What is Asynchronous E Learning

Kazakhstan’s emergence as an independent nation began with the fall of the U.S.S.R. twenty years ago. Increasing globalization has opened up new opportunities for today’s students in the country to step into leadership positions in emerging and growing organizations. New policies at academic institutions have required lecturers to earn a diploma in their field. Both of these situations have created a need for training and the earning of a diploma by adults across the country. Since many of these potential students do not live within commuting distance to a university, distance education provides a method of meeting the educational needs of this 21st century workforce. The distance education program and its students at the University of International Business in Almaty, Kazakhstan are reviewed as a model for distance education in the region, and the results of recent research are reported. This research focuses on the demographics of these online learners, the perception of their distance education experience, and the implications for their lifelong learning.