Distance Education

Distance Education

The websites we looked at in this assignment were quite interesting and informative. Before this, I had not thought too much about distance education, then upon learning more about it, I came to realize that distance education has helped to shape my education.

While I experienced distance education at a collegiate level, it is now readily available for younger ages and also for online alternative high schools. When professors use blackboard or WebCT or similar designed programs, they are allowing for students to communicate together on topics and discussions. It is a very useful tool for students to help teach and enlighten their peers while still demonstrating what they know and think as an individual. These sites are also valuable for student teacher connections. Teachers are able to post announcements and assignments on sites like this to keep their students up to date and understanding of what is expected out of the class.

Distance Education also allows students of all ages to take a class that may not be offered at their traditional school, or does not fit into their schedule. These online classrooms are similar to traditional classrooms in that students and the instructor are able to communicate and sometimes even interact with digital video technology. The difference is that as a student enrolled in an online class, you may never meet you instructor or peers face to face if video technology is not available.

Students who struggle with the traditional school setting may greatly benefit from an online based school like the ones we have looked at. Washington State has its own insight school designed for exactly this purpose. It allows students to achieve and learn at their own levels and on their own time.

Distance Educations could be considered an alternative to homeschooling. This gives the same individual learning time that homeschooling does, yet provides interaction, discussion and participation from other students doing the same thing. Online schooling allows students to continue to build their social foundations and communication skills more that homeschooling in that the students are discussion and relating to their peers via the internet.

While distance education can be a very powerful tool, it also has its downsides. Students who learn best though example and hands on work may find this style of learning to be a great challenge. When the classroom is completely virtual, you loose the visual aids and demonstrations given by the instructor. Perhaps this is why we see most distance programs offered at an older age.

Students who is kept on a fairly level playing field in terms of academic materials and resources. When computers and the Internet become involved we start to see evidence of the digital divide taking place. struggle with technology or do not have easy access to technology do not have that same advantage as those who do. In a traditional classroom, the teacher provides most of the supplies so the class as a whole.

With online schooling, real life experience can be factored out. In a traditional classroom, students have to learn to deal with differences between themselves and their peers and instructor. They also learn to deal with distraction. When students turn to an independent, individual learning program, they loose those real life examples.

This relates to the next con I found when it comes to distance education. Student’s social network is limited. With online classes, there is typically a space for students to discuss questions and the material with other student’s, however this is not the same as a face to face style study group. With programs like these, they are not able to work though things and ask or respond to questions in real time. It is more of an email discussion it seems.

Overall, this assignment was very interesting. I feel that distance education can play an important role in even a traditional classroom. It is also great for students looking to expand on their learning and take a course outside of the traditional curriculum they might be learning. On the flip side however, distance education can limit the type of students in the class making it difficult for all students to participate in these courses. Also, they limit student’s interaction with other students. Face to face interaction with people who you agree with as well as people you disagree with is an important life skill and is often limited with some of these distance programs.