Distance Education Technologies

Rosemary Lehman and Bruce Dewey (2001)

Distance Education: A Definition

The different educational situations have provided many definitions of distance education.
One that was developed at the University of Wisconsin says it quite simply and serves us
well:

Distance education is a planned teaching/learning experience that uses a wide spectrum of

technologies to reach learners at a distance and is designed to encourage learner
interaction and certification of learning.

From The Distance Education Profile & Inventory in The UW System

Background
Distance education opportunities are all around us and growing in number as you read this
page. A majority of K-12 schools, colleges, and universities are offering distance education
programs and courses and a rapidly increasing number say that they are planning to offer
them in the near future. With personnel and clients scattered around the globe, business,
industry, and government are using technology to hold meetings, train their employees
more efficiently and effectively, and share instructors to meet the growing demands of
training.

Although distance education is being considered a new phenomenon by many, it really isn't
new. It began with the development of correspondence study over 100 years ago. The
University of Wisconsin was a pioneer in this field. In fact, the term "distance education" was
first used in a University of Wisconsin catalog in 1892. Fourteen years later professors began
to extend correspondence study to the use of "new media" as they began recording their
lectures and sending the records to be played on phonographs by distant students.

Later, radio and two-way audio instruction were added to the growing list of distance
education technologies. Extended Degree Programs followed. In more recent years,
television and Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) have played a role in reaching
adult learners throughout the state. Currently, webconferencing, live interactive satellite
capability, fiber optic networks, videoconferencing, interactive computer networking, email,
the Internet, the World Wide Web (www), and distributed learning have emerged on the
scene, providing an increasing number of options for more effectively and conveniently
meeting a wide variety of communication, educational, and training needs.
Videoconferencing is one of these options and can be blended with any number of the other
distance education technologies

Technologies
There are many types of distance education technologies. During this course we will be
concentrating on videoconferencing. With videoconferencing you can not only see and hear
all program participants but you can integrate other non-real time resources that make the
learning environment more powerful than face-to-face instruction. The ability for students to
see and hear the instructor brings high levels of interaction to the distance education
experience. In addition, videoconferencing can be easily and effectively blended with the
other distance education technologies.

With so many distance education technologies to consider, it's easy to feel overwhelmed
and confused. But learning about the variety of distance education technologies, isn't as
difficult as it may seem. They can be quite easily divided into four general categories: Print,
Audio, Video, and Computer. Distance education technologies are based on one, or some
combination of these four categories:

Print Audio Video Computer

Correspondence Audioconferencing Telecourses Self-paced packages
Print Materials Voice mail Videotapes Webconferencing
Fax One-way video Internet, email, www
Interactive television Collaborative software,
(videoconferencing) CD-ROM

Blending Distance Education Technologies

Print

In correspondence study, students learn largely through developed Print Packages.

Increasingly, however, correspondence programs are also including audiotapes,
videotapes and web components.

Print is also often a component part of videoconferencing courses, i.e. brochures,

letters binders, etc.

Fax machines allow for the transmission of hard copy text and visuals between the
sites. Instructors often use the fax to transmit information that failed to reach a site,
while students regularly use the fax to transmit assignments and reports.

Audio

Audioconferencing links individuals or groups by telephone at multiple sites and

provides a low-cost opportunity for instruction and interaction. Audioconferences are
often incorporated into programs and courses that use other technologies.

With Voice Mail, instructors and learners have the capability of leaving messages
when the person they are calling isn't available. These messages can then be
answered at the person's convenience. Faculty can update assignments and provide
feedback, while students ask questions and carry on valuable communication.

Video

Telecourses are pre-produced television programs on videotape that are usually

accompanied by a study guide and are distributed via broadcast or cable channels. In
some instances they are viewed in real time, and in others they may be downloaded,
taped, and viewed by learners at a later time.

Many courses and programs are developed and produced specifically for use on
Videotape, which provides cost effective training and instruction. Videotapes are
 often designed as a component of print materials. These tapes and materials can
then be played by students at their convenience.

One-way Video is video transmitted over delivery technology and is often referred to
as Business TV. These live programs and courses are created to be sent to multiple
sites. With the right software and hardware, it is becoming increasingly common to
receive one-way video via desktop computers. With each of these technologies, it is
also possible to incorporate audio via phone or a return key.

With Two-way Video Two-way Audio or Interactive Video or videoconferencing,

instructors and students can see, hear, and interact with each other. This increases
the potential for highly interactive learning experiences. In addition, other
technologies and media can be integrated into the system, providing the capability of
a rich learning environment.

Computer

Computer self-paced packages are increasingly being designed for learners who want
flexibility of both time and place. These packages can be purchased by an individual
or distributed over a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN.)

Webconferencing is a relatively new technology that is taking the place of earlier

audiographics technology, which limited participants to specific sites.
Webconferencing uses a web browser and software that provides voice and graphics
interaction among participants at their desktops. With this technology, PowerPoint
slides can be uploaded to the software and numerous other tools can be used for
providing information or for interactive participation. In addition, applications can be
shared and edited by participants at the various locations.

The Internet provides students the opportunity to link into a network of computers.
Once on the Internet, other tools are also available: the rich resources of the World
Wide Web (www), the capability, with the appropriate software, to email anyone with
an email address, to send Attachments and to access audio and video.

Collaborative and Group Software offers distance education students ways to work
interactively on documents by editing and changing them. With this type of software,
students can post messages on a bulletin board system or meet in designated
"virtual chat spaces" to communicate in "real time" or asynchronously.

CD-ROM, which stands for Computer Disc Read Only Memory, is a computer storage
medium similar to an audio CD.

Blending Distance Education Technologies

Blending Distance Education Technologies gives the teacher and learner the options of using
the most appropriate technology to fit the specific learning situation. While for teaching
purposes, dealing with one technology at a time, in a linear manner, may make sense; in the
overall learning process utilizing many technologies, fitting them to the specific needs of the
learner is more effective. Most of the technologies can be used in combination with each
other. In this course, for example, we are utilizing videoconferencing, the World Wide Web,
the internet, email, fax, print materials, and probably others as the need and opportunity
arises.

2004 by the Board of Regents, University of Wisconsin

Educational technology
is a study and ethical practice for facilitating learning and improving performance.
Technology in education is just an additional opportunity to achieve education, if
you havent enough time or opportunities to do it another way.
It can be defined as the use of different types of technologies in the learning experience which
can result in the positive changes of pedagogy and teaching methods all over the world.
Everyone can see the benefits that educational technology , and here are some of those
mentioned below:
Access to information

Many years ago we couldnt imagine that we can get to know new information
without going out of the house. Mothers examined new recipes from the book that
they borrow in the libraries. Fathers bought newspapers to learn the updated
information from business, economy and society. Students all evenings spent in the
libraries to write the report, project or academic paper. Today information is easily
accessed thanks to the internet. Meanwhile, online courses are accessible to the
students who are unable to attend traditional educational buildings because of
health or other complications. It is a convenient way to study.

Help in protecting the environment

There are thousands of schools in every country. And it is a compulsory institution in

every distant village. Now could you imagine how billions of paper we use to publish
new books and copybooks. Due to technology in education, we are not to buy all
these books. Actually, there now schools that were switched to the use designing
computers for their lessons and libraries. It saves money and time when used
thoughtfully.

Increase the popularity of distance learning

With development of such inventions like the internet, the popularity with
educational technology is growing every day. Nowadays it is one of the most
preferred methods of learning. Traditional lessons have been supplemented by
virtual ones. Online classes include transferring files, chat rooms and even board of
progress to follow the students success. Another benefit is that students can
maintain a flexible schedule that is convenient for them (anytime, anywhere
learning). It helps to combine distance education and work.

Easiness in teaching

There are various ways of improving teaching efficiency with technology in

education. Thanks to the technology they have more than one way to keep an eye
on the students progress. Moreover audio-visual presentation, wide-screen
televisions, projectors can be used for improving the delivery of instruction to
actually improve learning and increasing the comprehension level among the
students.

The Nature and Purpose of Distance Education

Distance education has generated tremendous excitement both inside and

outside higher education. For some, it offers the potential to provide
learning to new audiences; for others, it offers the opportunity
fundamentally to transform learning delivery and the competitive
landscape. However, in spite of all of its potential, distance education
remains confusing because of the many issues that converge within it.

What Problem Does Distance Education Solve?

Although most institutions have become involved in some form of distance learning,
their rationales for doing so are not always clear. Often presidents, trustees, faculty
and students feel that they are being swept along by a tidal wave of public
expectations for distance learning, and none of them wants to be left behind.
Among those institutions with more well-defined reasons for embracing distance
education, the rationales vary, but they often fall into one of four broad categories:

Expanding access. Most states need to expand access to education in order to meet
the education and training needs of state residents and companies and to educate
under-served populations. For many people in the past, academic program
calendars have not matched work and family responsibilities, and program offerings
may not have met learner needs.
Alleviating capacity constraints. Many states are expecting more college students
over the next decade than their facilities can accommodate. Some are hoping to
leverage the scalability of distance education to avoid overwhelming their bricks-
and-mortar capacities.
Capitalizing on emerging market opportunities. The publics growing acceptance of
the value of lifelong learning has fueled an increased demand for higher education
services among people outside the traditional 18-24 age range. Emerging student
segments, such as executives seeking further education and working adults, may be
more lucrative than traditional markets. By capitalizing on emerging market
opportunities, many educational institutions hope to generate significant revenue.
Serving as a catalyst for institutional transformation. Higher education institutions
are being challenged to adapt rapidly to an increasingly competitive environment.
Distance education can catalyze institutional transformation.
At the University of North Carolina, we believe that each of these rationales has its
merit, but in exploring them it became obvious that we could not meet all four goals
with a single model of distance education. Each rationale determines the
organizational structure, governance and financial model required to serve it. For
example, if we chose to enhance access to education for the states citizens, we
would likely choose a different technology, different courses, and different delivery
systems from those we would choose if we were trying to capitalize on emerging
market opportunities. Enhancing educational access might cause us to focus on
general education courses, whereas capitalizing on emerging market opportunities
would lead us to offer courses in the states high-growth fields such as financial
services, genomic sciences, or marine sciences.

Whom Should Distance Education Serve?

Almost everyone recognizes the rapid expansion in the market for distance
education. The desire for lifelong learning and educational flexibility and the growth
in student populations are among the trends fueling this growth. The distance
education "market," however, is not homogeneous. Learners range from traditional
students seeking additional scheduling flexibility to "recreational learners" engaged
in expanding their personal knowledge.

Once a school chooses its rationale for distance education, it is important to identify
the type of learner it intends to serve (i.e., to define learner segments). Segment
definitions depend upon several factors, including the goals and maturity level of
the learner as well as who makes the purchasing decision. Different segments also
signal the need for alternative educational approaches. The kind of program
designed to serve those interested primarily in personal fulfillment will be quite
different from one designed for corporate learners. In working to develop a system-
wide instructional technology strategy, the University of North Carolina and
PricewaterhouseCoopers defined these learner segments:

Life fulfillment learners are interested in education for its own sake. They enjoy
learning and the academic environment, and they view additional education as a
hobby or a source of personal development. They make their own decisions whether
or not to purchase education.
Corporate learners are seeking education to advance their careers with their
corporate employers. The purchase decision is made by the corporation, not by the
individual. Corporate learners demand a broad range of services, from instructional
technology end-user training to advanced scientific training.
Professional enhancement learners are seeking to advance their careers or shift
careers. They work for companies but are making the purchase decision
themselves.
Degree completion adult learners are seeking to complete a degree later in life than
usual. They are frequently working adults who must balance work and family
responsibilities with their educational goals.
"College experience" learners (a.k.a. the "traditional student") are preparing for life.
This segment includes many 18-to-24-year-old residential college students for
whom the "coming of age" process is as important as academic learning. They may
make the purchase decision themselves, or it may be made by their parents.
Pre-college (K-12) learners are interested in taking baccalaureate-level work prior to
the completion of high school. This segment may be interested in getting a "jump
start" on college. Their purchase decision is most often made by their parents.
Remediation and test prep learners are interested in learning as a prerequisite for
an examination or enrollment in another program. The decision to purchase
distance education in this case often depends upon the age of the learner.
Is Distance Education About Education or Technology?
Complicating the issues of goals and learner segments even further is the tendency
to see distance education as a technology issue. Certainly the advent of new
technologies has enabled institutions to think quite differently about distance
education. However, distance education should be an educational issue rather than
a technology one. Some strongly believe that new distance education possibilities
have the potential to alter (and perhaps transform) our traditional institutions of
higher education; others argue that this technology may lead to a reduction in
educational quality.

Conclusion

Determining the nature and purpose of distance educationand defining its

appropriate rolecan be difficult because it requires that institutions locate
themselves in the midst of multiple issues: technological advances, pedagogical
change, business model change, organizational adaptability, knowledge
management, and increased access to education. Some assert that distance
education represents a strategic "inflection point" for higher education, signaling
the fundamental transformation of education as we know it.

If we are clear about the problem we are trying to solve and whom we wish to serve
with distance education, we will be able to make better decisions regarding it.
Distance education is fundamentally an education issue. Viewed in this light, it
offers students and faculty an alternative to our still-rich residential tradition, one
which need not threaten the current tradition but can work alongside it to broaden
the number and types of people with access to an education, and thus help to serve
us all.

Scope
The term 'distance education' has traditionally been used to refer to education in
which teachers and learners are separated by time and space. As technologies used
for distance education have become more learner-centred, providing learners with
more control over their learning, the term has also come to imply this process. This
paper deals with the status of distance education in India and the scope and
limitations of IT applications in enhancing the teaching and learning processes in
Indian distance education. The author discusses certain key strategies to promote
the use of information technology in distance education and the paper concludes
with policy recommendations for overcoming the constraints to IT adoption.

Benefits
Distance learning can expand access to education and training for both general
populace and businesses since its flexible scheduling structure lessens the effects of
the many time-constraints imposed by personal responsibilities and commitments.
[63] Devolving some activities off-site alleviates institutional capacity constraints
arising from the traditional demand on institutional buildings and infrastructure.[63]
Furthermore, there is the potential for increased access to more experts in the field
and to other students from diverse geographical, social, cultural, economic, and
experiential backgrounds.[54] As the population at large becomes more involved in
lifelong learning beyond the normal schooling age, institutions can benefit
financially, and adult learning business courses may be particularly lucrative.[63]
Distance education programs can act as a catalyst for institutional innovation[63]
and are at least as effective as face-to-face learning programs,[51][52][64]
especially if the instructor is knowledgeable and skilled.[55]

Distance education can also provide a broader method of communication within the
realm of education. With the many tools and programs that technological
advancements have to offer, communication appears to increase in distance
education amongst students and their professors, as well as students and their
classmates. The distance educational increase in communication, particularly
communication amongst students and their classmates, is an improvement that has
been made to provide distance education students with as many of the
opportunities as possible as they would receive in in-person education. The
improvement being made in distance education is growing in tandem with the
constant technological advancements. Present-day online communication allows
students to associate with accredited schools and programs throughout the world
that are out of reach for in-person learning. By having the opportunity to be
involved in global institutions via distance education, a diverse array of thought is
presented to students through communication with their classmates. This is
beneficial because students have the opportunity to "combine new opinions with
their own, and develop a solid foundation for learning."[65] It has been shown
through research that "as learners become aware of the variations in interpretation
and construction of meaning among a range of people [they] construct an individual
meaning," which can help students become knowledgeable of a wide array of
viewpoints in education.[65] To increase the likelihood that students will build
effective ties with one another during the course, instructors should use similar
assignments for students across different locations to overcome the influence of co-
location on relationship building.[66]

The high cost of education affects students in higher education, to which distance
education may be an alternative in order to provide some relief.[64] Distance
education has been a more cost-effective form of learning, and can sometimes save
students a significant amount of money as opposed to traditional education.
Distance education may be able to help to save students a considerable amount
financially by removing the cost of transportation.[67] In addition, distance
education may be able to save students from the economic burden of high-priced
course textbooks. Many textbooks are now available as electronic textbooks, known
as e-textbooks, which can offer digital textbooks for a reduced price in comparison
to traditional textbooks. Also, the increasing improvements in technology have
resulted in many school libraries having a partnership with digital publishers that
offer course materials for free, which can help students significantly with
educational costs.[67]

Within the class, students are able to learn in ways that traditional classrooms
would not be able to provide. It is able to promote good learning experiences and
therefore, allow students to obtain higher satisfaction with their online learning.[68]
For example, students can review their lessons more than once according to their
need. Students can then manipulate the coursework to fit their learning by focusing
more on their weaker topics while breezing through concepts that they already have
or can easily grasp.[68] When course design and the learning environment are at
their optimal conditions, distance education can lead students to higher satisfaction
with their learning experiences.[64] Studies have shown that high satisfaction
correlates to increased learning. For those in a healthcare or mental health distance
learning program, online-based interactions have the potential to foster deeper
reflections and discussions of client issues[53] as well as a quicker response to
client issues, since supervision happens on a regular basis and is not limited to a
weekly supervision meeting.[56] This also may contribute to the students feeling a
greater sense of support, since they have ongoing and regular access to their
instructors and other students.[53][56]

Distance learning may enable students who are unable to attend a traditional school
setting, due to disability or illness such as decreased mobility and immune system
suppression, to get a good education.[69] Children who are sick or are unable to
attend classes are able to attend them in person through the use of robot proxies.
This helps the students have experiences of the classroom and social interaction
that they are unable to receive at home or the hospital, while still keeping them in a
safe learning environment. Over the last few years[when?] more students are
entering safely back into the classroom thanks to the help of robots. An article from
the New York Times, "A Swiveling Proxy Will Even Wear a Tutu", explains the positive
impact of virtual learning in the classroom.[70] and another Robot brings classroom
to sick students that explains how even a simple, stationary telepresence robot can
help.[71] Distance education may provide equal access regardless of socioeconomic
status or income, area of residence, gender, race, age, or cost per student.[72]
Applying universal design strategies to distance learning courses as they are being
developed (rather than instituting accommodations for specific students on an as-
needed basis) can increase the accessibility of such courses to students with a
range of abilities, disabilities, learning styles, and native languages.[73] Distance
education graduates, who would never have been associated with the school under
a traditional system, may donate money to the school.[74]

Distance learning may also offer a final opportunity for adolescents that are no
longer permitted in the general education population due to behavior disorders.
Instead of these students having no other academic opportunities, they may
continue their education from their homes and earn their diplomas, offering them
another chance to be an integral part of society.