Technologies used for distance education can be categorized as either telecommunications technologies that connect instructors and distant learners or classroom technologies that record and display instructional information. Examples include correspondence study using mail, prerecorded audio/video, telephone-based audio, video conferencing, and internet-based tools like webcasts, blogs, and virtual worlds. Proper selection and use of the technology requires matching the learning objectives and experiences to the most appropriate available option.

1. TECHNOLOGIES FOR
DISTANCE EDUCATION
Carolyn Jenkins-Haigler

2. TECHNOLOGIES
• Technology is used to promote communication.
• Communication occurs when two or more
individuals wish to share ideas.
• Communication in distance education occurs
when learners interact with each other and the
instructor.
• Communication and communication for
distance education have two things in common
which are language and culture.

3. A MODEL OF
COMMUNICATION
• In order to communicate, instructional ideas are
encoded into some transmittable form, such as
spoken words, pictures and writing.
• Media is used to communicate to distant learners
and the messages must be decoded.
• Effective communication requires an active
audience.
• The model of communication has been widely
used to describe the interaction between message
designers and audience.

4. A TAXONOMY OF DISTANCE
EDUCATION TECHNOLOGIES
• It is distance education, it is very important that educators think
about how communication will occur and how to apply
experiences that will promote effective and efficient learning.
• Variety of techniques will be needed to provide equivalent
learning experiences for all students:
Correspondence study – simplest and longest- lived form of
distance education (copy machine, postal system).
 Prerecorded Media – next logical step in the development of
distance education technologies, the incorporation of media
other than media into correspondence study system (audio &
video recording system).

5. CONTINUED
Two-way audio- first widely used live, synchronous
form of distance education (telephone system,
telebridge connection)
Two-way audio with graphics an embellishment of
the two-way audio form (display board transmitter
or computer network)
One-way live video referred to as the broadcast
distance education, popularized in the 1950s
(television classroom, video transmission system;
microwave, ITFS, satellite uplinks and downlinks)

6. CONTINUED
 Two-way audio, one-way video (telephone system
with 800 number)
Two-way audio/video it is called the compressed
video often used in conference calls
(telecommunications network: leased telephone line
(T1), fiber-optics network (DS3), microwave network
Desktop two-way audio/video (multimedia
computer: camera, microphone, high-speed network
connection

7. CATEGORIES OF DESKTOP
AUDIO/VIDEO
• Analog systems use telephone wiring in buildings,
commonly called twisted-pair wires.
• High-speed is when the video signal is compressed
using a compression protocol.
• In today’s society we use medium-speed because it is
compressed over the Internet. Its speed is 128,000 or
256,000 bits per second
• Low-speed desktop video includes all systems that
transmit at speeds lower than 56,000 bits per second.

8. CLASSROOM
TECHNOLOGIES FOR
ONLINE INSTRUCTION
• The key to an successful online classroom is not the
technology but how it is used.
• What information is communicated using the technologies
• When selecting appropriate technologies for on-line
instruction students must: assess available instructional
technologies, determine the learning outcomes, identify
learning experiences and match each to the most
appropriate available technology and preparing the learning
experiences for online delivery.

9. INTERNET-BASED
TECHNOLOGY
• There are so many different types of web-based technology. In the
early 2000’s a new generation of web applications. Web 2.0
technologies are:
1. blogging
2. wikis
3. podcasting
4. social bookmarking,
5. social networking
6. virtual words.
• Video and computer based systems are a great form of
technology. Teaching with technology to learners who are not
physically located in the same site where instruction takes place
requires a different set of skills. Technologies are tools that must
be mastered to be effective.

10. SUMMARY
• Technologies used for distance education fall into two
categories; telecommunications technologies that connect
instructors to distant learners and classrooms technologies
that record, present, and display instructional information
• Video- and computer based systems are being used
• Effective utilization of distance education classrooms
requires a new set of skills for most educators and learners.