In Cyberspace

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In Cyberspace.
.No-one Can Hear You Scream
Steve Wheeler Mark Townsend Graeme
Horton University of Plymouth, UK
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Online learners need support
Up to 50 per cent of distance learners drop Out
of the course before completion
Moore, M. G. and Kearsley, G. (1996) Distance
Education A Systems View. Belmont, CA
Wadsworth.
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Online learners need support
3 Types of support required Academic
Support Social and Emotional Support Practical
and Technical Support
Carnwell, R. (2000) Approaches to Study and the
Impact on the Need for Support and Guidance in
Distance Learning. Open Learning. 15 (2),
123-140.
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Online learners need support
Cognitive (Academic)
Psychomotor (Practical)
Affective (Emotional)
Bloom, B. S. (Ed.) (1956) Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives - Handbook 1 The Cognitive Domain,
Longman New York.
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Online learners experience distance
Geographical Distance Technology
Mediation Psychological Distance Social
Presence Connectedness' Transactional
Distance Structure Dialogue
Moore, M. G. and Kearsley, G. (1996) Distance
Education A Systems View. Belmont, CA
Wadsworth.
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Geographical Distance
Geographical distance should no longer be a
barrier. Better and faster communication
technologies enable students to connect with
their teachers almost anywhere in the
world. Spatial and temporal separation need no
longer be a concern.
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Psychological Distance
What the student perceives is likely to be more
important. If a student feels no connection with
the teacher or immediacy of response is lacking,
s/he may feel isolated and helpless. Social
presence is an important concern. Locus of
control should reside with the student.
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Transactional Distance
A potential fall zone between the intentions
of the teacher and the expectations of the
student. Can be measured by the variables of
Structure and Dialogue. Also influenced by level
of student Autonomy.
Moore, M. G. (1990) Recent Contributions to the
Theory of Distance Education. Open Learning. 5
(3), 10-15.
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An Online Course in Study Skills

• Foundation degree level training for Teaching
• assistants.
• 900 students distributed across South West
• region of England.
• Students require study skills training, so a web
• based learning course was devised.

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An Online Course in Study Skills
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An Online Course in Study Skills
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Lessons Learnt

• Tutorial Support Must be timely and responsive
• Accessibility Bandwidth limitations in rural
  areas
• Navigation Clear signposting for web resources
• Peer Support E-mail, bulletin boards, etc.
• Activities Problems and learning scenarios

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Thank you for listening steve.wheeler_at_plymouth.
ac.uk www2.plymouth.ac.uk/distancelearning