Education Communication

and Technology
DISTANCE EDUCATION

Distance education, or
distance learning, is a field
of education that focuses on
technology, and instructional
systems design that aim to
deliver education to students
who are not physically "on
site".
Rather than attending courses
in person, teachers and
students may communicate at
times of their own choosing by
 exchanging printed or
electronic media, or through
technology that allows them to
communicate in real time and
through other online ways.

Distance education dates back

to at least as early as 1728,
when one teacher advertised
in dailies for students wishing
to get lessons sent to them
every week
 Modern distance education
has been practiced at least
since Isaac Pitman taught
 shorthand in Great Britain via
correspondence in the 1840s.
The development of the Postal
Services in the 19th century
led to the growth of
Commercial correspondence
colleges with nation-wide
reach.

In the twentieth century,

radio, television, and the
Internet have all been used to
further distance education.
Computers and the Internet
have made distance learning
distribution easier and faster.
Who Participates in Distance
Learning
Primary schools
Secondary Schools
Post secondary education
Informal education

Distance Education Roles

Role of the student
Know the expectations of the
course (Objectives)
Know how to use technology
Interrupt delivery when there is
a question or problem

Role of the teacher

Advance planning
Make sure the students
understand their
responsibilities
Keep a watchful eye on the
class to make sure timely
learning it taking place
Work closely with site
facilitator who should
Watch and participate actively in
all programs with the student
Encourage interaction with the
teacher and other students
Answer questions at that site
Solve immediate problems
Provide additional quizzes and
worksheets
 Take responsibility for operating
and troubleshooting the
equipment

Technologies used in
delivery
The types of available
technologies used in distance
education are divided into two
groups: synchronous and
asynchronous.
 Synchronous is a mode of
online delivery where all
participants are "present" at
the same time. Requires a
timetable to be organized.
 Asynchronous is a mode of
online delivery where
participants access course
materials on their own
schedule. Students are not
required to be together at the
same time.

Synchronous technologies
Telephone
The telephone (from the
Greek: tēle, "far" and
phōnē, "voice") is a
telecommunications device
that is used to transmit and
receive sound usually two
 people three or more
conversing.
Most telephones operate
through transmission of
electronic signals over a
complex telephone network
which allows almost phone
users to communicate with
each other

Videoconference
A videoconference (also
known as a
videoteleconference) is a set
of interactive
telecommunication
 technologies which allow two
or more locations to interact
via two-way video and audio
transmissions simultaneously.
Videoconferencing provides
students with the opportunity
to learn by participating in a 2-
way communication platform.
Web conferencing
Web conferencing is used to
conduct live meetings or
presentations via the Internet.
In a web conference, each
participant sits at his or her
own Computer and is
 connected to other participants
via the internet.
This can be either a
downloaded application on
each of the attendee’s
computers or a web-based
application where the
attendees will simply enter a
URL (website address) to enter
the conference.

Asynchronous technologies
Audiocassette
Email
Message board Forums
Print Materials
 Voice mail/fax
Video Cassette

There are also Learning

Management Systems or
Learning Management Content
Systems like Moodle which can
be used for both Synchronous
and Asynchronous learning.
(LMS is not so much a learning
tool as a framework for an
instructor to better administer
the classroom.)
 Methods of delivering
distance education courses
Correspondence conducted
through regular mail
Internet conducted either
synchronously or
asynchronously
Tele course/Broadcast, in
which content is delivered via
radio or television
CD-ROM, in which the student
interacts with computer
content stored on a CD-ROM

PocketPC/Mobile Learning
where the student accesses
 course content stored on a
mobile device or through a
wireless server
Integrated distance learning,
the integration of live, in-group
instruction or interaction with
a distance learning curriculum
Distance Education has
traversed four to five
'generations' of technology in
its history.
These are print, audio/video
broadcasting, audio/video
teleconferencing, computer
aided instruction, e-learning/
online-learning, computer
 broadcasting/webcasting etc.
Yet the radio remains a very
viable form, especially in the
developing nations, because of
its reach.

Characteristics of distance
learning
Physical separation of learners
from the teachers
An organized instructional
program
Two-way communication
between learners and
instructors
Use of technological media
Resources
Printed material
Audio-visual material
Computer databases
Library materials
Kits for laboratory experiments
Internet Teacher – student
consultations

Distance education has long

had trouble with testing.
The delivery of testing
materials is fairly
straightforward, which makes
sure it is available to the
 student and he or she can
read it at their leisure.
Online courses have had
difficulty controlling cheating
in quizzes, tests, or
examinations because of the
lack of teacher control.
In a classroom situation a
teacher can monitor students
and visually uphold a level of
integrity consistent with an
institution's reputation.
However, with distance
education the student can be
removed from supervision
completely.
 Some schools address
integrity issues concerning
testing by requiring students
to take examinations in a
controlled setting.

Assignments have adapted by

becoming larger, longer, and
more thorough so as to test
for knowledge by forcing the
student to research the subject
and prove they have done the
work.
 Quizzes are a popular form of
testing knowledge
Exam and bigger tests are
given by an invigilator, or a
pre-arranged supervisor
trusted with overseeing big
tests and examinations may be
used to increase security at a
common location.
Some web sites offer secure
exam software and packages
to help professors manage
their students more effectively.

References
Smaldino, S., Russell, J. D.,
Heinich, R., & Molenda, M.
 (2005). Instructional technology
and media for learning (8th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill
Prentice Hall.
Distance education Retrieved
from Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dist
ance_education on 20th
February, 2009