Distance Learning
Many institutions of higher education are experimenting with changes having to do with class offerings. According to Keegan, “It is not easy to define distance education.” An early descriptive definition states that distance education learners are usually taught as individuals and not in groups (Rossman 8). Distance education can be thought of as instructional delivery that does not constrain the student to be physically present in the same location as the instructor. Distance learning is a newly emerging trend that many institutions are taking advantage of. At the present, this type of learning is primarily used for those people who cannot attend courses on a campus. Distance learning is just another sign pointing towards the emergence of a worldwide electronic university. Through these programs, institutions are creating truly “global classrooms.”
In today’s technologically advanced society, the term “classroom” has a new meaning. In distance learning, one’s classroom could consist of a television classroom, a “virtual classroom,” a teleconference, a “virtual reality” classroom, and others. The traditional classroom is being substituted for classrooms that accommodate each different distance-learning program. Virtual classrooms take place on the computer and can be accessed anywhere. Teleconferences take place on the telephone. On-line courses are held anytime on-line, which makes it easier for the student taking the course. Another form of distance education is visual learning, which includes using video systems and broadcast television. Television broadcasts are used for one-way video and audio presentations. Radios and tapes can also allow the student to listen to lectures one way and audio-...
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... to the educating of today’s society. Distance learning is thought to be able to increase global unity, create an easier, less stressful way to receive a quality education, and overall create a greater passion for learning(Rossman 138).
Works Cited
Hodgson, Vivien E, Sarah J. Mann, and Robin Snell. Beyond Distance Teaching-Towards Open Learning. Philadelphia:Open University Press, 1987. 1-181.
Kennedy, Kristen. “Intellectual Property in the Digital Age.” Technology and Learning 22(2001):8
Porter, Lynette R. Creating the Virtual Classroom:Distance Learning with the Internet. New York: John Wiley and Sons Inc.,1997.1-83
Rossman,Parker.The Emerging Worldwide Electronic University:Information Age Global Higher Education.Connecticut:Greenwood Press, 1992.1-89.
“The Army Marches Into Online Learning.” Black Issues in Higher Education 24(2001):17
... disclose any wrongs so that it can be lifted. "The key targets of Voltaire's satire are totalizing perceptions of the world, whether extreme optimism or extreme pessimism, both of which offer excuses for indifference to human suffering" (Stanley 76). Voltaire aims to add the different perspectives of how people view the world and conclude that whether one believes in optimism or pessimism, their outcomes lead to human suffering. In the story, Voltaire uses the main character's travels and experiences to support the theory of human suffering. However, the reader will not be able to understand the character fully without seeing how the other characters influence him, contradicting Rousseau's philosophy of individuality. Using all of the characters' experiences, Voltaire removes the optimistic and pessimistic views and replaces it with a vision of an uncertain future.
The efficiency of online learning versus face-to-face instruction is a growing controversial topic. In his article, “Can You Be Educated from a distance?”, James Barszcz weighs the benefits and disadvantages of online education. In his essay, he discusses the fundamentals and overall quality of distance education, as well as the rationale behind the growing trend. He argues that observation of teachers and social aspects of traditional learning are important for true education, rather than simply obtaining information. Barszcz uses thorough juxtaposition between distance and traditional classrooms unbiasedly so the differences between the two types of education are easily seen, while constant use of studies and surveys add justification to his argument.
In the early stages of current distance education, communication pertaining to class work was delivered to a video, audio recording or a CD-ROM (Hull, 2009). The internet expanded the development and use of distance education (Hull, 2009). Online discussions have developed into an important aspect of online education (Meyer, 2010). Online discussions, blogs, and bulletin boards make it easier for teachers and students to share and debate about topics and chastise other students’ posts (Meyer, 2010). Discussions posts allow teachers and other students to analyze other student’s writing as well as their personal and professional lives based on what they post online (Meyer, 2010). Online communication allows students to post as frequently as they would like (Meyer, 2010). Blog communications has expanded in use (Meyer, 2010). In May 2007, there were 83.1 million blogs and by January 2009, the number of blogs had grown to 133 million (Meyer, 2010).
Major Actors: James Stewart as John “Scottie” Ferguson, Kim Novak as Madeleine Ester and Judy Barton, Barbara Bel Geddes as Midge Wood
Balancing the Penn Foster College Veterinary Technology curriculum with work and family is often challenging for me. Distance learning is so much different from a conventional classroom. There is no opportunity to exchange ideas with another classmate face-to-face, or have personal contact with a teacher to ask questions and get clarification on a given assignment. Yes, there is the student forum for posting questions, as well as e-mail and the telephone, but they are not the same.
Argues that we must do more to ensure that computers are fully integrated into all our schools. Suggestion that there is no limit to the possibilities of computers; Topic of distance learning; Ways that the Internet can make schools more effective; Call for schools to develop innovative budgeting to acquire the funds for te...
Higher education, a pilot school education is now the main body of modern Distance Education, carried out from college, undergraduate to graduate students at different levels of education. Adult and vocational educations are to the form of distance education to carry out a certain advantage, because the time of modern distance education is the characteristics of flexibility for non-full-time adult students. However, efforts in th...
In my research about distance learning in the educational setting comparable to my current employment, I have selected two articles that discuss pros and cons about distance learning. The firsts article is entitled, “Barriers to online teaching in Elementary, Secondary, and teacher education,” by Zane L. Berge, Ph.D. The second one is, “Virtual Schools and E-Learning in K-12 Environments, Emerging Policy and Practice,” by Robert Blomeyer, NCREL Program Associate.
The popularity and availability of online schooling, also referred to as virtual schools, cyber schools, e-learning, and distance learning, is growing rapidly throughout the U.S. I think the idea of virtual schools is wonderful, especially for those who are home bound or have medical conditions. Students at virtual schools can learn at any time and any place about any number of subjects, which is quite convenient. Students from rural areas can have the wide selection of courses usually only available to students in large suburban or urban schools.
Clark, T. (2001). Virtual schools: Trends and issues: A study of virtual schools in the United States. Retrieved October 18, 2003, from http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/virtualschools.pdf
Pearcy, Mark. “Student, Teacher, Professor: Three Perspectives on Online Education.” History Teacher 27.2 (2014): 169-185. Education Research Complete. Web. 2 April 2014.
O'Malley, John, and Harrison McCraw. "Students perceptions of distance learning, online learning and the traditional classroom." Online journal of distance learning administration [Online] 2.4 (1999). Web. 10 Jan. 2014
All of our lives, we have gone through school learning with many other students in a classroom, and using books. But what if things were to change? What if instead of getting up to go to school, we simply had to just turn our computers on. Virtual Education is becoming a new way to teach and learn. Using computers, students can interact with other students and instructors, go to a history lecture with people all across the world, and even dissect frogs.
As the economy has changed in the last ten years so has the schools budgets and they are looking for ways to keep costs down. There is much evidence that distance education can be more cost effective than traditional education. Everyone can save a substantial amount of money by going with an online education because schools would not need facilities and equipment. Schools would also save money by not needing to provide services and programs to students. Students would save by not needing to drive to and from school, buy school supplies, and they can earn a degree in half the time than a traditional school setting.
Technology has had a large impact on the field of education. The proliferation of multimedia resources and limitless amounts of information available through the Internet has fundamentally affected the learning process. Students no longer search through cards and stacks for magazine articles; almost everything is at the click of a finger. Multimedia resources are increasingly utilized in the classroom to help instruct students. Some professors are making conscious efforts to use new technology, so as to introduce and familiarize their students with it. The significance of technology in education is now being elevated to a new plateau. Education through the Internet, the great equalizer, may make it more widely distributed through the phenomenon of online courses. It is the thesis of this paper that online courses are not an effective means to educate traditional undergraduate college aged students (people from 18-22 years old).