Defining Distance Education

 

Defining Distance Education

The definition of distance learning is continually changing because the pace of technology continually changes. Although likely never used in this vernacular, distance learning used to mean having the learner get to a place of learning after physically traveling some sort of distance from home or work to a learning center. The place of learning may have been a local school, a community center or a college or university and may have taken anywhere from a few minutes and a few miles, to in excess of several hours and several hundred miles. My personal definition of distance learning is “learning with integrated convenience.”A formal, generally accepted definition of distance education is “a structured learning experience that can be engaged in away from an academic institution, at home or at a workplace, and can lead to degrees or credentials” (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 17). Several factors driving the change in distance education include the obvious unceasing advancement in computer technology and the need for the citizenry to keep pace in a mobile society. Sophisticated technology advancements, paired with the high-tech growth of the Internet, have allowed a “significant rise in institutions offering online flexible learning opportunities. These online universities (many for-profit), have taken advantage of the excellent prospects of competing with traditional educational institutions, offering alternatives to classroom-based instruction” (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 19). Such early technologies as wireless transmission (radio), television teaching programs, and satellite educational television have led to educational audio and video cassettes. These have since given way to CDs and DVDs. Today, we easily take advantage of the opportunity to learn through synchronous and asynchronous communication (Holmberg, 2005).

My first direct experience with distance education occurred in the 1970’s, and was a special education course offered by Virginia Commonwealth University at my place of work. I did not view the course as difficult because 1) I was much younger then, and 2) we made the course a collaborative effort among those enrolled in the class. Offered at work, the course was very convenient as I was living and working in Petersburg, VA at the time. Petersburg is twenty-five miles south of Richmond, and I did not relish a fifty mile round trip drive. I subsequently took another distance course through George Mason University, again at my place of employment and again for the convenience of not having to travel. “The term distance education began to be used in the 1970s and was officially adopted when, in 1982, the International Council for Correspondence Education changed its name to the International Council for Distance Education (now the International Council for Open and Distance Education)” (Holmberg, 2005).

“An early form of distance learning developed with print-based correspondence course study, which was the dominant delivery system until the beginning of the 1970’s.” Prior to that however, “pre-industrial Europe opened up distance education beyond its higher-level, male-dominated society with the advent of the first correspondence program offering composition and shorthand” “In the United States, correspondence learning eventually compartmentalized into lecture study, class study, correspondence teaching, library, and training” (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 17).

My revised definition of distance learning is “quality learning; anytime and anywhere.” Just this year, I attended a college basketball tournament in Charlotte while enrolled in Advanced Instructional Design. Learning online meant that I still received a quality education and did not have to miss any class sessions or assignments that week. Although I did sacrifice attending one or two basketball games, I earned an A for the week, and an A in the course.

This week I learned that traditional universities are “offering their own online versions of campus-based programs, are creating virtual campuses, and are partnering with for-profit companies in order to deliver distance education programs. As is my expectation (and my hope), educational institutions are collaborating to offer joint online programs, courseware, hardware, and other support services to remain viable. I received my undergraduate degree from a brick and mortar institution of higher learning and I want to see these colleges and universities continue to thrive (Tracey & Richey, 2005, p. 17). I have also learned that the motivating factors for corporations (economic), higher education (economic and educational access) and K-12 (funding and choice) are the same and different. (Moller, Foshay, & Huett, 2008) & (Huett, Moller, Foshay, & Coleman, 2008). .     

My vision for the future of distance education is to see it continue to thread as an alternative option into various forms of traditional education. “Schools who wish to deliver e-learning education will require a restructuring of how they do business, necessitating the hiring of distance education instructional designers to work with teachers (or professors), and the local district (or college) (Huett, et al., 2008). I use the phrase “alternative option” because I have had numerous conversations with family, peers, and colleagues (some of whom have taken online courses and some who have not) who feel that online distance learning is not for them. These lifelong learners continue to need the sanctity, netting, and direction that a traditional classroom offers and there is ample room in K/12 through higher education for the delivery of both traditional and online distance learning. Key motivating factors for individuals wanting or not wanting to participate in e-learning are their profession, the technical knowledge he or she possesses and their comfort level with technology. Not discounted are commitment, motivation and the level of support an individual may need both inside and outside of the classroom. As I began to read the articles on “The Evolution of Distance Education” I initially felt they were an “unwarranted attack” on distance education, but I have come to realize that these writings are sounding an optimistic warning of caution to present and future instructional designers, subject matter experts, technology advocates, and learners. My impression of that warning is: “push ahead but with viable integrity.”

Winfred Keith Ridley

References:

Holmberg, B. (2005). The evolution, principles and practices of distance education. (11) 174 pp.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5). 63-67.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008a). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70-75.

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008b). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 2: Higher education). TechTrends, 52(4), 66-70.

Tracey, M., & Richey, R. (2005). The evolution of distance education. Distance Learning, 2(6), 17–21.