Moreover some concepts take a long time to 'gel'. It took me months to realise the importance of structured documents and I hope that I can make it quicker for you. The most important aspect, however, is the contact with people who can help . Moreover, your contribution will be valued by others on the course. Is this a good way to learn Java and XML Yes - but primarily if you are going to be using it in an information management context.
Virtual education is collaborative learning over networks and other electronic media.
It's particularly suited to technical subjects where material is expensive to create and where many 'students' are working in relative isolation. For many of you it could be difficult to get time off for a 5-day course, which, with residential and other courses will be much more costly than this course. Some of you will work at home, others as part of your regular work. For XML there is a large amount of publicly available material. Some of these are now fee-paying courses with accreditation and have been run twice or more.