features and News sections in order to keep abreast of UK legal news.