In education discourse, you must have heard of such terms like distance education, open and distance learning, blended learning and eLearning. All these terms denote learning that involves independent learning. It is important to know that although learning takes place away from campus, self-managed by the learner, it is carefully planned and structured. The provider has a defined curriculum to follow with learning outcomes defined. There are planned learning experiences learners go through, although at their own pace. There are support mechanisms put in place to ensure that learning takes place. These forms of independent learning are planned in such a way that there is flexibility in terms of where, when and how to learn. There is also flexibility in terms of the pace of learning. However, in spite of this flexibility, planned learning outcomes must be achieved.
In your view, what is distance education and what merits does it have over traditional face-to-face learning? You don’t have to write the answer down, but you are free to discuss with a colleague.
Source: Shemesh, M. (2023)
14 CC BY-SA 2.0
Distance education is a system of teaching and learning that is characterised by the separation of teacher and learner in time and/or place; uses multiple media for delivery of instruction; and involves multiple means for regular two-way communication between learners and peers, learners and teachers, and learners and administrators, (Mays & Singh, (2020).
Identify key features of the above definition, which distinguish distance education from traditional face to face learning.
I am sure you identified aspects like separation of learner from the teacher, separation of time learner chooses to learn from time teacher teaches, two-way communication system between learner and teacher and between learner and institution, multiple ways of communicating, use of technology.
This activity should take you about 10 – 15 minutes to complete.
Think of the wide range of people in your context who might be targeted by distance education. What challenges are they likely to face when they learn by distance? Post your answer in the Chat forum.
