DISTANCE LEARNING

Distance Learning

Distance Learning

Introduction

Distance education is the use of electronic information and communication technology to link teachers and students without their being together in a physical classroom. Distance education in the form of correspondence schools or classes actually began as early as the mid-19th century with teaching of the Pitman Shorthand writing method. Later, correspondence classes became part of Chautauqua, a movement to educate the rural and urban working classes, taking advantage of the growing reach of mail service through Rural Free Delivery. In correspondence schools, each lesson is typically mailed to the student, who completes the required work and returns it for grading. A certificate is awarded upon completion of course requirements. A few universities (such as the University of Wisconsin) also began to offer correspondence programs.

Discussion

As distance education (DE)—often in the guise of e-learning—is on the rise, it becomes increasingly important to look at gender issues in this educational field. Even where a majority of distance students and teachers are women, they tend to have little or no representation in the definition of content and in shaping the teaching and learning process. In 1982, women distance educators initiated “WIN,” the Women's International Network, within the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE) in order to address gender issues and redress the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions. The first tangible WIN product was the book Toward New Horizons for Women in Distance Education (Faith, 1988) with contributions from women from all corners of the world. Twenty years later, ICDE is once again a male-dominated organization, and WIN no longer exists as a recognized network within the established DE world. Nevertheless, the issues and comparative research initiatives as well as the networking of women in the field continue. In 2004, for instance, the United States Distance Learning Association launched the International Forum for Women in E-Learning. And, at the present time, gender continues to be an important category of analysis and action in distance education. (Buchananm 2004)

Background

By the middle of the 20th century, radio and then television was being used to bring lectures to students. This increased the immediacy and spontaneity of teaching. The invention of videotape in the 1970s allowed leading teachers to create customized courses geared for different audiences. However, the ability of students to interact with teachers remained limited.

In the 1960s computers also began to be used for education. One of the earliest and most innovative programs was PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations), which began at the University of Illinois but was later expanded to hundreds of networked terminals. PLATO in many ways pioneered the combining of text, graphics, and sound—what would later be called multimedia. PLATO also provided for early forms of both email and computer bulletin boards. (Bates 2000)

Meanwhile, with the development of ARPANET and eventually the Internet, a new platform became available for delivering instruction. By the mid-1990s, courses were being delivered via the Internet.

Modern Distance Education

As broadband Internet access becomes the norm, more Internet-based learning environments are taking advantage of ...