Introduction
Welcome to distance education class 1. In this lesson you will learn about the suggested ways to facilitate student communication. Distance education works well for most students. However, there are some occaisons that require the facilitator to encourage the student to participate and communicate. I will also discuss three misconceptions or myths about distance education.This lesson will assist you in doing so. Please be open minded and enjoy the web-quest.
H.Woods
Task
Distance Education:
Distance education is education that takes place in circumstances when the facilitator and student are separated by geographical location or even time distances.
One common misconception surrounding distance learning is that the education is of better quality when there is an increased amount of interaction. While interaction is definately important and necessary to an extent. However, it is not a determining factor of success when taking a distance education class. In some cases, forced interaction can actually be counterproductive when used in excess.
Another misconception is that instructors must be trained before they can teach a distance education class. There are several competencies any teacher must meet. The most important competency is content knowledge. There is a measurable amount of success in distance education when an instructor is trained in delivering instruction at a distance however, an instructor who is not is still capable of having the same amoutnt of success.
The last misconception I will discuss is that e-learning and distance education are the same. Technology is frequently used in distance education in the form of e-learning. Some face-to-face classes will utilize e-learning as well. The electronic delivery is only a form of media for the class.
I would like for you to visit this web-site https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K_JoBkxVI0 and view the short video.
Next, visit this web-site and take the survey at the bottom of the page. You will be provided a temporary password and will not be obligated to the organization in any way.
Process
Explore some of the distance education programs at these universities.
Proceed to EVALUATION
Evaluation
Assessment:
Please answer the following questions and email them to hlw1220@gmail.com
1. What are the most effective ways of communicating with distance students?
2. How can you as a facilitator help a student overcome feeling isolated?
3. Would you encorporate social media in your distance education class? Why or why not?
4. Is it acceptable for a student to be "quiet" in an online class? Explain.
5. How often should a person log in to their class in a week?
Evaluation:
1. Have you ever taken a distance education class?
2. What did you find interesting about this lesson?
3. Did you find that you learned from this lesson?
4. What improvements would you suggest for this lesson?
Conclusion
Communicating with online students is a vital part of keeping the class alive. Students need to feel engaged and not isolated. There are many ways to accomplish this task. The main point to remember is that even though they cannot see you, they still have feelings and lives that we do not know about. Communication is what keeps the facilitator attached to the student.
I hope you enjoyed this mini lesson on facilitating communication.
Credits
Karen Anderson: Edith Cowan University
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K_JoBkxVI0
msstate.edu
Moore, M.G.(ED.). (2013). Handbook of distance education (3rd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum