#2 Distance Education

Entry Title: #1 Career

1. Describe the differences between a traditional/conventional face-to-face education and distance education.

Distance education or distance learning is a mode of delivering education and instruction, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional setting such as a classroom. Distance learning provides "access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both." While traditional/conventional face-to-face education learners and instructors interact synchronously, interaction at real time: you talk I immediately respond. For example, with two-way video conferences, students interact with live video of instructor.

2. What are the benefits of distance learning? How do they provide access to the different types of learners?

Distance learning can expand access to education and training for both general populace and businesses since its flexible scheduling structure lessens the effects of the many time-constraints imposed by personal responsibilities and commitments. Devolving some activities off-site alleviates institutional capacity constraints arising from the traditional demand on institutional buildings and infrastructure. As the population at large becomes more involved in lifelong learning beyond the normal schooling age, institutions can benefit financially, and adult learning business courses may be particularly lucrative. Distance education programs can act as a catalyst for institutional innovation.                                                                              Distance learning may enable students who are unable to attend a traditional school setting due to disabilities, handicaps, or sicknesses such as decreased mobility and immune system suppression to get a good education, and may provide equal access regardless of socioeconomic status or income, area of residence, gender, race, age, or cost per student. Applying universal design strategies to distance learning courses as they are being developed (rather than instituting accommodations for specific students on an as-needed basis) can increase the accessibility of such courses to students with a range of abilities, disabilities, learning styles, and native languages. Distance education graduates, who would have never have been associated with the school under a traditional system, may donate money to the school.

3. Describe the four steps of interaction result to reciprocal exchange of communication and understanding of the course content.

·         LEARNER-CONTENT INTERACTION – this type of interaction takes place between the student and the content that is delivered to him.

·         LEARNER-INSTRUCTOR - this type of interaction is intended to help reinforce student understanding of the material or elucidate meaning.

·         LEARNER-LEARNER – this type of interaction can be between one student and another or between several students.

·         LEARNER-TECHNOLOGY/SYSTEM – it only talks about, the learners, meaning, learners must be computer-literate.

4. Explain the following quote and ask at least 2 persons to write their reactions about your write-up thru the comment box of your post.

“Interaction is the key component of this use of the technology to support a more social learning, negotiating meaning through interaction with peers over distance, and forming a sense of community using the technology.” - Amirian

          In our modern life today we are bombarded with different kind of technology as means of communication. Facebook, twitter and other means of fast communication has been introduced. Even though it is communication though the use of computers, there is still interaction among the communicators. Families who are not together were given a chance to see each other through the use of video chatting in facebook or through the use of skype. It has been very helpful to our OFW's abroad because they are still connected with their families here. Though we are using the term technology, interaction among the people who are using technology is also an important matter because it is one of the key components to make the use of technology successful.  It is not just useful as a form of communication but useful as well as in education. Nowadays, distance education is one way of people to learn particularly those who had no time to go to school and study.