1. Theory of Distance Education
Abrief background

2. Overview Astounding growth (Garrison, 1990) Glamorized by technology
Poor conceptual framework
fragmented
lacks theoretical foundation
lacks programmatic research

3. Garrison and Hayes (1990)
“Hodgepodge of ideas and practices taken from traditional classroom settings and imposed on learners who just happen to be separated physically from an instructor.”

4. Justification of Distance Education
Nontraditional education, attempted to define the important and unique attributers
Nontraditional learner (Rumble, 1986)
Separation (Rumble, 1986)
Planned & guided experience (Holmberg, 1986)
Two-way communications structure (Keegan, 1988)

5. Three Historical Approaches (Keegan 1986)
Theories of autonomy and independence
(Wedemeyer 1977) (Moore 1973)
Theory of Industrialization - distance education as an industrialized form of teaching
(Otto Peters 1972)
Theories of interaction and communication
(Baath 1982,87) and (Daniel and Marquis 1979)

6. Identified Essential Elements (Wedemeyer 1981)
Independent learner
Greater student responsibility
Widely available instruction
Effective mix of media and methods
Adaptation to individual differences
Wide variety of start, stop, and learning times

7. Holmberg (1989) Elements continued
Meaningful learning
New learning anchored in the cognitive structure - not rote learning
Centered on interest
Teaching is facilitation of learning
Individualization of teaching and learning
Encouragement of critical thinking

8. Theoretical Constructs
Transactional Distance (Moore 1990)
Determined by amount of dialogue between learner and instructor
Amount of structure that exists in the design of the course
More structure and less student-teacher
Dialog = greater transactional distance
Continuum of transactions
Blurs the distinctions between conventional and distance programs

9. Theoretical Constructs continued
Saba and Shearer (1994) built on Moore’s model
As learner control and dialogue increase, transactional distance decreases
Implication for traditional classroom
Integrated telecommunication systems may permit a greater variety of transactions to occur

10. Theoretical Constructs continued
Interaction (Moore 1989)
Learner-instructor
Learner-content
Learner-learner
Learner-technology (Hillman, Hills, and Gunawardena 1994)

11. Theoretical Constructs continued
Control
Independence and learner control
Learners with internal locus of control, more likely to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, 1982; Rotter, 1989)

12. Theoretical Constructs continued
Social Context
How the social environment affects motivation, attitudes, teaching and learning
Notion that technology is culturally neutral
Social equality factor of the technology

13. Theoretical Constructs continued
Saba and Shearer (1994) - built on Moore’s model
As learner control and dialogue increase, transactional distance decreases
Implication for traditional classroom
Integrated telecommunication systems may permit a greater variety of transactions to occur

14. Theoretical Constructs continued
Interaction (Moore 1989)
Learner-instructor
Learner-content
Learner-learner
Learner-technology (Hillman, Hills, and Gunawardena 1994)

15. Theoretical Constructs continued
Control
Independence and learner control
Learners with internal locus of control, more likely to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, 1982; Rotter, 1989)

16. Theoretical Constructs continued
Social Context
How the social environment affects motivation, attitudes, teaching and learning
Notion that technology is culturally neutral
Social equality factor of the technology

17. Theoretical Foundation of Distance Education
No theory base for the field “chaotic and confused”
No national policy
No consensus among educators of the value, the methodology or even the concept of distance education

18. Theoretical Foundations continued
Call to stop emphasizing points of difference and identify common educational problems
Call for theoretic model based on constructivistic epistemology
Distinctions blur between traditional and distance education settings

19. 4-Square Map of distance education technology options (Adapted from R
4-Square Map of distance education technology options (Adapted from R. Johansen et al,. 1991,p. 16.)
Teleconferencing
(audio, audiographics, video)
ITV, ISDN, Broadcast & Cable TV, radio
Different place, Same time
Print, audiocassettes, videocassettes,
computer conferencing, CAI/CBT,
interactive video, videotex
Any time
Any place
Emerging
technologies
Different place, Same time
Same time, Different place
Labs,
study centers
Same time, Different place
Face-to-face

20. Glamorized by technology Poor conceptual framework
Summary
Astounding growth
Glamorized by technology
Poor conceptual framework
Identified Essential Elements
Interaction (Moore 1989)
4-Square Map of distance education technology options