Theory of Distance Education

1. Theory of Distance Education Brief background

2. Overview • Astounding growth (Garrison, 1990) • Glamorized by technology • Poor conceptual framework • fragmented • lacks theoretical foundation • lacks programmatic research

3. Garrison and Hayes (1990) • “Hodgepodge of ideas and practices taken from traditional classroom settings and imposed on learners who just happen to be separated physically from an instructor.”

4. Justification of Distance Education • Nontraditional education, attempted to define the important and unique attributers • Nontraditional learner (Rumble, 1986) • Separation (Rumble, 1986) • Planned & guided experience (Holmberg, 1986) • Two-way communications structure (Keegan, 1988)

5. Three Historical Approaches (Keegan 1986) • Theories of autonomy and independence • (Wedemeyer 1977) (Moore 1973) • Theory of Industrialization - distance education as an industrialized form of teaching • (Otto Peters 1972) • Theories of interaction and communication • (Baath 1982,87) and (Daniel and Marquis 1979)

6. Identified Essential Elements (Wedemeyer 1981) • Independent learner • Greater student responsibility • Widely available instruction • Effective mix of media and methods • Adaptation to individual differences • Wide variety of start, stop, and learning times

7. Holmberg (1989) Elements continued • Meaningful learning • New learning anchored in the cognitive structure - not rote learning • Centered on interest • Teaching is facilitation of learning • Individualization of teaching and learning • Encouragement of critical thinking

8. Theoretical Constructs • Transactional Distance (Moore 1990) • Determined by amount of dialogue between learner and instructor • Amount of structure that exists in the design of the course • More structure and less student-teacher • Dialog = greater transactional distance • Continuum of transactions • Blurs the distinctions between conventional and distance programs

9. Theoretical Constructs continued • Saba and Shearer (1994) built on Moore’s model • As learner control and dialogue increase, transactional distance decreases • Implication for traditional classroom • Integrated telecommunication systems may permit a greater variety of transactions to occur

10. Theoretical Constructs continued • Interaction (Moore 1989) • Learner-instructor • Learner-content • Learner-learner • Learner-technology (Hillman, Hills, and Gunawardena 1994)

11. Theoretical Constructs continued • Control • Independence and learner control • Learners with internal locus of control, more likely to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, 1982; Rotter, 1989)

12. Theoretical Constructs continued • Social Context • How the social environment affects motivation, attitudes, teaching and learning • Notion that technology is culturally neutral • Social equality factor of the technology

13. Theoretical Constructs continued • Saba and Shearer (1994) - built on Moore’s model • As learner control and dialogue increase, transactional distance decreases • Implication for traditional classroom • Integrated telecommunication systems may permit a greater variety of transactions to occur

14. Theoretical Constructs continued • Interaction (Moore 1989) • Learner-instructor • Learner-content • Learner-learner • Learner-technology (Hillman, Hills, and Gunawardena 1994)

15. Theoretical Constructs continued • Control • Independence and learner control • Learners with internal locus of control, more likely to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, 1982; Rotter, 1989)

16. Theoretical Constructs continued • Social Context • How the social environment affects motivation, attitudes, teaching and learning • Notion that technology is culturally neutral • Social equality factor of the technology

17. Theoretical Foundation of Distance Education • No theory base for the field “chaotic and confused” • No national policy • No consensus among educators of the value, the methodology or even the concept of distance education

18. Theoretical Foundations continued • Call to stop emphasizing points of difference and identify common educational problems • Call for theoretic model based on constructivistic epistemology • Distinctions blur between traditional and distance education settings

19. 4-Square Map of distance education technology options (Adapted from R. Johansen et al,. 1991,p. 16.) Different place, Same time Teleconferencing (audio, audiographics, video) ITV, ISDN, Broadcast & Cable TV, radio Print, audiocassettes, videocassettes, computer conferencing, CAI/CBT, interactive video, videotex Any time Any place Emerging technologies Different place, Same time Same time, Different place Labs, study centers Same time, Different place Face-to-face

20. Astounding growth Glamorized by technology Poor conceptual framework Identified Essential Elements Interaction (Moore 1989) 4-Square Map of distance education technology options Summary