2018, 7(1): 1423 DOI: 10.2478/ijicte-2018-0002 2018 ICTE Journal, ISSN 1805-3726 14 PROBLEMS OF DISTANCE EDUCATION Rostislav Fojtík 1 1 Department Informatics and Computers, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Czech Republic {rostislav.fojtik@osu.cz} ABSTRACT Distance learning and e-learning have significantly developed in recent years. It is also due to changing educational requirements, especially for adults. The article aims to show the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning. Examples of the 20-year use of the distance learning form of computer science describe the difficulties associated with the implementation and implementation of this form of teaching. The results of students in the full-time and distance form of teaching in the bachelor's study of computer science are compared. Long-term findings show that distant students have significantly lower scores in the first years of study than full-time bachelor students. In the following years of study, the differences diminish, and students' results are comparable. The article describes the possibilities of improving the quality of distance learning. KEYWORDS Distance learning, education, e-learning, Learning Management System, t-test. 1 INTRODUCTION In recent years, the need for distance and combined forms of education has grown increasingly. It is mainly due to increased demands for tertiary education and the need for frequent changes in vocational education. Traditional full-time teaching can often not be used in employee training. The problem of distance learning is that most participants have no practical experience with this form of teaching. This leads to worse results for distance students. Students need not only to prepare quality teaching materials but also to adapt their teaching methods (Van de Vord 2010) (Klímová 2015). It turns that distance learning is difficult for the students. The most important problem lies in abilities of students to manage their studies. Part of students is unable to plan a well-proportioned schedule for learning. They often start to learn at the end of the semester before course exam. They are requested to finish successfully courses and that why they don’t have enough time to complete all course requirements, and often they fail in the whole study (McPhee 2012). The first semester of a study is the most problematic period of studies. There are many such students that interrupt their studies on this period. One of the reasons is wrong information and incorrect idea about the distance learning (Levy 2007) (Shachar, Neumann 2003). 2 DISTANCE LEARNING AT THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATICS AND COMPUTERS The Department of Informatics and Computers at the University of Ostrava started to deal with the realisation of the distance learning form using information and communication technologies for the first time in 1998. This was a distance study of the Bachelor's degree in Applied Informatics, preferably for hearing impaired students. The demand for such a form of the study came from the secondary school for the hearing impaired. Ten students enrolled in the study. These were students from all over the Czech