Distinguishing Characteristics of Instructional Technology and Distance Education
When most people think of instructional technology, they envision using computers or other devices to facilitate learning in a face-to-face setting. However, instructional technology can also be used to support distance education. In fact, there are several key characteristics that show how instructional technology plays a part in distance education. First, instructional technology generally refers to the use of technological tools to enhance teaching and learning in a traditional classroom setting, and with distance education it involves using technology to enable students to learn independently, without being physically present in a classroom (Jung, 2001). Second, instructional technology often relies on the use of multimedia resources, such as video and audio content, to engage students and support their learning, and in terms of distance education that means it may rely more heavily on text-based resources, such as readings and lectures. Finally, instructional technology is typically used to supplement face-to-face instruction, so with distance education it is designed to be primarily delivered via technology. These characteristics are important to consider when designing and delivering instruction using the ITDE approach. Indeed, as the graph below shows, instructional technology plays a large part in distance education.
Graph 1. Role of instructional technology in distance...
…in Curriculum and Teaching focused on the pedagogical side (Van Straaten et al., 2018). As a result, there was little cross-fertilization between the two fields, and each remained largely ignorant of the advances being made in the other. This situation has begun to change in recent years, as more scholars have recognized the need for interdisciplinary research in ITDE and Curriculum and Teaching. However, there is still much work to be done in terms of developing a common language and methodology that can be used by researchers from both fields. Only by overcoming these historical shortcomings will it be possible to make further progress in…
References
Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance educationpedagogy. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 12(3), 80-97.
Jung, I. (2001). Building a theoretical framework of web?based instruction in the contextof distance education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 32(5), 525-534.
Van Straaten, D., Wilschut, A., & Oostdam, R. (2018). Exploring pedagogicalapproaches for connecting the past, the present and the future in history teaching. Historical Encounters, 5(1), 46-67.
independent study. It is still a broadcast-related approach to teaching and doesn't give the student an opportunity to fully participate in the learning process. Telecourses are ideal for reaching thousands or millions of students who are motivated to learn. The drawback is the lack of interaction with instructors. The development of interactive television based on satellite and cable networks, and the development of interactive video have contributed to the development
Countries like the United States are leading the way in providing global access to advanced educational material. NASA's Digital Learning Network, in conjunction with the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), Discovery Education and Polycom are allowing middle school students around the globe to remotely visit and survey NASA space and research centers. Participating schools include those in developing nations like Mexico and India (Polycom 2008). One of the ways
391). This, Vindovich (2002) both acknowledges the difference between traditional and distance education and validates this type of education as having the same academics as traditional education. Although studying distance education in terms of quality and quality comparison with classroom education is valid, another approach to determining whether distance education is of the same quality as classroom education is up to the students. Programs and teachers can influence school quality, but
One of the most important is that distance education is not new. Although we now use computers and the Internet to accomplish the task, distance education began with correspondence. Thus, if we are to further the research regarding effective distance education, we must look, not simply for a description of types of distance education or a rehashing of history, but rather an innovation, like the computer and the Internet,
Distance education is much more popular today than it ever was in the past. The Internet has allowed people from all over the world to study at home and juggle their education around their careers and families. Because of that, more people are able to get the education they always wanted. That will allow them to move forward with their lives in more ways than just their finances. Is distance
Of course, technology is integral to the delivery of services for all three of these institutions. The Indira Gandhi school appears to be the least equipped with next-generation services and applications. However, the Indira Gandhi National Open University uses technology tools like video and audio materials to reach students without access to cutting edge technology. The African Virtual University relies on help from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for
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