An Effective Professional Development Model for K-12 Distance Education

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In order to understand how professional development for K-12 distance education instructors may impact student’s success it’s vital to define distance education and talk about the prevalence of this type of education. Many terms have described distance education such as distance learning, online learning, e-learning, web-based instruction, virtual schools, cyber schools. As with many descriptions of these terms there are varying definitions:
Zandberg and Lewis (2008) in their report for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) defined distance education courses as “credit-granting courses offered to elementary and secondary school students enrolled in the district in which the teacher and student were in different locations. These courses could be delivered via audio, video (live or prerecorded), or Internet or other computer technologies. Moreover, online distance education courses were defined as Internet courses using synchronous (i.e., simultaneous) computer-based instruction and Internet courses using asynchronous (i.e., not simultaneous) computer-based instruction” (p iii).
Wicks (2010) defines online learning as “being a web-based, educational delivery system characterized by a structured learning environment, to enhance and expand educational opportunities, providing instruction that is teacher-led, and may be synchronous (communication in which participants interact in the same time space such as videoconferencing) or asynchronous (communication that is separated by time such as email or online discussion forums), and accessed from multiple settings (in school and/or out of school buildings)” (p 11).
The processes used to facilitate e-learning are also important to a program’s success. In order to provide ...

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...le Competition in course-management market grows. Digital Directions, 3. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Watson, J., Murin, A., Vashaw, L., Gemin, B., Rapp, C. (2010). Keeping the Pace with K-12 Online Learning: An Annual Review of Policy and Practice. Retrieved from Keeping the Pace with K-12 Online Learning website: http://www.kpk12.com/cms/wp-content/uploads/KeepingPaceK12_2010.pdf
Wicks, M. (2010). A National Primer on K-12 Online Learning. Version 2. International Association for K-12 Online Learning, Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Zandberg, I., and Lewis, L. (2008). Technology-Based Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2002–03 and 2004–05. (NCES 2008–008). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2008/2008008.pdf

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