0101 Learning at a Distance
0101 Learning at a Distance
Format: Print-based core module with CD-ROM audio and video supplements
Author: Anne Forster
CEUs: 3.0
This module tackles the very heart of distance education—learning and the learner. The profession of distance education is fundamentally concerned with learning and with service that influences the quality of learning for individuals. From an instructional viewpoint, we speak of teaching and course design. However, the aim of any instructional system is to provide an experience that enhances learning. An understanding of learning and the learner, therefore, is essential to the design, operation, and management of effective distance teaching systems.
Learn . . .
- the characteristics of distance education.
- trends in teaching and learning research.
- new cognitive/constructivist perspectives on learning.
- how students learn—their approaches, strategies, and styles.
- how to incorporate distance learning principles into course design.
- how geographic distance affects the teaching-learning process.
- the role of the teacher as facilitator.
- key competencies for teaching at a distance.
- the role of the learner as active participant.
- how to increase learners' competencies for self-direction and independence.
- ideas for incorporating interaction into program design.
- the pros and cons of self-pacing.
- guidelines and suggestions for improving the quality of learning.
- skills for introducing innovation and change.
Content Overview
Drawing practical lessons from research and experience, this module presents a conceptual framework for examining the factors involved in learning and teaching at a distance. The module also provides guidelines, suggestions, and activities that assist you in understanding the learning process and in applying an active learning approach to decisions about teaching and program design. Ultimately, the aim is to improve the quality of learning in terms of students' performance outcomes and capacity for learning, thinking, and problem solving.
The module invites you to think critically about the content and to develop a personal philosophy of learning and teaching. Distance educators—whether they are involved in course design, teaching, management, or technology—need to know that the decisions they make improve the quality of learning. Such decision making is enhanced by developing one's understanding and philosophy of what it means to learn and teach at a distance.
Project (Self-Paced Track)
The required project asks you to apply a concept from the module to change or improve some aspect of a distance learning experience (a course, training event, this module, etc.). You might, for example, focus on a specific problem related to teacher-learner interaction, pacing, study skill development, or learner motivation. The idea is to apply something you have learned in this module to a concrete situation. You choose the focus of the project, with guidance from a course advisor.
About the Author
Anne Forster is Director of Innovation and Technology at the The University of Sydney, Australia. She was previously Vice President of NextEd Pty Ltd, where she was responsible for distance education curriculum development and support, and Director of Educational Development, Australian Graduate School of Management, at The University of New South Wales. Anne has been an active distance educator since 1975 with extensive experience in educational technology, evaluation, and human resource development for the implementation of distance education programs. She has published widely and has developed national distance education programs in business administration and the study of distance education itself. She has held both academic and management positions in distance education in Australia and the United Kingdom and has worked as a consultant in the South Pacific, Canada, and the United Kingdom on policy and strategic development of distance education and training programs. Her recent work has focused on online programs using Internet/Web technologies, videoconferencing, and the telecommunications framework which is enabling new and emerging technologies to impact distance education environments. Anne has a Master's Degree in Adult Education from the University of Sydney, Australia.