1 / 17

Distance Education: The Big Picture

Distance Education: The Big Picture. Designing Your Distance Education Program from the Ground Up Bill McNutt – Technology Coordinator Beth Ponder – Assistant Director Center for Literacy Studies University of Tennessee. What is Distance Education?.

kynton
Download Presentation

Distance Education: The Big Picture

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Distance Education: The Big Picture Designing Your Distance Education Program from the Ground Up Bill McNutt – Technology Coordinator Beth Ponder – Assistant Director Center for Literacy Studies University of Tennessee

  2. What is Distance Education? • Distance Education is learning that occurs when the teacher and the learner are not in the same place at the same time. • Examples of Distance Education • Classic Correspondence School • Audio Tapes • Monographs • Video Tape

  3. What DE is Not • Cheaper – Distance education costs more per student/hour than traditional bricks-and-mortar education. • A replacement for an instructor – A good instructor and a high level of interaction with the learner are critical for successful application of DE.

  4. Some Things to Consider When Building a Distance Education Program • Cost – Distance Education Is Not Cheap • Instructor – DE does not eliminate the instructor • Media – Workbooks, Video Tapes, Software, Bandwidth • Training, Training, Training – instructors, support staff, and learners have to learn how to use the medium and the logistics • Accountability – How do I know the person on the other end is the one doing the work?

  5. The Ideal DE Student • An Independent Learner • Minimum Reading Level • Self-Motivated • Well-Organized Atypical of an AE Learner

  6. The Real DE Student • Unable to Attend Standard DE Classes • Has conflicting work schedule • Has travel barriers • Has child care issues • Has confidentiality concerns • Can read at NRS-level 4 and aboveOr intermediate ESOL and above • Has access to reliable communication technology (computer/telephone/fixed mailing address) • Is good at following step-by-step directions, either written or verbal • Has good follow-through

  7. The Number One Issue: Retention Qualities that Retain Participants: • Connection with the instructor/class • Feeling of community • Clear understanding of goals • Clear feeling of progress

  8. Issue Number Two: Costs • Medium and Materials – These are often more expensive than traditional instructional media. • Computers, Video Tape, Four-Color workbooks, audio tapes, and mailings • Administrative Costs – Tracking the media • Training Costs – Instructors must be trained to use the program • Turnover – New instructors must constantly be trained • Staff Time – One-on-one communication with the learner is critical for retention

  9. The Big Picture: Logistics • Initial Assessment/Orientation • “Agreements” • Media training & allocation • Must be done face-to-face • Tracking Participant Hours • Estimating • Self-Reporting • Media Recovery – How do I get my video tapes back? • Measuring Progress • Assignment logistics • Post-Assessment(s) • Must be done face-to-face

  10. Selecting a Medium • Not all AE students have reliable/affordable access to computers or internet technologies. • Most People have access to a TV/VCR • ALL dwellings have a mailing address.

  11. Resistance To DE • Resistance to DE rarely comes from students. • Resistance to DE comes from • Instructors • Employers/Community • Administrators

  12. DE Resistance: Instructors • Is DE going to make me obsolete? • No! The instructor is as critical to the education process in DE as they are in the bricks-and-mortar institutions. • Will I have to change the way I teach? • Yes! Without face to face time, directions must to be explicit/in writing, instructors must be prepared to use new techniques to gain & maintain “connection” with the student, etc.

  13. Resistance to DE from Employers and the Community • Is DE “real” education? • Yes. Distance Education is just a delivery channel. Testing and assessment can be just as rigorous as they are in the bricks-and-mortar environment.

  14. Resistance to DE from Administrators • Will Distance Education cut into my current student census (and therefore my funding)? • No. Experience tells us that when properly screened, Distance Education students draw from a different demographic: people who cannot attend traditional classes.

  15. A Real World Example: TN

  16. A Real World Example: TN • DE for Adult Education was initially rolled out statewide in TN in the Fall of 2003. • Of 81 programs trained, almost half chose to implement the program. • Mixed media – GED Connection Video and workbooks, then online management. • Media rollout was done in stages • Unfunded beyond initial resources. • Does it work? Yes – but . . .

  17. For More Information • http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/ - Search for “distance education” • http://www.knowledgeability.biz/weblearning/courses.htm • http://www.uwex.edu/disted/home.html • Or Contact Us! 1-877-340-0546 • Duren – duren.thompson@utk.edu • Beth – baponder@utk.edu • Bill – mcnutt@utk.edu

More Related