A Continuing Education group at the University of Wisconsin-Extension provides this definition: Distance Education is a planned teaching/learning experience that uses a wide spectrum of technologies to reach learners at a distance and is designed to encourage learner interaction and certification of learning. This definition of distance education may seem straightforward enough, but there is an ongoing debate as to what is involved in the process and concept of distance education.

DEFINING DISTANCE EDUCATION OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES:
Click on the links for further information of these definitions.

• What is Distance Education?
Distance Education is instructional delivery that does not constrain the student to be physically present in the same location as the instructor. Historically, Distance Education meant correspondence study. Today, audio, video, and computer technologies are more common delivery modes. The Distance Learning Resource Network (DLRN) provides this definition by Virginia Steiner. It goes on to include defining elements and delivery systems.

 

• What is Distance Learning?
The California Distance Learning Project's objective is to help lay the groundwork for a California adult basic education distance-learning infrastructure. Their definition includes introductory information, strategies and models.

 

• What is Distance Education?
Distance education is planned learning that normally occurs in a different place from teaching and as a result requires special techniques of course design, special instructional techniques, special methods of communication by electronic and other technology, as well as special organizational and administrative arrangements. As defined by Michael Moore, director of The American Center for the Study of Distance Education, Penn State, from the text Distance Education: A Systems View, co-authored by Greg Kearsley [California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1996], 2.

 

ITC Defines Distance Education
ITC is the Instructional Telecommunications Council. Their definition is: "The process of extending learning, or delivering instructional resource-sharing opportunities, to locations away from a classroom, building or site, to another classroom, building or site by using video, audio, computer, multimedia communications, or some combination of these with other traditional delivery methods." ITC's definition also includes a discussion of why students take a DE course.

 

What is Distance Education and Distance Learning?
Glenn Hoyle's Distance Learning on the Net provides a list of definitions of Distance Learning from various sources. His own summary: "Distance Learning is a general term used to cover the broad range of teaching and learning events in which the student is separated (at a distance) from the instructor, or other fellow learners."

Distance Education At A Glance
http://www.uidaho.edu/eo/distglan.html

 

Delivery Methods of Distance Learning
http://www.geteducated.com/articles/dlfaq.htm

 

Resources Relating to Distance Education in K-12 schools
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/k12.html

 

Distance Education in Colleges and Universities
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/highered.html

 

Database of resources for distance education topics
http://www.distance-educator.com/

 

A collection of links relating to distance education
http://distancelearn.about.com/

 

Twelve questions from "What is Distance Learning?" to facts about accreditation for programs, colleges, and universities.
http://www.geteducated.com/articles/dlfaq.htm

 

A summary of issues and topics identified by the Distance Learning through Telematics Web site, produced by the School of Graduate Studies in Arts & Education at the University of Plymouth.
http://www.fae.plym.ac.uk/tele/vidconf1.html

 

This article by Michael Yoakam is taken from a publication titled "Distance Learning: An Introduction"
http://www.ihets.org/consortium/ipse/fdhandbook/dist_lrn.html

 


How do I find the distance education class, college, program or resourse that I need?"
http://www.hoyle.com/

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