Its essence is self-study.
If you want to take the self-taught exam, you must first have a certain learning ability and be able to teach yourself. Secondly, you should have a certain degree of self-control. The level and quality of students who take the self-taught examination are uneven, so they can't be infected by bad atmosphere. Must be able to bear hardships and have perseverance.
Every course of the self-taught examination is a national examination, and every time you pass a course, you will get a single certificate. When all the courses in this major have been tested, you can apply for a diploma at the self-study office, which is equivalent to an ordinary university and recognized by the state.
The College of Continuing Education only engages in self-study education activities and does not participate in examination arrangement and graduation certificate issuance. These activities are all completed by the self-taught office. From this point of view, the continuing education college of a good university is not necessarily good. The seal on the graduation certificate of self-taught examination is the seal of the self-taught examination office and the seal of the examiner institution of this major.
In some universities, continuing education colleges are called adult education centers, adult education offices and adult education colleges.
The online education carried out by online education college (commonly known as online university) is mainly based on the continuing education of employees. Junior college and undergraduate course in high school must have graduation certificates from ordinary high schools, vocational high schools, secondary specialized schools or vocational and technical schools, and junior college and undergraduate courses must have graduation certificates from national education series or above. Major and age are not limited.
In the document of the Ministry of Education "Several Opinions on Supporting the Construction of Network Education in Several Universities as the Pilot Work of Modern Distance Education in Colleges and Universities" (hereinafter referred to as "Opinions"), there are such provisions:
"(Online Education College) carries out online teaching with academic qualifications and non-academic qualifications." The situation of each pilot college is different: some focus on academic education, while others focus on non-academic education; Some only recruit on-the-job personnel, and some recruit both on-the-job personnel and fresh graduates; Some people teach in their spare time, while others need full-time study. However, in a pilot college, several situations often coexist.
"Opinions" pointed out: "Online education colleges can consult with school functional departments on talent training programs and carry out postgraduate professional degree education according to the conditions for awarding degrees. Online degree teaching at undergraduate level (including majors, minor majors, second bachelor's degree and higher vocational colleges) and other levels should be undertaken by school functional departments. "
It should be said that this difference is still quite big, and we should choose according to our own needs.