Distance Learning: What's New and What's Old

Distance Learning is Evolving

Distance education is always changing because technology is always changing.  New media includes websites, wikis, interactive forums, e-learning systems software, hardware, mobile devices, and the list goes on. . . When successfully integrated into the classroom instruction, new media can facilitate learning (DePietro 2013 p. 1).  The No Child Left Behind Act requires states to offer alternative schooling options to students attending schools that fail to make adequate yearly progress (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman 2008 p. 63).  Because online schools and universities are becoming a more the norm in a global economy distance learning will continue to grow and change.  Distance education is a boon to corporations and businesses of all kinds because now people do not have to travel to remote places for training. The most direct rational for this change is based on reductions in training delivery costs (Moller, Foshay, & Huett 2008 p. 70). 

My Personal Definition of Distance Education

Distance Education can take place anywhere and everywhere as long as the student has access to the internet.  It takes place usually with an instructor who is in a remote location who will grade comments made in the threaded discussions and grade assignments that are in addition to the threaded discussion.  If a student has problems with the subject matter then they can usually contact the professor by email, phone calls (during office hours) or through a threaded discussion under contact the instructor.  There are peers or classmates but the learner is mostly isolated in that there is no face-to-face interaction. 

Simonson’s definition of distance learning is formal education that institutionally based where the learning group, the teacher, the students and possibly the resources are separated not only by  geography and sometimes time; sometimes by intellect and where technologies, instructional media and communication technologies are used to link the resources the teacher and the learner (Laureate Education n. d.). 

The readings this week have taught me that distance education is not a new concept but one that is at least 160 years old.  I have also found it interesting that distance learning also occurred at universities like Illinois Wesleyan in 1877, University of Chicago in 1892, and at the University of Wisconsin in 1885 (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, & Zvacek  2012 p. 38).  .  . In the 1923 Benton Harbor secondary school students were also offered vocational courses.  Distance learning is not a new concept that just started with the advent of the computer but it has been around for a couple of centuries.  It will not replace colleges or traditional brick and mortar schools but distance education will enhance learning experiences for millions of students.

My Personal Observations of Distance Education

My personal observation of distance education comes from my own first experience at another well-known online university.  What I learned is that if you can teach yourself the information then attending an online university is a great way to earn a degree or to learn a new skill.  If the information is above a student’s understanding then attending an online institution or learning the new skill will frustrate the student.  Eventually the student will drop out of the course or not even complete the degree. 

My Summary

Distance education is a great way to earn a degree from a university that one could not attend because of distance or time restrictions.  As for students who attend traditional brick and mortar K-12 schools the government has mandated that parents have options when they feel that the school that their child attends is not meeting yearly academic progress.  Distance education not only encompasses universities and K-12 virtual schools but also the business world.  Even though distance learning is everywhere and students can access it 24 hours a day it will not totally replace traditional education.

My Revised Definition of Distance Learning:

Distance learning takes place between students and an instructor, professor or teacher, where the two groups are separated through time and distance.  The learning takes place over the internet or through DVDs with associated resources like books, articles etc.

References:

DePietro, P. (2013). Transforming education with new media: Participatory

          Pedagogy, interactive learning and web 2.0. The International Journal of

          Technology 8, 1-11.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008).  The evolution of

          distance education: Implications for instructional design on the

          potential of the web. TechTrends 52(5) 63-67.

Laureate Education, Inc. (n. d.). Distance education the next generation [DVD].

https://class.waldenu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_tab_group_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftype%3DCourse%26id%3D_4067400_1%26url%3D

Moller, L. Foshay, W. R. & Huett J. (2008). The evolution of distance education:

          Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web. TechTrends

          52(3) 70-75.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teachng and

          Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education 5^th ed. Pearson.