1. What are the UK accrediting agencies?

The United Kingdom Accreditation Service is the sole national accreditation body recognised by the government to assess, against internationally agreed standards, organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection. The British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education is a registered charity established in 1984 to act as the national accrediting body for independent further and higher education. The Open and Distance Learning Quality Council is the UK guardian of quality in open and distance learning. It is an independent body.

2. What are diploma mills?

Diploma mills are distance learning entities that make multiple claims of legitimacy and accreditation but in truth are fraudulent schools that award diplomas.

3. What is a threaded discussion?

A threaded discussion is the distance learning version of a class discussion. Threads are series of responses to a particular topic. Threaded discussions allow students to keep track of what instructors and fellow students say about a given subject.

4. Does online learning allow interaction with professors and peers?

Yes, online learning offers different methods of interaction. Online education courses utilise chat groups, discussion boards with threads and e-mail and live discussions.