Educators: this is a 12-slide presentation with a brief overview of the session on learning at a distance based on the textbook by LearnerAssociates.net (Levine, 2005) presented at the 2015 TEAM Conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba (RZP – May 29, 2015). Her professors were from South Africa, South America, and North America ("South" Africa is missing - my apologies!).

1. 1
Learning at a Distance:
How Does it Work?*
First DE textbook (LearnerAssociates.net): ”Making Distance Education Work:
Understanding Learning and Learners at a Distance” (Edited by: Levine, 2005)
First DE experience (three professors) in 2005: Dr. Joseph Levine (U.S.),
Dr. josé Chotguis (Brazil), and Dr. Stanley Mopfu (Africa).
Images courtesy of ClipArt
Photo courtesy of RZP
*Based on my experience as a DE learner (2005-2013) and educator (2011-2015)
Welcome!
TEAM Conference 2015
Rita Zuba Prokopetz

2. 2
Tentative Agenda:
• Foundation
• Assumption
• Discussion
• Reflective Discussion
• Examples*
• Questions/Comments
*ESL: http://blendedlearning4eslstudents2015.weebly.com/
CAE: http://cae4rrc2015.weebly.com/

3. Foundation
DE: education in which the student
and instructor are physically
separated from each other and use
technology to complete instruction –
eTV, Internet, Skype, etc. (p.12)
Elements of effective DE: command
of the technology and an
understanding of the learner (p.x)
3

4. 4
Discussion:
“Media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction
but do not influence student achievement any
more than the truck that delivers our groceries
causes changes in nutrition… only the content of
the vehicle can influence achievement.” (p. 445)
Clark, R. E. (1983). “Reconsidering research on
learning from media. Review of Educational
Research.”

5. Assumption
5
✓How does DE work?
✓How does learning take place?
✓How do we understand learners at a distance?
Charles Wedemeyer * (mid 1900s) – “Self-initiated Learning” (1911–1999)
Michael Grahame Moore** (1960s) – “Theory of Independent Teaching and Learning”
Albert Bandura *** (1990s) – “Self-efficacy” (1925 – age 90)
*Self-directed learning **Transactional Distance Theory (1983)
Structure DialogueLearner Autonomy
“People will try to do what they think they can do,
and won’t try what they think they can’t do.”***

6. Reflective Discussion
6
✓How does DE work?
-components, course format, length, platform
✓How does learning take place?
-resources, tasks, modules, feedback, media
✓How do we understand learners at a distance?
-empathy*, learning principles, connectivity
*understanding learners from their perspective (Psychology Today) – help increase prosocial (helping) behaviour
https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/empathy retrieved May 6, 2015

7. Discussion
7
✓What is effective DE?
“…effective DE depends on the provision
of pedagogical excellence…”
*Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Lou, Y., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Wozney, L.,
Wallet, P. A., Fiset, M., & Huang, B. (2004). “How does distance education
compare to classroom instruction? A Meta-analysis of the empirical literature.
Review of Educational Research”, 74(3), 379-439.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00346543074003379
(permission to quote granted by the author* - Apr.04, 2015)

8. 8
How Does DE Work? How Do We
Understand the Learner in DE?
By building relationships (p.p.17-24):
Learning relationships
• Learner-instructor relationship
• Learner-learner relationship
• Learner-instructional content relationship
• Learner-technology relationship
Enhance experiences by learning with technology
rather than learning how to use it

9. ✓Online /onsite & online/eTV / F2F
✓Synchronous / asynchronous
✓ESL: http://blendedlearning4eslstudents2015.weebly.com/
✓CAE: http://cae4rrc2015.weebly.com/
✓Massive Open Oline Course*
*2008: Stephen Downes/George Siemens (2,200 learners)
‘Connectivism**/Connected Knowledge’/xMOOC/cMOOC
2012: Sebastian Thrun/Peter Norvig (160,000 learners)
‘Artificial Intelligence’
9
Examples
Source: Short History of MOOCs and Distance Learning
http://moocnewsandreviews.com/a-short-history-of-moocs-and-distance-learning/
Source: Learning Theory Fundamentals
http://www.theoryfundamentals.com/differences.htm

10. Personal Examples of DE
✓Introduction to Education (online) D2L 2015
✓Course Implementation (eTV/online/f2f) D2L 2015
✓ESL – 20-week five-module program (IS) D2L 2014
✓Course Implementation (blended) D2L 2013
✓Weebly* (Flipped class) Web Tool 2013
* Link: http://www.slideshare.net/RitaProkopetz/weebly-to-enhance-language-learning-a-flipped-classroom
10
LMS / Web Tools used to ‘Disrupt Instruction’
*“Social networking raises the capacity of individuals to connect with others/experts/content”
Handbook of Emerging Technologies of Learning (Siemens & Tittenberger, 2009) p.12

11. Some of the many authors cited
• Bandura, A. (1989). Social cognitive theory. In R. Vasta (Ed.), Annals of Child Development, 6. Six theories of child development (pp. 1–
60). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
• Bandura, Albert (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: Freeman. p. 604. ISBN 978-0-7167-2626-5
• Bernard, R. M., Abrami, P. C., Lou, Y., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Wozney, L., Wallet, P. A., Fiset, M., & Huang, B. (2004). “How does
distance education compare to classroom instruction? A Meta-analysis of the empirical literature. Review of Educational Research”,
74(3), 379-439. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/00346543074003379
• Clark, R. E. (1983). “Reconsidering research on learning from media. Review of Educational Research.”
• Levine, S.Joseph et al (2005). Making Distance Education Work: Understanding Learning and Learners at a Distance.
LearnerAssociates.net LLC
• Keegan, D. (1990). Foundations of Distance Education. New York: Routledge.
• http://www.slideshare.net/kshelton/equivalency-theory
• "Marshall McLuhan: The Medium and the Messenger". Philipmarchand.com. Retrieved 2015-04-23.
• Moore, M. G. & Shin, N. (Eds.).(2000). '"Charles Wedemeyer: The Father of Distance Education" in Michael G. Moore and Namin Shin
(Eds.), Speaking Personally about Distance Education: Foundations of Contemporary Practice. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State
University Press.
• Siemens, G. (2006). Knowing knowledge. Vancouver, BC, Canada: Lulu Press
• Siemens, G. & Tittenberger, P. (2009) (http://ltc.umanitoba.ca/blogs/cetl/)
• Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2009). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education,
4th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
• Wedemeyer, C. A., & Childs, G.B. (1961). New Perspectives in University Correspondence Study. Chicago: Center for the Study of Liberal
Education for Adults.
• Wedemeyer, C. A. (1981). Learning at the Back Door: Reflections on Non-Traditional Learning in the Lifespan. Madison, WI: University of
Wisconsin Press.
• Moore, Michael G. 1973).Toward a Theory of Independent Learning and Teaching - http://192.107.92.31/Corsi_2005/bibliografia%20e-
learning/theory.pdf retrieved May 25, 2015
• Malcolm S. Knowles (1950) Informal Adult Education, Chicago: Association Press, pages 9-10.
•
11

12. 12
Thank you!
2015 TEAM
Conference
by RZP
Questions, concerns, comments
"One can choose to be mediocre and live an unfulfilled life or one can
choose to excel and live with a gust of wind within”*
Link to my capstone project: http://rita4webtools.weebly.com/
*May 17, 2013: thoughts that came to my mind while on the bus on my way to work this morning – I had
just completed my graduate program of studies via distance – what a journey!)