Home
About Us
Direct Assistance
Events
Topics
State Information
National Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Children and Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent, or At-Risk
Distance Learning (An Overview)
By Jennifer Slivka
A broad definition of distance learning (DL) is an instructional delivery system that connects learners with educational resources. DL provides educational access to learners not enrolled in educational institutions and can augment the learning opportunities of current students. DL includes noncredit courses, workshops, seminars, and career credits like continuing education credits (CEUs). DL is an exciting, growing part of public and private schools for grades K–12 in many areas such as math, science, and languages.
|
Voice/Audio
|
Computer
|
Video
|
Shared courses offered via satellite, fiber optic cable, and videocassette connect schools in the same town or great distances apart. DL also makes use of the Internet, software, modems, TV stations, 2-way television using fiber optics, digital phone lines, satellites, radio, videocassette and audiotape, and standard mail to deliver instruction. DL also refers to on-campus classes where the professor is not physically present, but communicates with students at several sites simultaneously via television, modems, or some other electronic means. DL is part of all degree types, from the A.A. to the Ph.D., and is an option in most majors and at hundreds of universities worldwide. There are two types of learning associated with DL—synchronous and asynchronous. Synchronous is any learning event where interaction happens simultaneously in real time. This requires learners to attend class at its scheduled time. It could be held in a traditional classroom or delivered via distributed or e-learning technologies. Asynchronous learning is a ny learning event where interaction is delayed over time. This allows learners to participate according to their schedule, be geographically separate from the instructor, and could be in the form of a correspondence course or e -learning . Asynchronous learning can make use of various interaction technologies like threaded discussion or message boards. Several research studies have found that DL is equally or more effective than traditional instruction when the method and technologies used are appropriate to the instructional tasks, when there is student-to-student interaction, and when there is timely teacher-to-student feedback.[1] In a study conducted at California State University, students who participated in a Web-based course achieved significantly higher test scores.[2] Note, however, that “Effective distance education must be able to guide the learner, discern whether learning is taking place, and remove barriers to the learner’s comprehension. These things are difficult to do without a live teacher. In the K–12 environment, students need the physical presence of an adult to make distance education work well.”[3]
GENERAL PROS OF DISTANCE LEARNING |
GENERAL CONS OF DISTANCE LEARNING |
Multiple levels of interaction— In addition to learner–learner and learner–teacher interactions, some programs bring in outside experts with experience in the content of the class to participate in discussion. |
No instructor face time— If your learning style is one where you like personalized attention from your teachers, then online education will probably not work for you. |
Convenience— Take online courses when and, sometimes, where you need them. With no set class times, you decide when to complete your assignments and readings. You set the pace. In some programs, you can even design your own degree plan. |
Perceptions/Reputation— While slowly changing as more and more mainstream colleges and universities embrace DL, there still is a stigma attached to distance education. |
Self-directed— You set your own pace and schedule, so you control the learning environment. |
Lack of social interaction— Depending on levels of interaction/collaboration, students miss the sense of community. While students often interact with classmates via e-mail, chat rooms, or discussion groups, there are often no in-person meetings. |
No interruption of job/career— Because DL courses are located in cyberspace and controlled by your pace, there is no need to quit your current job or take a leave of absence to go back to school. |
Cost— Various forms of technologies can be expensive to implement and maintain for school districts. |
Availability— DL opportunities have exploded over the past few years, with many accredited and reputable programs. |
Requires new skills/technologies— May be intimidating if the student is not computer savvy or is afraid of change or new technologies. |
Cost— Prices are often cheaper for online courses than traditional college and trade courses. You may never even have to leave your house to take an online course, and certainly there are no relocation costs. |
Little support— Students are often expected to find their own resources for completing assignments and exams. |
Accessibility— Those who are geographically isolated or have limited local resources can access a wider range of courses and materials. |
Time difference— If the program is delivered over the Web, you may experience a delay in having your questions answered by e-mail or on a discussion board (although some classes also offer telephone support). |
Better for some learners— DL courses are often better for people who learn through visual cues and experiential exercises and those who require more time, are language-challenged, or introverted. Allows those who are normally hindered by the social pressures of an actual classroom to participate more during lessons, etc. |
Misinterpretation— Potential for miscommunication due to misinterpreted written instructions. |
Online
Online courses, often referred to as Web courses, are usually defined as courses that are offered over the Internet. Basic technology needs are a computer, a Web browser, and an Internet connection. Program and course providers will identify the specific technology needs of a specific course (e.g., some courses may require the use of a certain browser version or type of computer). Some, but not all, online courses are offered “anytime, anyplace.”
In Alaska,“ the area around Kotzebue, an Inupiat Eskimo community of 3,082 above the Arctic Circle, is one of the most connected in rural Alaska. At the local outpost of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the school uses a system called Live Internet. There are no TV images, but students and teachers can hear one another. More importantly, their computer screens serve as virtual whiteboards. They can see the day’s classwork on the computer as they are doing it. It's about ‘shared documents,’ Saito said, not ‘talking heads.’ His calculations crawled across each student’s screen. Whenever questions arise, students can click the ‘raise hand’ icon. They can type their questions or speak into their own microphones. Saito says he likes Live Internet because it provides nearly all the benefits of videoconferencing at a fraction of the cost. Anyone with a computer and the necessary software can join the lesson, and without streaming video it requires much less bandwidth. Plus, the classes are archived online, so students who are absent can catch up.”[4] |
This means you are not limited to traditional semester start and end dates, and you can take the course from any location (home, office, etc.) with the proper connections. Other courses may have scheduled meeting times where students and/or instructors are online at the same time. Many terms are used when referring to online distance education programs and courses. These include: e-learning, Web-based training, and Internet courses. Also, there are products (called Course Management Systems or CMS) used to design an online course. Example brand names of such products include WebCT, Blackboard, and Desire2Learn.
Virtual Schools
At least 15 States now provide some form of virtual schooling to supplement regular classes or provide for special needs.[5] Virtual schooling and e-learning are essentially the same product: they provide individual, online instruction. Virtual schools are complete educational organizations that deliver courses primarily online.
Students can access the class material, activities, discussions, and homework online. Students are able to submit their work via a browser, communicate with their peers and teacher, participate in online discussions, view their grades, and receive feedback. In addition, some schools have a printed class manual that includes procedures, policies, activities, netiquette, time management tips, and general guidelines for successful completion of the class. The student’s online grade book is connected to the class Web site and tracks the activities and lessons the student has completed.
Virtual schools often have a teachers’ lounge where teachers can create a class, assign students, view students’ submitted activities, maintain student records, and assign grades for students to view from the Web site. They can use the e-mail function of the site to send feedback to individual students, multiple students, or all students.
It has been argued that one of the most neglected variables in education is learner–learner interaction.[6] The Large Unit District Association virtual high school (LUDA-VHS) in Illinois used a discussion area, where students logged on to discuss the teacher-developed questions. In addition, a collaborative project was incorporated that required students to collaborate to rent an apartment. To successfully complete the group project, students needed to collaborate, search online for information, collect data, share results, and negotiate the best deal possible. Collaboration among multiple students and schools is needed in order to promote a sense of community among students.[7]
Internet-based classes offer a major strategic difference compared to real-time video-based methods: namely, the Internet is much more ubiquitous. Students need only Internet access and a PC with a Web browser to participate.
INNOVATIVE EXAMPLE:
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) (www.flvs.net) is an Internet-based public school, which offers a rigorous, online curriculum for middle and high school students . A nationally recognized e-learning model, FLVS was initially funded by the Florida Legislature as a pilot project in 1997. At that time, FLVS began course development with limited student enrollment, pioneering Florida’s first Internet-based public high school, complete with an online high school curriculum. In 2000, the Florida Legislature established FLVS in State law as an independent education entity with a gubernatorially-appointed governing board. Today, FLVS serves the State of Florida and beyond, offering virtual education options for grades 7–12 as well as adults seeking GED alternatives. Courses are highly interactive with certified instructors . Monthly progress reports are provided.
In addition to designing and monitoring the online instruction, FLVS teachers communicate with students and parents on a regular basis by phone, e-mail, online chats, instant messaging, and discussion forums. A full 90 percent of its enrollees complete and pass FLVS classes. For most students, FLVS courses add to what is available in their local schools. An online GED preparation course, developed by FLVS, is available to working adults through The Florida Adult and Technical Distance Education Consortium (www.fatdec.com). FLVS’s 150 certified instructors teach more than 80 courses delivered over the Internet to students in Florida , in approximately 30 other States, and in foreign countries. Partnering with FLVS, rural or smaller school districts can offer a selection of advanced placement (AP) courses or language study for which they would not otherwise have the resources.
INNOVATIVE EXAMPLE:
Virtual High School (VHS) (http://www.govhs.org) is a consortium of high schools offering online courses taught by consortium teachers for students in participating schools. Unlike classes offered by other online course providers, all VHS classes are teacher facilitated. Class sizes are limited to 25, and there is an emphasis on interaction between teachers and students. Activities are student-centered, and discussion and group activities are a part of each VHS course. VHS classes take place entirely over the Internet. There is no need for special software or hardware; only Internet access is required. Students can post work to their class any time, day or night.
VHS classes are offered in a scheduled, asynchronous mode. That means that classes follow a semester schedule and assignments are due at specified weekly intervals. However, students can complete their work at anytime during the week, as long as work is posted by specified due dates. All VHS courses are monitored regularly and adhere to the National Education Association’s (NEA’s) recommended course guidelines for high-quality online courses. VHS’s high-quality courses and professional development for online teachers have been internationally recognized as a model for K–12 online education, growing from a grant-funded project to a nonprofit international collaboration. As a fully participating member of VHS, schools are required to enroll one or more teachers and site coordinators in their professional development training courses. VHS offers more than 150 full semester courses in arts, business, English language arts, foreign language, life skills, math, science, social studies, and technology. In addition, VHS offers 15 full-year AP courses to participating students. All of the core courses are NCAA accredited. VHS does accept home school students. All VHS teachers must be certified to teach in the content area of the VHS course they are teaching.
Videoconferencing
"Nearly all of Alaska’s 54 school districts have received broadband connections in the last few years, and 9 of the most rural ones are using the technology to conduct online videoconferences. Students in secluded villages can take virtual field trips on dog sleds. A camera operated by remote control followed Abolafia as she moved, broadcasting her lessons via satellite to televisions in schools. An aide or a teacher not certified as ‘highly qualified’ mills about in each village classroom, collecting homework, emphasizing important points, and making sure students aren’t sleeping or misbehaving while Abolafia goes through her lessons. So they reach their peers through ‘The Voice of the Huskies,’ a program beamed over the videoconferencing system to 15 schools. Brevig students use digital cameras and computers to shoot and edit segments on cheerleading, Eskimo ice cream (berries and sugar mixed into whipped seal fat), and the advantages of drinking water instead of soda. The technology is still unreliable. Extreme weather and technical glitches can cancel virtual classes. Some educators are scratching their heads about how best to use the equipment. And many still doubt that Internet videoconferencing can ever take the place of a well-qualified teacher in the classroom. Internet videoconferencing is helping to bridge the tremendous distances between students and the expert educators who are in short supply throughout Alaska.”[8] |
A videoconference is a two-way interactive event where video and audio are simultaneously transmitted to individuals at sites in different locations. A videoconference can be “point to point,” which connects just two sites together, or it can be “multipoint” where individuals located at many sites can see and hear those at all of the other sites. These virtual classrooms and meetings can take place across campus or across the world.
Since a teacher can see and hear remote learners in real time, he can use conversation and body language to enhance communication. Frequent interaction increases understanding and encourages more personalized instruction. Interactive teaching strategies such as questioning and discussion can also help engage and motivate learners by making them active participants.
Satellite Videoconferencing
Satellite delivery is also a form of videoconferencing, but it is not two-way video, in that the program is downlinked to participating locations. In most cases, satellite delivery offers one-way video and two-way audio. Two sets of equipment are needed for satellite systems. The uplink (a large satellite dish) transmits the video and audio signals to the satellite. The downlink (a small dish antenna) receives and displays the signals. Two sets of equipment are needed for satellite systems. The uplink (a large satellite dish) transmits the video and audio signals to the satellite. The downlink (a small dish antenna) receives and displays the signals.
INNOVATIVE EXAMPLE:
Corrections Learning Network (CLN) is a long distance initiative administered by Education Service District 101 and funded through a Star Schools grant from the U.S. Department of Education. CLN provides interactive instructional programming for the Nation’s correctional facilities, free of charge. Its mission is to provide quality educational programming to the entire correctional community. CLN programs and services include broadcast instruction for incarcerated youth and adults and provide professional development for corrections educators, administrators, officers, and medical staff. CLN currently provides programming to more than 750 facilities nationwide, 148 of which are juvenile facilities. Programming is based on Pacific standard time and is often aired “live.” Because facilities cannot always coordinate their schedules to match, taped-delay is an option routinely used. CLN maintains interactivity by offering a toll-free “hotline” that allows participants to contact their instructor with questions before and after class. Participants can also take advantage of CLN’s lending library, through which they can borrow five tapes at once and make copies of programming unless it is copyright protected.
Advantages of Video Technologies
- Allow both audio and video communications. Video technologies can provide the visual and audio realism of a face-to-face class. It is generally considered the “next best thing to being there.”
- Facilitate personal feelings. Video technologies enable students and instructors to see facial expressions and body language, adding personalities to communication.
- Enable high levels of interaction. Most video communications are synchronous, allowing high degrees of interaction, question and answer, etc.
Disadvantages of Video Technologies
- May be expensive. Cameras and editing equipment can be expensive. In addition, the infrastructure at each site and the links between sites can be costly. For example, in Florida, the rate is $400 per hour for satellite time.
- Require a great deal of planning and preparation. To be effective, the camera crews and the instructor must practice and become a team. Faculty members generally need practice and training to be effective in this domain.
- Must be scheduled. Most videoconferences are not spontaneous. Instead, they must be planned, and the necessary resources must be scheduled.
- Require technical support team. Because of the complexity of video recording, mixing, and transmission, a technical support team is required. In addition, site facilitators are necessary to ensure the equipment works properly at the receiving stations.
Web Conference
Webconferencing is the combination of using a Web browser for visuals and an audioconference for discussion. Students and instructors can show and receive graphics, draw, type, demonstrate Web sites, share documents, and use Web chat. Basic technology needs are a computer, a Web browser, an Internet connection, and a telephone. To participate in a Web Conference, you simply dial in to the telephone conference call and point your browser to the preassigned Web site. Only those who log in can share the content and communicate with each other. All program visuals are available to all participants at the same time. You can communicate, collaborate, and receive real-time feedback. Participants connect from offices, homes, meeting rooms, or anywhere else with access to the Internet and a phone line.
Cable and Broadcast Television
Cable and public broadcast television have been used to distribute instruction for years. In addition to the educational networks such as the Learning Channel and Jones Computer Program, almost all public cable television systems allow schools to transmit television courses. This type of connection can be used to transmit one-way video and one-way audio to the community at large or between specific schools. For example, if two area high schools do not each have enough students to justify an advanced math course, they might team up to teach a single course delivered through cable television. In one school, the teacher would conduct a regular class; in the other school, the students would watch and listen through a standard cable television channel.
Print-based courses, or “correspondence courses,” are perhaps the oldest delivery method for distance education courses, having been available to students and learners for well over 100 years. Print courses are usually delivered via the mail, but some also have e-mail or fax options to enhance communication between student and instructor. Although more traditional print courses are provided entirely on paper, correspondence courses can be offered also via tape, CD, or DVD. These differ from online courses because the need for an Internet connection is eliminated.
Audioconference
Audio is often thought of as the most important part of any kind of teleconference. Audioconferencing is sometimes considered a conference call, but with many optional features available and an almost limitless number of individuals being able to simultaneously participate in the same event. The basic technology required is simply a telephone. Audioconferencing is an easy, economical way to bring many people together to meet, learn, and teach.
Blended Learning
Blending learning can be described as the use of more than one delivery method in a single course. For example, the instructor of an online course may wish to have students meet once a week via an audioconference to discuss the last assignment together, or a videoconference can be combined with multiple media; text and graphics can be transmitted with a document camera, and computer graphics, Web sites, and videotapes can be transmitted and viewed by all students. Blending different technologies together in one course often provides a more dynamic learning environment and allows for different options and expressions of educational materials.
EXAMPLE:
LiteracyLink’s goal is to provide a link to quality adult basic education and GED preparation tools using technology for underserved and hard-to-reach adults and their teachers. Combining video, the Internet, and print materials, LiteracyLink programs target the needs of the individual learner, adult instructional programs, and the workforce. LiteracyLink is a joint project of PBS Adult Learning Service, the National Center on Adult Literacy of the University of Pennsylvania, Kentucky Educational Television (KET), and the Kentucky Department of Education. The project began in July 1996 in response to the growing nationwide demand for basic skills training. The project is funded by a 5-year, 1 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education through the Star Schools program. LiteracyLink uses the PBS broadcasting infrastructure, KET agency resources, a cost-efficient State-licensing model, and the Internet to reach learners and teachers wherever they are. An original LiteracyLink partner, KET became the distributing and supporting agency for LiteracyLink services in August 2002. Under a statewide video license, the purchaser (or their designee) has the right to record a master copy of the 25 episodes of Workplace Essential Skills and/or the 39 episodes of GED Connection (depending on which license is held) during a PBS satellite broadcast, or to secure a set of master tapes from PBS. From the master tapes, the State may make unlimited copies of the video programs for every publicly-funded adult basic education, workplace, or GED program in their State. Currently, the GED Connection and Workplace Essential Skills programs are being used in various correctional settings, from Federal prisons to local city and county jails.
EXAMPLE:
The STEP Star Network (SSN) is one of the Nation’s oldest and largest DL networks, providing interactive classroom instruction through the use of television, computers, the Internet, and other technologies. SSN is administered by Education Service District 101 and funded through a Star Schools grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Course companion Web sites offer additional information, resources, and extension activities. The network offers a vast array of programs geared to all ages and levels of ability, including elementary through secondary education, alternative education, adult basic education, literacy programming, and professional development. All courses are taught by Washington State-certified teachers or community college instructors. The yearly programming (more than 1,500 total hours) is free and can be used to supplement and enhance existing classroom activities or provide entire courses. Sites may use as little or as much programming as they choose. Participants receive programming over a satellite downlink (dish) or a local cable television system. If programming is received over cable, a television is the only necessary equipment (telephones, computers, and VCRs are also desirable, but not required). While many sites view the programs live, tape delay is an option often used by sites whose local schedules do not correspond to the broadcast schedule.
[1] Moore, M. G., & Thompson, M.M. (1990). The effects of distance learning: A summary of the literature. Research Monograph No. 2. University Park, PA: The Pennsylvania State University, American Center for the Study of Distance Education (ED 330 321).
[2] Schutte, J. G. (1996). Virtual teaching in higher education: The new intellectual superhighway or just another traffic jam? Retrieved on April 6, 2005, from http://www.csun.edu/sociology/virexp.htm.
[3] Southwick, J. W. (2003). Distance education in the rural K-12 environment. Co-published simultaneously in Computers in the schools (The Haworth Press, Inc.) 20(3), 27–32; and Distance education: What works well (The Haworth Press, Inc.).
[4] No child left in the cold. (2004, November 11). Los Angeles Times.
[5] Technology counts ’04, global links: Lessons from the world. (2004, May 6). Education Week.
[6] Johnson, D. W. (1981). Student–student interaction: The neglected variable in education. Educational Researcher, 10(1), 5–10.
[7] Vrasidas, C. (2003). The design, development, and implementation of LUDA Virtual High School. In M. Corry & C-H. Tu (Eds.), Distance education: What works well (pp. 15–25). Binghampton, NY: The Haworth Press, Inc.
[8] No child left in the cold. (2004, November 11). Los Angeles Times.
Corrections Learning Network