Distance Technologies: Foundations of Distance Education

Foundations of Distance Education Summary

Education is defined as “institution-bases, formal education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunication systems are used to connect learners, resources and instructors.” (Schlosser &Simonson,2009) Dan Coldeway defined four ways in which education can be practice. This framework consists of two variables which are time and location. The most common practice would same time, same place. This would be a model of the traditional classroom setting, where the class is teacher centered in a self-contained classroom. Different time, same place education would show the students in the same classroom however receiving instructions at a different time; for example, using learning centers in your class. All students will be learning in the same area but not necessarily the same content at the same time. Same time-different place and different-time different place focus on students learning in different locations and utilizing telecommunication. This era of learning is the foundation of distance education. education. There are two conflicting pressures on distance educators. Even though students demand to be permitted to learn at a distance they prefer traditional education. Students feel the face to face education provides them with more valuable components of education, such as, seminar room, lecture hall, learning groups, and laboratories. Sloan Consortium reported, the overall growth rate for online enrollment is 20%, majority of chief academic officers believe that online learning will equal or exceed traditional learning, if students is given an option they will choose online, private and nonprofit institution favor online and faculty are still unsure about online education. Sloan Consortium Survey also show that over 90% of public universities of distance education. Distance education has globalized.

A Change Agent

As a Change agent, I will continue to study the foundation of distance learning to gain more information on this subject. I will collaborate with my peers by way of distance learning to provide in the knowledge I need to be successful in this course. There are several entities to be a Change agent in distance learning such as developing a plan, identifying best fit technologies, and getting others on board. By these means I will be able to provide distance education to my students by way of online learning when students are absent from class, or students needing additional help. As a change agent, I will provide videos of the lesson, tutorial for students needing additional help and communicate via email to keep students on pace with the learning. Students will have the opportunity to obtain the hands-on experience with technology tools such as emails, discussion boards, video lectures, WebTV, YouTube, Wiki, podcasting.

Terms and Phrases

Distance Education: institution-based, formal education where the learning group is separated, and where interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources, and instructors.
Distance Learning: Education occurring in different places.
Asynchronous Distance Learning: Education occurring at different times and different locations.
Disruptive Technology: A technological innovation, product, or service that eventually overturns the existing dominant technology or product in the market.
Globalization: Implies that people are connected contemporaneously with distance.
Diploma Mill: no classrooms, untrained or nonexistent faculties and unqualified administration with profit as their primary motivation.
Telemedicine: Use of electronic information and communications technologies to provide and support health care when distance separates the participants.
ST-SP: Same Time, Same Place: Traditional Education
ST-DP: Same Time, Different Place: Telecommunication systems are used.
DT- SP: Different Time, Same Place: Individual learning occurs in a learning center at a time the learner chooses.
DT-DP: Different Time, Different Place: Learner decided when and where to access instructional materials