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Along with the emergence of distance education as an alternative system of education with the educational needs from an information society and the revolution in education that was taking place, the first generation distance education which used predominantly a single technology and lacked direct interaction between student with the teacher through the instruction has developed to the third generation distance education based on strong technology environment of two way communication. The role of technology regarding to distance education system is about the following: Technology as a functional feature of systems and materials; Technology as an instrument to facilitate transfer indirectly; Technology as a new way to represent knowledge and technology as a comprehensive environment for development and production of materials and systems. Especially emergence of new information technology (such as multimedia-computer based, telecommunication network) has changed the nature of the classroom. The opportunity for individual and active study will be given. With the strong information storage and processing capability of technology, rich learning resource will be provided, and supporting and relieving the learner's work concerning his/her personal information processing and storing. Formation of reality situation is useful to reaction, transfer and solving higher level problem for learners. The learners will learn not only knowledge but also how to learn and how to make decision. It is also helpful to allow learners to select and contact to the experts, teachers and partners at worldwide..... But in any cases, all these things certainly do not automatically take place, either by advanced hardware-driven or software-driven. Actually, if the potential of technology in growing needs for high quality and flexibility of education and the reduction of cost is brought into play, we must apply instructional technology, namely systemic instructional design must be conducted for distance education systems and materials.
Systemic instructional design is enhanced systematic instructional design. In the designing for distance education system and material, in addition to applying system approach, the cognitive science and constractivism theory is the base core and guide. We pay attention to instructional contextual Analysis. We stress that the learner is the focus of instruction and the learner's motivation to learn is the key. And we also stress that instruction in distance education is the constructed learning environment and the role of situation and cooperate learning must be strengthened. Meanwhile, applying advanced computer and network technology to set up electronic performance supported system and automation system for enhanced instructional design is also very important.
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