Analysis of Distance Education: Implications for Instruction
EME 6458
(3 semester hours)

I. Course Description

This course integrates theories of distance education with modern theories of learning and instruction. Distance education will be evaluated as an instructional method in terms of delivery, development, and implementation. Included in the course is development and delivery of a distance education lesson based on relevant theoretical foundations.

II. Purpose of the Course

The empowered person and professional will acquire knowledge, skills, abilities, and attitudes necessary to provide leadership in the area of distance education. Students will be able to design, develop, implement and manage distance education in addition to being able to identify and select effective distance education offerings from vendors.

III. Major Goals

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to plan for distance education integration, design, develop, implement, and manage distance education lessons, and be able to evaluate distance education programs and lessons.

IV. Objectives

A. Students will obtain background information, terminology, and perspectives essential to the design, development, production, and implementation of distance education.

1. List advantages and disadvantages of distance education.

2. Discuss characteristics of well-designed distance education.

3. Define distance education, open learning systems, distance learning, and delivery systems, etc.

4. Describe equipment and associated connectivity required for distance education distribution.

B. Students will discuss the use of distance education in educational (including business and industry and military) settings to form effective teaching systems.

1. Discuss strengths and weaknesses of teachers or facilitators in distance education settings.

2. Discuss the impact distance education has on education and training.

3. Describe how distance education can be integrated into education and training environments.

4. Describe the current status of distance education and forecast future prospects, needs and uses of distance education.

C. Students will discuss and demonstrate principles of learning theory and how to incorporate into distance education lessons.

1. Compare and contrast behavioral, cognitive, and constructivist learning theories and the impact of distance education.

2. Describe principles for the design of instruction relevant to distance education that have been derived from learning theory.

3. Describe implications for the design of instruction based on principles of instructional design and development.

4. Discuss the characteristics of effective student-teacher and student-student interaction or feedback and how these concepts can be most appropriately used in distance learning.

5. Discuss instructional design models and theories (e.g., elaboration, Gagne', Briggs, & Wager; Dick & Carey) in relation to distance learning.

6. Describe potential models for use in distance learning programs and lessons.

D. Demonstrate techniques for planning effective distance education programs.

1. Describe how distance education can be an appropriate solution to the problem and design a plan for program implementation, using appropriate media selection.

2. Describe the process for analyzing learning tasks.

3. Conduct a learner analysis and program needs analysis.

4. Write three-component lesson objectives.

5. Modify the lesson objectives for student use.

E. Provide methods for creating distance education programs and lessons that capture system capabilities and promote effective delivery of instruction.

1. Complete a lesson plan representing lesson sequence, including delivery instructions through distance education.

2. Describe delivery methods, including advantages and disadvantages of each.

3. Describe techniques to direct and motivate student learning and attention.

4. Describe options in distance education teaching methods to promote active, interactive learning.

5. Describe anticipated and unanticipated responses from student and system or equipment perspectives.

6. Discuss techniques used to manage and evaluate learner responses.

7. Demonstrate the use of storyboarding to design a program and lesson.

F. Demonstrate how to develop and deliver effective distance education, choosing appropriate methodology.

1. Evaluate distance education options available for situation.

2. Describe required organizational features for developing and delivering distance education.

3. Demonstrate several techniques used in distance education when designing, developing, and delivering a lesson.

4. Use appropriate video production techniques for lesson preparation, including correct use of equipment.

G. Describe several methods for evaluating distance education programs and lessons.

1. Discuss the levels of formative evaluation and how it applies to distance education.

2. Discuss summative evaluation and how it applies to distance education.

3. Discuss the components for evaluating distance education lessons and instrumentation that may be available.

V. Topics

Introduction to Distance Education

- Defining Distance Education

- Types of Distance Education Technologies

Models of Distance Education

Research and Distance Education

Distance Course Design and Development

- Instructional Systems Design Models

- Media Selection & Delivery

- Effective Interaction Strategies

- Evaluation of Distance Education

Strategies for Distance Teaching and Education

- Classroom Structure

- Role of Distance Team

- Role of Distance Student

Historical and Current Perspectives in Distance Education

- Fair Use

- Intellectual Property

Policy Analysis of Distance Education

Infrastructure Requirements for Distance Education

- One way video delivery

- Two way video/audio equipment

- Desktop Publishing

- Standards and Interoperability

- Telecommunications Network Links (T-1; T-3; ISDN; Fiber Optics; ATM)

Funding for Distance Learning

VI. Course Requirements and Evaluation

For this course, you will be required to have Internet connectivity with a graphics-based web browser to be able to participate in some of the online activities. You must have an email address and access to the Internet by the second week of class. No exceptions. Any difficulty that you may have with UWF dial-ups should be handled by contacting the COE Help Desk.

Assignments are as follows:

A. Internet Assignments. Each student will do the following: (a) participate in online activities in the chat rooms; (b) respond to questions and scenarios presented on the Threaded Discussion Groups throughout the course; and © utilize the distance learning web site for research and class discussion.

B. Lesson Plan and Presentation. Each group will create a one hour lesson plan for distance delivery by working with COE faculty (and others) to produce Instructor Materials (including a guide, PowerPoint presentations, and other visuals) and Student Materials (including a student guide). The group will be required to present a segment of the distance lesson in course along with a discussion of what worked and what should be revised.

C. Weekly Classroom Assignments and Activities. Each student must participate actively each week in small group activities and assignments. Additionally, there will be a weekly 3-5 question written kick-off assignment based on the week's reading and Internet activity.

The following is the class grading scale. Grades of + and - will be given to those students bordering scale points:

90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C

65-69 D

below 65 F

The course grade will be determined as follows:

30% Internet Assignments

40% Lesson Plan and Presentation

30% Classroom Assignments and Participation

VII. Textbook

Moore, M. & Kearsley, G. (1996). Distance education: A systems view. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

ATTENTION:

If you have a need for any in-class accommodations or special test-taking arrangements because of a physical and/or perceptual limitation, please get in touch with the instructor at the earliest time possible. Please leave your name and phone number so that the instructor can contact you to set up an appointment.

References

Beaudoin, M. F. 1990. The instructor's changing role in distance education. The American Journal of Distance Education 4 (2): 21-29.

Carl, D. R. 1986. Developing faculty to use teleconferencing to deliver university credit courses over cable and satellite. Canadian Journal of Educational Communications 15 (4): 235-250.

Clark, R. E. 1983. Reconsidering research on learning from media. Review of Educational Research 53(4): 445-459.

Clark, R. E. 1994. Media will never influence learning. Educational Technology, Research, and Development 42(2): 21-29.

Clark, T. 1993. Attitudes of higher education faculty toward distance education: A national survey. The American Journal of Distance Education 7 (2): 19-33.

Dillon, C. L., D. Hengst, and D. Zoller. 1991. Instructional strategies and student involvement in distance education. A study of the Oklahoma Televised Instruction System. Journal of Distance Education 6(1): 28-41.

Dillon, C. L. and S. M. Walsh. 1992. Faculty: The neglected resource in distance education. The American Journal of Distance Education 6 (3): 5-21.

Dooley, L. M. 1995. The virtual faculty office: Changing perceptions of traditional workload practices. Proceedings from the annual meeting of the Distance Education Conference, January, San Antonio, Texas.

Gehlauf, D. N., M. A. Shatz, and T. W. Frye. 1991. Faculty perceptions of interactive television instructional strategies: Implications for training. The American Journal of Distance Education 5(3): 21-28.

Gunawardena, C. N. 1990. Integrating telecommunication systems to reach distance learners. The American Journal of Distance Education 4 (3): 38-46.

McNeil, D. R. 1990. Wiring the Ivory Tower: A Round Table on Technology in Higher Education. Washington, D.C.: Academy for Educational Development.

Rogers, E. M. 1983. Diffusion of Innovations. New York: The Free Press.

Scriven, B. 1986. Staff attitudes to external studies. Media in Education and Development 19 (4): 176-183.

Stevens, G. L. 1992. An examination of level four evaluation in the context of Rogers' innovation-decision process model. Ph.D. dissertation. Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

Thach, E. C. and K. L. Murphy, 1995. Competencies for distance education professionals. Educational Technology, Research and Development 43(1): 57-79.

Willis, B. 1994. Distance education: A practical guide. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

Wolcott, L. L. 1995. The distance teacher as reflective practitioner. Educational Technology 35(1): 39-43.

Willis, Barry (1993). Distance education: A practical guide. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

Willis, Barry (1994). Distance education strategies and tools.