Technology and Distance Education

Distance Education now plays a major role in the academic environment. Teachers and students are no longer confined to a classroom for the learning process to take place. The instructor and student may be in different schools, different cities or different parts of the world.

Cable and Public Broadcast television pioneered Distance Education. Public broadcast networks have delivered and will continue to deliver educational materials and courses that viewers are able to see over a standard cable television channel.

Modern technology has played a major role in the advanced development and implementation of Distance Education. Modern computers and the World Wide Web have created new avenues of communication. Emails, chats, CDs and DVDs have become a common way to disseminate course information and stay in touch.

One of the biggest innovations - videoconferencing - has brought Distance Education to the forefront. Videoconferencing uses a computer with audio and a camera at a specified location. Information is then broadcast over the web to another computer at a remote site or even a participant's home. The individual or group may have audio and a camera connected to the computer at their end to participate in the event.

The introduction of large screen LCD monitors and compact equipment has made it possible to connect two or more classrooms over the web so students can see the instructor and other students, creating one large virtual classroom.

On a smaller scale, Desktop Videoconferencing also lets individuals communicate through a computer. A Desktop Videoconferencing session will let individuals in different locations communicate. They may be in the same building, a home, or a different city. An instructor can deliver content to the student right from his or her desktop. A good example of this would be delivering a lecture or lesson content to a student who cannot attend the class because of illness.

The web also provides access to many remote sources and materials for the student. A music course instructor may find resources for the course on the web. During a portion of the course, the student may be directed to sites that play classical music.

The web can also be used to deliver complete courses or programs through Course Management Systems such as Moodle or Blackboard. College or university level degrees can be obtained completely through an online program.

Today with resources such as Facebook and modern technology such as the iPod and Smart Phones, Distance Education has few limitations. Modern technology enables students to be connected continually, access the internet, view live events, and download content for viewing practically anytime and anywhere at the user's convenience.