Benefits and Limitations of Distance Learning

1333 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The pros and cons of distance education

Benefits and Limitations of Distance Learning

Distance Learning Defined

Technology is restructuring many aspects of education. An example of this phenomenon is distance education. Distance learning is defined as " the practice of educating learners who are separated from the teacher or trainer and each other by space, time, or both" (Moller 115). Distance education occurs in a non-classroom setting when students participate in course discussions, exercises, and receive assessment from the instructor by utilizing technology such as video conferencing, audiographics, CD-ROM, and Web-based media (Welsh 41). Furthermore distance learning programs are becoming increasingly popular at academic institutions and corporations. Most importantly these programs are offering learning opportunities for people that are normally restricted by class time and space (McHenry & Bozik 21).

Many educators and administrators are beginning to comprehend the impact of distance learning. In fact the American Council on Education predicts there will be more distance learning classes offered. John Noon writes in Syllabus, ‘Distance learning courses are offering students new flexibility in course and even campus selection, causing many institutions to begin redefining themselves’ (McHenry & Bozik 20). For example the University of Phoenix, a for-profit university, offers distance learning classes to 50,000 students spanning 12 states. Additionally Britain’s Open University will align itself with several universities in the United States and will start classes this year (Markel 208). Thus distance education is ‘currently the fastest growing form of domestic and international education’ (Boling & Robinson 169).

Annually corporations sp...

... middle of paper ...

...learning classroom design on student perceptions. Educational Technology Research and Development, 45 (4), 5-19.

Langford, D. R., & Hardin, S. (1999). Distance learning: Issues emerging as the paradigm shifts. Nursing Science Quarterly, 12 (3), 191-196.

McHenry, L. & Bozik, M. (1997). From a distance: Student voices from the interactive video classroom. TechTrends, 42 (6), 20-24.

Markel, M. (1999). Distance education and the myth of the new pedagogy. Journal ofBusiness and Technical Communication, 13 (2), 208-222.

Moller, L. (1998). Designing communities of learners for asynchronous distance education. Educational Technology Research and Development, 46 (4), 115-122.

Welsh, T., M. (1999). Implications of distributed learning for instructional designers:How will the future affect the practice? Educational Technology, 39 (2), 41-45.

Show More
Related

  • Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle – Antigone, as a Feminist

    1375 Words  | 3 Pages

    Fitts, Dudley and Robert Fitzgerald. The Oedipus Cycle. Trans. Sophocles. Florida: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1977.

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Web-based Courses

    1437 Words  | 3 Pages

    Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2003). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education

    Read More

  • Can You Be Educated From a Distance?

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    In his article, “Can You Be Education from a Distance?”, James Barszcz effectively weighs the pros and cons of online education compared to the traditional method, while effectively supporting his position with factual information and statistics. While distance education proves to be convenient for students, Barszcz asserts that it eliminates valuable experiences necessary in order to get the most out of the material being learned.

    Read More

  • Sophocles Inequality of Gender Roles

    1017 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sophocles. (1977). The Oedipus Cycle. (D. Fiits & R. Fitzgerald, Trans.) Antigone. (Original Work Written 441 B.C.E.)

    Read More

  • Suicide from a Psychological, Sociological and Anthropological Perspective

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    Suicide is a sad story many people are reluctant to approach. But when somebody nearest to them kills themselves, they feel the compelling guilt of trying to understand the motive behind the death. It is a complex and rather devastating subject. Many who kill themselves can never come back to tell us what happened and why it did. Suicide takes an emotional toll on it's survivors and wreck havoc in the wake of the surrounding victims. What causes suicide is a probing series of many theories, and yet not one definitive answer. The prevention of suicide is also difficult to pinpoint, but only because the intent is unknown. The importance of researching the motives of the suicidal is essential to modern humanity as a whole, because in the era we live in, suicide rates are climbing faster than ever. Understanding the driving force behind suicide is what can help the field of social science to save the conscience mind of many people from self-destruction - and save their lives, and the emotions of their loved ones.

    Read More

  • The Importance and Different Types of Lightsabers

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    Groen, Andrew. "Ask GR Anything: How Do Lightsabers Work?" Video Games, Cheats, Guides, Codes, Reviews. Future US, Inc, 23 June 2012. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

    Read More

  • Distance Education Essay

    2257 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the early stages of current distance education, communication pertaining to class work was delivered to a video, audio recording or a CD-ROM (Hull, 2009). The internet expanded the development and use of distance education (Hull, 2009). Online discussions have developed into an important aspect of online education (Meyer, 2010). Online discussions, blogs, and bulletin boards make it easier for teachers and students to share and debate about topics and chastise other students’ posts (Meyer, 2010). Discussions posts allow teachers and other students to analyze other student’s writing as well as their personal and professional lives based on what they post online (Meyer, 2010). Online communication allows students to post as frequently as they would like (Meyer, 2010). Blog communications has expanded in use (Meyer, 2010). In May 2007, there were 83.1 million blogs and by January 2009, the number of blogs had grown to 133 million (Meyer, 2010).

    Read More

  • Teen Suicide: Is it Preventable?

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gould PhD, MPH, Madelyn, and Rachel Kramer ScD. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. Issue Supplement s1. 31. The American Association for Suicidology, 2001. 6-31. Print.

    Read More

  • Suicide Amongst College Students

    1080 Words  | 3 Pages

    There has been very little research or development of family-based theories that can explain or predict suicidal behaviors. While certain theories, such as psychoanalytic, interpersonal-psychological and even an evolutionary perspective, attempt to explain the occurrence of suicidal thoughts and actions they are not family-based at their core. Some of the perspectives surrounding behavioral, cognitive, and psychodynamic concepts have developed some form of family therapeutic value in their application, but do not explain the phenomena of suicide with a family-based framework. Mikhailova (2004) explains that Freud’s psychoanalytic view of suicide stems from the ego being overwhelmed by an object in the context of the death instinct. The death instinct initially serves as the means of survival. When the attachment to this object becomes too strong, the object no longer acts as an ally struggling against death. It begins to instigate death-seeking behavior. Only when the person completes the process of identification with the object is one capable of suicide. Mikhailova (2004) stated, “…by taking one’s own life, the person not only kills oneself but also destroys the ego-usurping inner object” (p. 22). More controversially Mikhailova (2004) mentions that the psychoanalytic explanation of self-destruction involves “not only avoiding unpleasure but actively seeking pleasure, and thus quite often pursuing sexual gratification” (p. 23). While the foundation of the psychoanalytic explanation of suicidality is inherently within the individual, has its merits within the psychological stage, and a psychoanalytic family theory, in deed, does exist, it would be difficult to reconcile a predictive and exploratory intervention within a family-ba...

    Read More

  • The Challenges of the CEO of Google

    1384 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wojcicki, S. (2011, July). The Eight Pillars of Innovation . Retrieved March 27, 2014, from Google Insight: The Eight Pillars of Innovation

    Read More

  • Online Courses are Superior to Traditional Courses

    1561 Words  | 4 Pages

    O'Malley, John, and Harrison McCraw. "Students perceptions of distance learning, online learning and the traditional classroom." Online journal of distance learning administration [Online] 2.4 (1999). Web. 10 Jan. 2014

    Read More

  • The Pros and Cons of Distance Learning

    1280 Words  | 3 Pages

    In a K-12 setting, distance learning or traditional learning requires careful planning that must take place in order for the educational process to work for the students. When we look at both forms of education there are still pros and cons to both. Although online learning has made a major impact in the world of education, many people have not accepted this form of education. One of the reason for their concerns is that students cannot get fast answers to their questions about the assignment from the teacher. Another concern is that the students cannot perform effectively in a group collaboration that is taking place online. Also, students may not effectively do their homework from an online program. Lastly, some families do not have the technology at home for online learning.

    Read More

  • Roald Dahl's Life and Accomplishments

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    Roald Dahl was born in Llandaff, Wales on 13 September 1916 as the only son of a second marriage. His parents were Norwegian. The young Roald Dahl really loved stories and books. His mother would tell him stories about mythical Norwegian creatures which grow his interest in short stories. Roald really admired his mother’s ability to tell stories. “She was a great teller of tales,” Roald said, “Her memory was prodigious and nothing that ever happened to her in her life was forgotten.” (Penguin Group). At the age of eight, he tied his secret diary to the top branch of a tall tree. He would climb up the tree and write his diary entries there. His father was also a writer; he would write observations about the World War 1 and put them into his diary. His father kept on writing in his diary for 5 years (1914-18). His unhappy years at school seemingly became an inspiration to his writings. He despised his teacher who hated small boys, named Miss Trunchbull, which later became one of the characters in his book, titled Matilda. He used to write letters to his mother and he began to ...

    Read More

  • Arguments Against Distance Learning

    2423 Words  | 5 Pages

    There have been many critics that strongly advocate against the use of distance learning in elementary schools. With the increased availability and choice of new technology, comes many new concerns about the quality of instruction and the threat it may pose to the already established methods of teaching. Many believe that this new teaching method may replace the existing classroom all together, and won’t give students the adequate face-to-face contact they need. Most critics fear that “ineffective face-to-face teaching methods could be made even worse when they become technology based” (Truell, 2001, p46). The computer and internet have become dominant distance learning technologies, and hold the potential to take away from the human aspect of learning, so students do not learn the proper social skills they need to develop early on. Children need to learn to interact with one another, and function properly in a social setting, they learn this primarily within the classroom, and if these classroom settings are altered by distance learning, then they will no learn how to function in the normal social school setting. Many critics also say that all schools do not have the appropriate technological support and infrastructure to make distance learning programs effective for students. Since all schools do not have the tools and financial means needed to establish and support effective distance learning programs, they would not be able to keep up with the advancing technology in education, and therefore their students would not receive the same advantages as other students in the schools around them (Ravaglia & Sommer, 2000). Greenwood (1998) states that schools using distance learning are just contracting out their educational responsibilities and that such courses result in the elimination of teaching jobs. He feels that by using distance learning to teach students, they are minimizing the teacher’s job of actually teaching the students and designing lesson plans, and therefore slowly eliminating the need for teachers in the classroom at all. It is thought that there is more emphasis being placed on teaching than learning, and as a consequence schools are using distance education as merely a means to extend the classroom walls . While the critics of distance learning feel that this is just a way for schools to educate students, and relieve themselves of their responsibilities, there has been even more substantial evidence that these programs improve the elementary curriculum, rather than replace it altogether.

    Read More

  • Distance Learning versus Traditional Learning

    1207 Words  | 3 Pages

    Distance learning, sometimes called e-learning, is a formalized teaching and learning system specifically designed to be carried out remotely by using electronic communication. People could find out distance learning on the internet or searching form the school, sometimes teachers would introduce the best or the most credibility distance learning web. Such as class.com and University of Phoenix, etc. Distance learning is less expensive and is not constrained by geographic considerations; it offers opportunities in situations where traditional education has difficulty operating. Students with scheduling or distance problems can benefit, as can employees, because distance education can be more flexible in terms of time and can be delivered virtually anywhere. Under the unified leadership of the distance learning education, the modern distance learning education work gradual increase the number of school has now reached a certain scale. However, not every school or any distance learning education has clear idea for the modern education. Many people have differences understandings and it formed a big deviation. It can be said, for the purpose of developing the distance learning education and the hopes has not formed a consensus, which leads to very often difficult to form in the actual work force.

    Read More

More about Benefits and Limitations of Distance Learning

Open Document