Strategies which encourage rural adults to understand better their local community contexts and to share information with those in other rural communities are extraordinarily important. Technology needs to be used in ways that strengthen the human infrastructure in rural areas rather than displacing it with resources outside of the community. Program planning which invites the participation of rural constituencies can help ensure that both the information shared and the linkages created are meaningful to those living in rural communities. To extend educational access and retain learners, the challenge lies in creative course development that brings interactivity where it might seem impossible. As the rate of technological change continues to accelerate, the need for continuing education and training will also increase.
Distance learning is probably the most efficient and practical way to do that.
In the future, an increasing number of distance learning programs may be delivered to learners in their homes or workplaces. By coupling advancements in distance learning technologies with innovative programming, educational providers can link rural communities to the training and continuing education programs they need to compete in the Information Age. This article may be freely distributed as long as this notice remains intact.