2. Distance education is educational process where
the vast majority of the teachings take places with
the teacher and student being apart. This means
that the process uses teaching methods that convey
education to students outside of the traditional
classroom through print equipment and supplies
such as: the computer, Internet, software
programs, electronic conferencing and other
resources
3.
4. Saving time and money.
Self-paced learning that reduces stress and
increases satisfaction.
Lots of flexibility (students can complete
their course work anywhere)
Numerous choices for schools. (if you live
in a community with few or no colleges
distance learning allows you to choose from
a wide variety of schools to complete your
education)
5. Taking computer and internet skills will gain
you extra information and knowledge while
you are learning.
Study materials at own speed, without having
to wait for the rest of your classmates or being
overwhelmed in fast paced classroom.
Web-based resources such as online
textbooks, case studies, syllabi, study
guides, workbooks, reading resources and
more.
6. Lack of social interaction
Format isn’t ideal for all learners
Requires adaptability to new technologies
Not all courses required to complete the
degree may be offered online
7. Costly and complex technology
Advance planning
Distance learning does not offer immediate
feedback
Distance learning does not give students the
opportunity to work on oral communication
skills.
8. When teaching at a distance, educators must
address a different teaching challenge than
when teaching in a traditional classroom.
9. There are two alternative strategies for
evaluation.
The first is the traditional, positivist-empiricist
approach to evaluation. This represents an
attempt to apply the rules and procedures of
the physical sciences to evaluation.
The second is a more eclectic view of
evaluation that incorporates qualitative and
naturalistic techniques for the evaluation of
distance education.
10. According to Woodley and Kirkwood (1986), six
categories of evaluation information can be
collected about distance education activities:
Measures of activity: These measures are
counts of the numbers of events, people, and
objects. Administrative records often provide
data for activity questions.
11. Measures of efficiency:Measures of efficiency are
closely related to measures of activity, and often
administrative records can be the source of
efficiency information.
Measures of outcomes:Measures of adequate
learning are usually considered the most
important measures of outcomes of distance
education activities.
12. Measures of program aims: Some distance
teaching programs specify their aims in terms
of what and whom they intend to teach, and
evaluation information is collected to establish
the extent to which these aims were met.
Measures of policy :Evaluation in the policy
area often takes the form of market research.
13. Measures of organizations: Sometimes it is
important to evaluate a distance education
institution in terms of its internal organization
and procedures. Evaluators sometimes are
asked to monitor the process of course
development or program delivery to help an
organization be more efficient.
