Originally Posted by
davidjohnson6
I would strongly encourage you to have some form of face-to-face contact with lecturers or whoever is running classes - it makes it much easier to understand the subject and pick up any misunderstandings. Additionally if you have a full-time job, finding the hours every week to get through all the material can be a bit of a struggle - lectures do not pause for a week if you have a busy weekend with your family to allow you to catch up.
...
Forget the surveys in the newspapers - the RAE is the ranking that each university really cares about.
Cannot comment about aviation related degrees, but would like to make some general comments from my experience as a lecturer for a series of courses offered in both classroom and distance learning modes.
Totally agree with DJ6's comment about the vital aspect of face to face contact. Not only does it force the studying pace and allow you a chance to immediately ask questions where you do not understand, there is the practical reality of who gets a lecturer's time. If I have a choice of a living breathing possibly intelligent student at the door asking me a question or an email from a name on the distance learning course, it is a obvious who is going to get attention. Also bear in mind that amongst my colleagues the only ones who do not have an overflowing inbox are the admin, the reality is that life does tend to short change the distance learning students. I hate this this because I know there are real people behind the names, plus suspect I might get shot for telling the truth, but that is the reality. Sorry.
As for RAE ranking, this is a widely acknowledged joke. Of course universities are going to make a big fuss when they do well (my place did well in the last round and we are being deafened by the self praises), but everybody knows the whole process is deeply flawed. Actually deeply flawed to the extent that Oxford did not enter the latest round and thus does not appear on any RAE ranking. And if you look at HEFEC/periodic review/student review/whatever rankings, consider that in each case the methodology is deeply flawed. Or rather, if you believe the best measure of a lecturers teaching ability is solely in the quality of their paperwork, you deserve to be deceived.
My advice? Do your research well, not just look at the recruitment propaganda and 'official' data. Visit the places. If the lecturers seem an enthusiastic and positive bunch, the chances are you will be getting a good education regardless of where they are in any arbitrary test of quality.