| Learning
at a distance is similar in many ways to learning in a classroom
environment, but there are some significant differences.
Teachers of distant learners must accomplish the same general
goals as those working in conventional environments, but
separation from the learners means some of the teacher's
challenges take on special forms.
For
example, the learner is frequently insecure in the absence
of the teacher and apprehensive regarding his/her progress
in the absence of close feedback and perhaps absence of
peer learners. The student becomes more insecure if the
direction of the course is not very well structured, and
if it is not very clear where he or she is in relation
to its completion. The phenomenon of "drop-out"
is much more common in distance than conventional education,
i.e., it is easier for a student to exercise the option
of withdrawing from the relatively impersonal relationship
of a distance course than it is from a conventional curriculum.
In response to such concerns, the distance teacher has
to take various measures to ensure the course is very
well structured, with clear objectives and well considered
allocation of students' time. The communications media
must be used in attractive, rewarding, and therefore motivating
ways.
Finally,
in every system, no matter how large, while some part
of the instruction may be most appropriately mass-produced
on audio or video tapes, or in texts, or transmitted by
broadcasting, somewhere in the system must be individual
instructors who are known to the students and who are
skilled in ensuring that materials produced in mass are
used by each individual in creating his or her own knowledge.
DESIGN
• DELIVERY • INSTRUCTION
• LEARNER SUPPORT
More
resources:
Taplin,
Margaret and Jegede, Olugbemiro 2001. "Gender
Differences in Factors Influencing Achievement of Distance
Education Students". Open Learning, Jun2001,
Vol. 16 Issue 2.
Taplin,
M.; Yum, Jessie C.K. ; Jegede, O.; Fan, Rocky Y.K. &
Chan, May S.S. 2001. "Help-seeking
Strategies Used by High-achieving and Low-achieving Distance
Education Students" Journal of Distance Education
16(1), pp. 56-69
Fung,
Yvonne and Carr, Ronnie 2000. "Face-to-Face
Tutorials in a Distance Learning System: meeting student
needs." Open Learning, Feb2000, Vol. 15 Issue
1, p35, 12p.
Kawachi,
P. 2000. "Democratisation
of Access to Learning Opportunities: Opening Up Global
Education to Japanese Learners" Paper presented
at the 14th Annual Conference of the Asian Association
of Open Universities, Manila, Philippines, October 25-27,
2000.
Taplin,
M. 2000. "Asian Women's
Experiences in Distance education: A Five-country Study".
Paper presented at the 14th Annual Conference of the Asian
Association of Open Universities, Manila, Philippines,
October 25-27, 2000.
Namin
Shin and Juhu Kim 1999. An
exploration of learner progress and drop-out in Korea
National Open University. Distance Education. Vol.
20, No. 1
Peter
J. Smith and Swee Noi Smith 1999. Differences
between Chinese and Australian students: some implications
for distance educators. Distance Education.
Vol. 20, No. 1
Jung,
I. & Leem, J. 1999. "Design
Strategies for Developing Web-based Training Courses in
a Korean Context". In Ronnie Carr, Olugbemiro
J Jegede, Wong Tat-meng, & Yuen Kin-sun, eds., The
Asian Distance Learner. Hong Kong: Open University of
Hong Kong Press
Kember,
D.; Lai, T.; Murphy, D.; Siaw. I.; Wong, J. & Yuen,
K.S. 1990. "Naturalistic
Evaluation of Distance Learning Courses". Journal
of Distance Education, V (1), 38-52
Fung,
Y. YH & Carr, R. 1999. "Tutorials
in a distance education system: students' expectations
and preferred approaches", In Ronnie Carr, Olugbemiro
J Jegede, Wong Tat-men and Yuen Kin-sun (eds.), Asian
Distance Learner, Hong Kong: The Open University of Hong
Kong Press, pp.151-163.
Tam,
M., Wedd, S. and McKerchar, M. 1997. Development
and evaluation of a computer-based learning pilot project
for the teaching of holistic accounting concepts.
Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 13(1), 54-67.
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