1 Chapter 6 Distance Education

2 What Is Distance Education? Historically, DE =correspondence courses *rather negative image Currently, DE =on-line learning Offered by: Colleges and universities Textbook companies Software companies, etc Free or charged

3 On-Line English Courses Variables affecting on-line English courses (1) Content,,,,skill areas, levels (2) Pacing,,,,can join anytime, student pace have rigid synchronous meetings (3) The teacher’s role…monitoring only multi-function (materials creator, technical trouble shooter, classroom teacher)

4 (4) Instructional materials Reuse of traditional textbooks Textbooks with multi-media, interactive exercises with graphics and animations (5) Technology Low to the cutting-edge technology (ex) WebCT UNCWWebCTUNCW (6) Credit With credit or without credit

5 Current On-line English Programs --Self-paced free courses --Self-paced commercial courses --Calendar academic courses

6 On-Line Courses for Teachers of English --TESOL/TEFL Graduate Degree Programs -- TESOL/TEFL Certificate Degree Programs --Learning to teach on-line

7 Conclusion: Issues in Distance Education A concern: Courses developed by“superstars” and taught by untrained assistants. Copyrights issues “Education is an intersubjective and social process.”

8 Pictures and video in PowerPoint Slides

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