Distance Education An Overview James D. Lehman, College of Education

Distance Education

 Refers to organized instruction in which learners are physically separated from teachers, and learning resources are distributed via a medium or media.  Related terms are distance learning, open learning, open education, distributed learning, and distributed education.

Role of Technology  Technology may be employed in distance learning to to facilitate communication between the teacher and learnersto facilitate communication between the teacher and learners to facilitate communication among learnersto facilitate communication among learners because it is an effective and efficient way to present content and engage the learnersbecause it is an effective and efficient way to present content and engage the learners

Learning Settings Matrix Same PlaceDifferent Place Same Time Different Time Traditional Classroom Instruction Time-Shifted Classroom Learning Synchronous Distance Learning Asynchronous Distance Learning

Learning Settings Matrix Same PlaceDifferent Place Same Time Different Time

Same Time – Same Place Traditional Classroom  Live lectures and demonstrations  Laboratories and other hands-on work  Live student-to-student as well as teacher-to-student interactions

Different Time – Same Place Time-Shifted Classroom  Audio-tutorial and other modular forms of instruction  Videotaped lectures  Interaction may be mediated by technology or provided in separate sessions for that purpose

Same Time – Different Place Synchronous Distance Learning  Audio teleconferencing and radio  Synchronous Internet communication (e.g., chat, webinar)  Video-based classes (both one-way and two-way) and television  Interaction is mediated by the technology (often audio)

Different Time – Different Place Asynchronous Distance Learning  Correspondence courses  Videotapes and other packaged instruction  Web-based courses (usually)  Interaction is mediated by the technology

Uses In Education  Let’s watch a short video that introduces a little information about distance education options in the schools.

In what ways is distance education like traditional classroom learning? In what ways is it different?

Distance learning: why?

Why have distance education?  The key issue is one of access.  Traditionally, educational institutions have been isolated islands of learning; people have been forced to come to the academy to seek knowledge.  Distance education allows people to pursue learning from different locales.

Access Issues  Physical geography -- people may be located in rural or remote locations far from educational institutions (e.g., U.S. West, Hawaii, other countries, rural Indiana).

Access Issues  Individual disability -- injury, illness, or handicap may prevent an individual from attending an institution.

Access Issues  Reaching new audiences -- for institutions, a key attraction of distance learning is the potential to tap new audiences and thereby increase enrollments.

Access Issues  Institutional resources -- a small school may not be able to justify the cost of a teacher of Chinese for the few students who might want to take it.

Access Issues  Personal Resources -- affordability of education, especially higher and continuing education, is a key concern that may be addressed through distance learning.

Access Issues  Time/Convenience -- increasingly, especially for adult learners, the biggest issue is time and the flexibility to pursue education amid other obligations.

Distance Learning Data

College Statistics  In , the U.S. Dept. of Education gathered data about the use of distance learning in U.S. institutions of higher education.  At that time, 56% of all institutions of higher education offered some distance education courses. Nearly 3,000,000 enrollments were recorded in distance learning course (a 4-fold increase in 5 years) Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2003, NCES

College Statistics  Predominant delivery technologies included: Internet-based courses (90%)Internet-based courses (90%) Two-way interactive video (51%)Two-way interactive video (51%) One-way video (41%)One-way video (41%) CD-ROM (29%)CD-ROM (29%)

K-12 Schools  A survey by the U.S. Dept. of Education looked into distance education in K-12 schools.  At that time, 9% of public schools had students enrolled in distance education courses. Over 300,000 students were enrolled with proportionately more in rural districts. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2005, NCES

K-12 Schools  About half of K-12 distance education enrollment were in advanced placement courses.  Predominant technologies were: Two-way video (55%)Two-way video (55%) Asynchronous Internet courses (47%)Asynchronous Internet courses (47%) Synchronous Internet courses (21%0Synchronous Internet courses (21%0 One-way video (16%)One-way video (16%)

Indiana Distance Education  College IHETS ( (  K-12 Vision Athena ( Athena ( Indiana Online Academy ( Online Academy (

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