Customer Reviews

Walston's Guide to Christian Distance Learning: Earning Degrees Nontraditionally, 4th edition

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I purchased this book on May 16, 2002. I did so because I needed help in sorting out facts from fiction. I had previously studied via distance through a ministry that purported to be a legitimate and scholarly institution. I received my Associates degree in Ministry after reading one book, and completing an open book exam (designed to ensure I read the book). Needless to say, as a person who has been called by the Lord to serve Him full time, it was obvious that this was not a true education.

To Rick Walston's book: I read this book, including the school reviews, at LEAST 5 times cover to cover. My copy has dog-earred and worn pages. It has had water on it. It has notes and markings inside it. It has taught me about accreditation and why it is and why it isn't important. I have been to every one of the school's web sites (most addresses are listed in the book, some you must find through google or another search engine) at LEAST 5 times.

At last, on July 1, 2002 I was accepted by the school I believe was THE BEST due to the faculty, the type of education (mentoring), the un-biased reccomendations, and the cost (compared to Traditional schools it was a bargain). I have seen first hand that I will gain an actual education (complete with extensive reading, very strict writing requirements, and routine contact with my mentor). I am starting at ground zero (ignoring my earlier mentioned "degree") and look forward to the journey. I would not have been able to make this prayerful decision with Rick Walston's book.

Even though I am already signed up with a school, I still look through this book at least every couple of weeks to review the information.

This book is a "MUST READ" before you invest the money the Lord has given you for your Biblical or Seminary training. We are required to be good stewards of the Lord's money. Spend the [money] (I had mine sent second day air so I could begin research quickly) to purchase this book, then read it and study it. Challenge the statements by visiting the web sites yourself. Call Rick Walston if you disagree with him. But don't spend $8,000 plus on distance education without this small investment first.

There are many good resources for evaluating distance learning programs and schools. However, one thing that makes Dr. Walston's work stand out is that it is specifically targeted at Christian distance learning, a discipline that has it's own set of special circumstances. Dr. Walston is a retired pastor and founder/director of Columbia Evangelical Seminary ..., which is included in his book. Some may suggest that there is conflict of interest for Dr. Walston to critique a school that he directs or other schools that he has himself attended. But that concern becomes moot in chapter 10 ("How to Evaluate a School") because the reader is given the tools to evaluate a school for themselves. This gives the prospective student the ability and confidence to affirm Dr. Walston's or any other distance learning guide's assessment of a school or program. And one of the most important assessment tools is the work of the graduates of a particular school. That is after all, the "proof in the pudding." I have read several excellent guides on distance learning, but it wasn't until I read Dr. Walston's work that I gained the confidence to actually venture out into the world of distance learning. I am now a distance learning student near the completion of my B.A. Degree with plans to continue into graduate work. If you are interested in Christian education but you cannot pick up and move; if you have questions about accreditation; if wonder if the cost of higher education is worth the investment, this book is for you! You find the answers to these and many other important question that will give you the tools you need to make a prudent choice.

Walston's Guide is the first and last word on Christian distance learning. If you are considering continuing your education or are wondering about nontraditional learning methods, buy this book. The nominal purchase price and amount of time you will invest in reading it are nothing compared to the time and money you could waste by getting a bogus degree at an inferior school.

Excellent and extremely educational. I never understood accreditation until I read this book, and it's important information that most people don't know. I'm glad I bought it before my son begins looking for a college. It's disheartening to learn how many unethical people are behind "accredited" Christian colleges.

Walston's Guide is an indispensable resource for Christian distance learners. If you're seeking a reference guide for your distance educational endeavors, you need this book. I speak from experience.

Utililizing the information contained in Walston's Guide, I have been able to acquire a Bachelor's and Master's degree. Presently, I am now pursuing an accredited Ph.D. through the guidance of Dr. Walston. The information in the book concerning accreditation and all that accreditation does/does not mean has been especially valuable.

If you're considering Christian education via distance learning, you cannot afford to pursue your goals without Walston's Guide.

There was so much I didn't know. I felt like I was walking through a field of landmines, not knowing whether my next step would be safe, and in the right direction.

Fortunately, Dr. Rick Walston provides assistance.

Walston has listed hundreds of schools, evaluating each one according to their merits.

He tackles arcane jargon and puts it into plain language. He clears away smokescreens, used deliberately by unscrupulous schools to attract the naive.

Before I read this book, it never occurred to me to doubt that a school that says it is accredited, is accredited by a recognized organization. A new question arises, what are recognized organizations? Recognized by whom?

Now, having read Walston's Guide, I have some answers. And I am tuned in to the "fine print", or the "secret code" used by dishonest schools.

Walston outlines pros and cons of accredited and unaccredited schools. He describes situations where an unaccredited school (admitting it is unaccredited) can be the better option.

Walston provides information on degrees offered non-traditionally. This opens new vistas for students (and parents!) trying to make sense and make choices of the options available.

Distance learning is no longer considered "alternative", second-rate education. This type of study can be done at home for greatly reduced cost.

Walston speaks from years of experience. He founded and directs Columbia Evangelical Seminary. He has a long list of educational credentials from the last two decades. He has written numerous articles on education and Christian living which have been published in magazines, newspapers and websites. He has authored and published three books.

Dr. Walston has spent over 12 years researching and writing this book. His extensive background brings depth and detail to his Guide, and makes it a valuable and multi-faceted body of work.

First, I just want to say, "Please, Dr. Walston, do not stop writing new editions to this GUIDE!" I am a person with more than 9 years of formal education all from accredited institutions, and only recently I have found out about Distance Learning. My research led me to WALSTON'S GUIDE and it was though this book that I began to understand the complexity of Distance Learning, and the complexity of accreditation. I have read a other "guides" out there, but this is by far the best, hands down. This book not only lists a couple of hundred schools, but it deals extesively in what I call the "classroom of instruction." What I mean is that Dr. Walston does not just list facts (though he does that as well), but he teaches the reader what to look for in the convoluted world of DL and accreditation. As I reviewed the other comments about this book, I noted only one negative person, and even he was still somewhat positive. If you can only buy ONE BOOK for your research about Distance Learning, then BUY this one! Believe me, I know . . . I've read them all.

Thankfully this book is not out of print as I was first told. It is simply superb, and it covers all of the issues of distance learning including the thorny questions of accreditation, and false accreditors. This book is more than simply a reference tool for educators and would-be students, it is an education in and of itself, and a positive one at that.

I find it interesting that "Reviewer: btait136" says up front that he is not necessarily interested in Christian distance education, yet he has opinions that he is willing to share nonetheless. It is disingenuous, not to mention self-contradictory, to feign disinterest and then offer "interested" remarks. Some of his opinions, in my opinion, as one who is interested in Christian distance education, are correct but most are illogical.

Opinion 1. Rick Walston is a decent guy. Agreed.

Opinion 2. Just because Rick Walston is the founder of a school that is profiled in his book-which may legitimately be considered a conflict of interest-does not imply that his assessment is wrong. "Reviewer: btait136" says that Walston "profiles (with a good review)" his own school. Actually, if one looks carefully at the listing of Columbia Evangelical Seminary (CES), one will notice that the positive superlatives that he has used for other good schools is loudly absent. In other words, all Walston does in the listing of CES is state facts. It would be different if Walston had said, "Columbia Evangelical Seminary is the best one!" A man can say of his son, "He has a 4.0 GPA," and as long as it is a fact then conflict of interest notwithstanding, the fact is still true.

Opinion 3. Concerning Greenwich University . . . there is obviously a lot about that situation that "Reviewer: btait136" doesn't know. In fact, it was strongly suggested to Dr. Walston that he place Greenwich University in the accredited chapter due to the fact that they are a self-accredited University in Australia, yet he refused to do so based upon the fact that GU is not recognized by the official education department of that country. Next, Walston doesn't believe that G.U. is a good school because he has a degree from it; he has a degree from GU because he believed it was a good school. It appears that "Reviewer: btait136" has put the cart before the horse.

Opinion 4. Concerning certain schools such as Bethany, Trinity as "good," yet they violate his own published guidelines of legitimacy in regard to faculty credentials (accredited v. unaccredited, "homegrown", etc.): I've looked at Walston's "legitimacy in regards to faculty credentials," and I don't find the blatant contradiction that "Reviewer: btait136" implies. In fact, Rick identifies the top-heavy unaccredited faculty of B.T.S. but goes on to say that they do have people with accredited doctoral degrees as chairpersons over each discipline. To "Reviewer: btait136" I would say, some things are black and white and some things are gray. It seems to me that Dr. Walston has given enough facts for any interested person to make an informed decision. And that's really the point of such a book. Of Trinity, Walston says that they are a good school but offers two caveats about the school concerning their claims of accreditation and their faculty . . . again, one must weigh these issues and not simply make blanket statements. This seems to me to be what Rick has done.

Opinion 5. I'm rather dumbfounded how "Reviewer: btait136" can identify what he considers to be three or four "things he doesn't like in the book" covering only four schools out of a listing of over 200 schools, and then conclude that all of Walston's reviews should be taken "with a grain of salt."

Let's think for a moment of who has endorsed Walston's Guide: (1) Dr. John Bear, the undisputed expert in distance learning education, the man who has been hired as an educational consultant for various television programs, the latest of which was Good Morning America (March, 2001) in exposing diploma mills and fake degrees. Dr. Bear has also consulted for the FBI in matters related to distance learning, and he authored the best-selling book on the subject (BEAR'S GUIDE) having sold well over 300,000 books! Another reviewer is Jack Kragt. Gee, as the academic sales manager for Zondervan Publishing House, I'd guess that he'd know a thing or two about good books and their validity. Next is Dr. Brinley Jones. Dr. Jones has his Ph.D. from Oxford and is presently the President of the National Library of Wales. Another is Dr. James White, a professional Christian apologist no less, and as such he is an expert in weighing the good and the bad, the true and the false. This says nothing of the other reviewers and their positive comments.

Yet, with one sweep of his pen, "Reviewer: btait136"-who disingenuously confesses that he is not interested in this topic (but interested enough to make erroneous claims)-calls into question all of the qualifications and expertise of the other reviewers! Some of these other reviewers are able academicians, well-regarded, and internationally known experts in the field. But, never mind them and all of their expertise in the field, let's rather swallow the unchallenged review of "Reviewer: btait136" (who is he anyway?).

However, "Reviewer: btait136" got one thing solidly correct: "If you read the book from start to finish, you can't help but to like Rick Walston." And, I intend to buy the next edition of Walston's Guide as soon as it becomes available.

I've read a lot of DL guides. This is simply the best one on Christian studies. It covers all the bases, from accreditation to global recognition--this book does the best job of any in explaning GAAP--and it lists many schools. Walston clearly explains what to "look for" in good schools and what to "look out for" in bad ones. In brief, this book steered me clear from making a very bad school choice (I was just about to enroll!) and gave me the knowledge to make a good choice, where I am now enrolled.