Distance Education: The Big Picture

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Distance Education The Big Picture

• Designing Your Distance Education Program from
  the Ground Up
• Bill McNutt Technology Coordinator
• Beth Ponder Assistant Director
• Center for Literacy Studies
• University of Tennessee

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What is Distance Education?

• Distance Education is learning that occurs when
  the teacher and the learner are not in the same
  place at the same time.
• Examples of Distance Education
• Classic Correspondence School
• Audio Tapes
• Monographs
• Video Tape

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What DE is Not

• Cheaper Distance education costs more per
  student/hour than traditional bricks-and-mortar
  education.
• A replacement for an instructor A good
  instructor and a high level of interaction with
  the learner are critical for successful
  application of DE.

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Some Things to Consider When Building a Distance
Education Program

• Cost Distance Education Is Not Cheap
• Instructor DE does not eliminate the instructor
• Media Workbooks, Video Tapes, Software,
  Bandwidth
• Training, Training, Training instructors,
  support staff, and learners have to learn how to
  use the medium and the logistics
• Accountability How do I know the person on the
  other end is the one doing the work?

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The Ideal DE Student

• An Independent Learner
• Minimum Reading Level
• Self-Motivated
• Well-Organized
• Atypical of an AE Learner

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The Real DE Student

• Unable to Attend Standard DE Classes
• Has conflicting work schedule
• Has travel barriers
• Has child care issues
• Has confidentiality concerns
• Can read at NRS-level 4 and aboveOr intermediate
  ESOL and above
• Has access to reliable communication technology
  (computer/telephone/fixed mailing address)
• Is good at following step-by-step directions,
  either written or verbal
• Has good follow-through

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The Number One Issue Retention

• Qualities that Retain Participants
• Connection with the instructor/class
• Feeling of community
• Clear understanding of goals
• Clear feeling of progress

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Issue Number Two Costs

• Medium and Materials These are often more
  expensive than traditional instructional media.
• Computers, Video Tape, Four-Color workbooks,
  audio tapes, and mailings
• Administrative Costs Tracking the media
• Training Costs Instructors must be trained to
  use the program
• Turnover New instructors must constantly be
  trained
• Staff Time One-on-one communication with the
  learner is critical for retention

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The Big Picture Logistics

• Initial Assessment/Orientation
• Agreements
• Media training allocation
• Must be done face-to-face
• Tracking Participant Hours
• Estimating
• Self-Reporting
• Media Recovery How do I get my video tapes
  back?
• Measuring Progress
• Assignment logistics
• Post-Assessment(s)
• Must be done face-to-face

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Selecting a Medium

• Not all AE students have reliable/affordable
  access to computers or internet technologies.
• Most People have access to a TV/VCR
• ALL dwellings have a mailing address.

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Resistance To DE

• Resistance to DE rarely comes from students.
• Resistance to DE comes from
• Instructors
• Employers/Community
• Administrators

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DE Resistance Instructors

• Is DE going to make me obsolete?
• No! The instructor is as critical to the
  education process in DE as they are in the
  bricks-and-mortar institutions.
• Will I have to change the way I teach?
• Yes! Without face to face time, directions must
  to be explicit/in writing, instructors must be
  prepared to use new techniques to gain maintain
  connection with the student, etc.

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Resistance to DE from Employers and the Community

• Is DE real education?
• Yes. Distance Education is just a delivery
  channel. Testing and assessment can be just as
  rigorous as they are in the bricks-and-mortar
  environment.

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Resistance to DE from Administrators

• Will Distance Education cut into my current
  student census (and therefore my funding)?
• No. Experience tells us that when properly
  screened, Distance Education students draw from a
  different demographic people who cannot attend
  traditional classes.

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A Real World Example TN
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A Real World Example TN

• DE for Adult Education was initially rolled out
  statewide in TN in the Fall of 2003.
• Of 81 programs trained, almost half chose to
  implement the program.
• Mixed media GED Connection Video and workbooks,
  then online management.
• Media rollout was done in stages
• Unfunded beyond initial resources.
• Does it work? Yes but . . .

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For More Information

• http//www.nifl.gov/lincs/ - Search for distance
  education
• http//www.knowledgeability.biz/weblearning/course
  s.htm
• http//www.uwex.edu/disted/home.html
• Or Contact Us! 1-877-340-0546
• Duren duren.thompson_at_utk.edu
• Beth baponder_at_utk.edu
• Bill mcnutt_at_utk.edu