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Creating Connections
A Definition of Distance Education:
"Distance Education is instructional delivery that does not constrain the student to be physically present in the same location as the instructor. Historically, Distance Education meant correspondence study. Today, audio, video, and computer technologies are more common delivery modes. ..." Virginia Steiner, DLRN 1995.
What is Distance Education?
See our Library for an extensive overview of distance education, terminology used, frequently asked questions and questions to consider when choosing distance education.
Why Distance Education?
Some scenarios...
Learning takes place in a variety of situations, not all of which are in a face-to-face setting with instructor and learner in the same physical location. Distance Education represents a way for connecting and communicating with geographically dispersed individuals and groups.
* A Need for Access
Often as a result of limited resources on the part of the educational provider or their remote locations, there is a need for cost-effective access to qualified teachers and highly specialized and unique courses. Small communities sometimes cannot provide the funding to engage instructors on all the subject areas that are necessary for learners to achieve their full potential. How can the student who is not proficient in English be given an opportunity to succeed if ESL is not available in the school? If a school cannot justify an instructor in AP Biology, does that remove the possibility that a student can obtain this type of instruction? If a school in a rural or remote area does not have the ability to attract an instructor for Foreign Languages, will the students be unable to fulfill entry level requirements for a state university?
* A Need for Flexibility and Choice
Both K-12 student and adult learners may find it difficult to pursue educational advancement in traditional ways. Students, due to special needs such as physical or social boundaries, may not be able to attend a “regular” classroom. Adult learners who face schedule conflicts from career and family responsibilities, or who feel uncomfortable with standard classroom environments, seek different avenues to learn. How do special need students find alternatives? How do adult learners obtain a GED or pursue continuing education opportunities that will enrich their lives or open them to career opportunities that are unavailable to them today?
* Ongoing & Flexible Access to Learning
Research continues to highlight the benefit of ongoing Professional Development for educators and administrators. How can busy professionals continue to grow and develop in their fields without adequate access to the training that will facilitate this critical need? Also, how can instructors design materials to meet the needs of students outside the traditional face-to-face classroom setting?
* The Possibilities of Distance Education
One of the answers to the needs and questions above lies in the ability we have to create connections through distance education. By uniting instructor and learner with the use of educational media provided through a mixture of delivery modes, a connection can be established to provide a learning opportunity that would not exist otherwise. This connection can be created without the constraints of time or place, and can utilize a variety of modes that will make it accessible to the learner.
This web site contains a number of resources addressing these topics. Sections have been organized for K-12 Students, Adult Learners, and Educators. In addition, our Library contains a number of in-depth resources in a variety of areas.