Defining Distance Education

 Personal Definition prior to starting this course. 

I had never really given much thought to the definition of distance learning prior to taking this course. I have to admit that my definition of distance learning was very limited. I considered distance learning as any type of learning where the student and educator are not in the same physical location.  The student can access any and all course work online at any time or place convenient to them with the aid of technology. Distance learning provides a flexible way for busy adults to return to school either to further their careers or earn a new degree. I have quickly realized the benefits of distance learning and the asynchronous classroom from my prior online course work and my current distance learning experience at Walden University. 

Distance learning was available for at least 160 years prior to the advent of electronic devices, and the use of telecommunications for education. This week’s learning resources stated that in 1873 Anna Eliot Ticknor designed a a mail correspondence course to encourage and allow women to further their education from home. This Society to Encourage Studies at Home attracted more than 10,000 students in 24 years. (Distance learning timeline continuum). I found this information very enlightening since I previously thought that distance learning was a new technology, only available since the arrival of the internet. 

Revised Definition after consulting course readings.

The course textbook and resource articles have greatly expanded my range of understanding of the term distance learning. Our course textbook, Teaching and Learning at a Distance defines distance education as an “institution-based, formal education where the learning group is separated, there interactive telecommunications systems are used to connect learners, resources and instructors”. (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012, p.32).  

After consulting our course learning resources I have revised my definition of distance learning. My new personal definition is as follows, distance learning is a formal learning environment that utilizes telecommunication devices such as the internet, mobile devices, television, and written communication in order to deliver information from an instructor to a student that is not in the same geographical location. Distance learning can be synchronous, that is it can occur at a set time by the instructor or asynchronous which is at the convenience of the learner. 

My vision for the future of Distance Learning.

The future of distance learning will continue to grow especially in the following sectors:

  

 1. Community colleges and universities, as so-called “non-traditional” students become an increasingly large segment of the student body at the post-secondary level, campus-based programs, residential or otherwise, may be leveling off in enrollment. Colleges and universities, therefore, see distance education as a way of sustaining growth (Huett, Moller, & Foshay, 2008, p. 66).

2.   In the business sector, many businesses are now using distance learning to train  employees without the expense of downtime at the office or travel expenses.

3.   In the U.S. military, this is due to the efficient way in which is it being used to deliver technical training to large groups of soldiers over vast geographic locations in a cost effective manner. 

4.  Virtual schools offering distance learning in the K-12 environment. The U.S. Department of Education has federally funded virtual school programs to improve instruction in math, science, foreign languages, literacy skills, and vocational education for underserved populations through the use of telecommunications networks (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012).  

I believe that distance learning will continue to grow and evolve at a rapid rate depending on new environments and technological advancements. Based on trends in education theories, the definition, breadth, and acceptance of distance education will continue to evolve (Simonson, Smaldino, Albright, and Zvacek, 2012).  

Mind Map of definition of distance learning

“Distance Learning Timeline Continuum” Multimedia Program. Laureate Education.

Huett, J., Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Coleman, C. (2008). The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web (Part 3: K12). TechTrends, 52(5), 63–6 7.

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson.