Barry O. Williams 1 Theory of Distance Education Brief background

Barry O. WilliamsBarry O. Williams 11

Theory of Distance Education

Brief backgroundBrief background


Overview

Astounding growth Astounding growth (Garrison, 1990)(Garrison, 1990)

Glamorized by technologyGlamorized by technology Poor conceptual frameworkPoor conceptual framework

– fragmentedfragmented– lacks theoretical foundationlacks theoretical foundation– lacks programmatic researchlacks programmatic research


Garrison and Hayes (1990)

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


Justification of Distance Education

Nontraditional education, attempted to Nontraditional education, attempted to define the important and unique attributers define the important and unique attributers – Nontraditional learner (Rumble, 1986)Nontraditional learner (Rumble, 1986)– Separation (Rumble, 1986)Separation (Rumble, 1986)– Planned & guided experience (Holmberg, Planned & guided experience (Holmberg,

1986)1986)– Two-way communications structure (Keegan, Two-way communications structure (Keegan,

1988) 1988)


Three Historical Approaches (Keegan 1986)

Theories of autonomy and independenceTheories of autonomy and independence– (Wedemeyer 1977) (Moore 1973)(Wedemeyer 1977) (Moore 1973)

Theory of Industrialization - distance Theory of Industrialization - distance education as an industrialized form of education as an industrialized form of teachingteaching– (Otto Peters 1972)(Otto Peters 1972)

Theories of interaction and communicationTheories of interaction and communication– (Baath 1982,87) and (Daniel and Marquis 1979)(Baath 1982,87) and (Daniel and Marquis 1979)


Identified Essential Elements (Wedemeyer 1981)

Independent learnerIndependent learner Greater student responsibilityGreater student responsibility Widely available instructionWidely available instruction Effective mix of media and methodsEffective mix of media and methods Adaptation to individual differencesAdaptation to individual differences Wide variety of start, stop, and learning Wide variety of start, stop, and learning

timestimes


Holmberg (1989) Elements continued

Meaningful learningMeaningful learning New learning anchored in the cognitive New learning anchored in the cognitive

structure - not rote learningstructure - not rote learning Centered on interestCentered on interest Teaching is facilitation of learningTeaching is facilitation of learning Individualization of teaching and learningIndividualization of teaching and learning Encouragement of critical thinkingEncouragement of critical thinking


Theoretical Constructs

Transactional Distance Transactional Distance (Moore 1990)(Moore 1990) Determined by amount of dialogue between learner Determined by amount of dialogue between learner

and instructorand instructor Amount of structure that exists in the design of the Amount of structure that exists in the design of the

coursecourse More structure and less student-teacher More structure and less student-teacher Dialog = greater transactional distanceDialog = greater transactional distance Continuum of transactionsContinuum of transactions Blurs the distinctions between conventional and Blurs the distinctions between conventional and

distance programsdistance programs


Theoretical Constructs continued

Saba and Shearer (1994) Saba and Shearer (1994) built on Moore’s modelbuilt on Moore’s model

– As learner control and dialogue increase, As learner control and dialogue increase, transactional distance decreasestransactional distance decreases

– Implication for traditional classroomImplication for traditional classroom– Integrated telecommunication systems may Integrated telecommunication systems may

permit a greater variety of transactions to occurpermit a greater variety of transactions to occur



Interaction (Moore 1989)Interaction (Moore 1989)– Learner-instructorLearner-instructor– Learner-contentLearner-content– Learner-learnerLearner-learner– Learner-technology Learner-technology (Hillman, Hills, and (Hillman, Hills, and

Gunawardena 1994)Gunawardena 1994)



ControlControl– Independence and learner controlIndependence and learner control

Learners Learners withwith internal locus of control, more likely internal locus of control, more likely to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, 1982; Rotter, 1989)1982; Rotter, 1989)



Social ContextSocial Context– How the social environment affects motivation, How the social environment affects motivation,

attitudes, teaching and learningattitudes, teaching and learning– Notion that technology is culturally neutralNotion that technology is culturally neutral– Social equality factor of the technologySocial equality factor of the technology



Saba and Shearer (1994) - Saba and Shearer (1994) - built on Moore’s built on Moore’s modelmodel

– As learner control and dialogue increase, As learner control and dialogue increase, transactional distance decreasestransactional distance decreases

– Implication for traditional classroomImplication for traditional classroom– Integrated telecommunication systems may Integrated telecommunication systems may

permit a greater variety of transactions to occurpermit a greater variety of transactions to occur



Interaction (Moore 1989)Interaction (Moore 1989)– Learner-instructorLearner-instructor– Learner-contentLearner-content– Learner-learnerLearner-learner– Learner-technology (Hillman, Hills, and Learner-technology (Hillman, Hills, and

Gunawardena 1994)Gunawardena 1994)



ControlControl– Independence and learner controlIndependence and learner control

Learners Learners withwith internal locus of control, more likely internal locus of control, more likely to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, to persist in education (Altmann & Arambasich, 1982; Rotter, 1989)1982; Rotter, 1989)



Social ContextSocial Context– How the social environment affects motivation, How the social environment affects motivation,

attitudes, teaching and learningattitudes, teaching and learning– Notion that technology is culturally neutralNotion that technology is culturally neutral– Social equality factor of the technologySocial equality factor of the technology


Theoretical Foundation of Distance Education

No theory base for the field “chaotic and No theory base for the field “chaotic and confused”confused”

No national policyNo national policy No consensus among educators of the No consensus among educators of the

value, the methodology or even the concept value, the methodology or even the concept of distance educationof distance education


Theoretical Foundations continued

Call to stop emphasizing points of Call to stop emphasizing points of difference and identify common educational difference and identify common educational problemsproblems

Call for theoretic model based on Call for theoretic model based on constructivistic epistemologyconstructivistic epistemology

Distinctions blur between traditional and Distinctions blur between traditional and distance education settingsdistance education settings


Any timeAny time

Any placeAny place

EmergingEmerging

technologiestechnologies

4-Square Map of distance education technology options

(Adapted from R. Johansen et al,. 1991,p. 16.)

Different Different place, Same place, Same timetime

Same time, Same time, Different placeDifferent place

Different Different place, Same place, Same timetime

Same time, Same time, Different placeDifferent place


Summary

Astounding growthAstounding growth Glamorized by technologyGlamorized by technology Poor conceptual framework Poor conceptual framework Identified Essential Elements Identified Essential Elements Interaction (Moore 1989)Interaction (Moore 1989) 4-Square Map of distance education 4-Square Map of distance education

technology optionstechnology options

Documents

Barry O. Williams 1 Theory of Distance Education Brief background