Defining Distance Learning

Before starting a distance learning course, I considered all online learning distance learning. My definition had a single component, you were either learning locally, in a classroom, or at a distance, online. I had not considered how varied the definition of distance learning could be, and I definitely hadn't thought there was a theory behind it. However, after reading about the history of distance education and reflecting on my own experience, I can now see the subjective nature of my definition. A person's background and experiences, especially with technology, can sway their idea of learning at a distance.

I grew up in the 1980s. Technology was advancing fast, but the internet was only something you used in a school library. However, I started college at the beginning of the .com bubble (1995 – 2000). The web was exploding, home computers were becoming commonplace, and the internet had an actual sound (I will never forget the scream of the dial-up modem.) So my first real exposure to distance learning was a college-level computer programming course. This course required us to connect to the school computers from home, where we would write the program and then upload it to the school servers. I loved this experience so much that I switched my degree from accounting to computer science at the end of that same semester. From then on, I was internet bound and spent 15 years working on web-based software development.

I still love working on developing programs, but my focus has changed from designing software to designing instruction. Therefore, it makes sense that I would take my experience and background with me to a new industry. Similarly, Otto Peters defined his distance learning theory by looking at the changing environment in his time. Peters drew comparisons between the manufacturing industry of the 1960s and the application of emerging technologies in the creation of distance education (Simonson et al., 2019). To Peters, conventional oral teaching was antiquated and did not fit the post-industrial times. Therefore, he focused on the economies of scale and scope that could be gained by utilizing modernization and automation (Evans & Jakupec, 2022). In the late 1980s, Borje Holmberg referenced emerging cognitive, behavioral, and constructivist theories to define his Guided Didactic Conversation theory. Holmberg's approach switched the discussion from technology-centric to human-centric and emphasized the importance of empathic conversation between the learner and the instructor (Simonson et al., 2019). Both Peters and Holmberg drew from the changing world around them to describe theories of distance learning.

With some reflection, it can be easy to see how we are products of our times and the knowledge we gain. For example, my original idea of distance education was limited and reflected only my experience. However, I have learned this week that there is much more to consider. For instance, one shocking revelation was that distance learning is separate from self-paced learning. Although both may be online, distance education is more commonly defined as education through a formal institution (Simonson et al., 2019). In addition, the distance may mean more than a separation geographically; it can also mean a rift in time. Time differences can significantly affect a class's interactive elements (Simonson et al., 2019). In my experience as a distance learner, I've seen where a minor disagreement over a group meeting time can make or break a group experience. Therefore, it is essential to consider geographical distance and time differences when designing a course.

Finally, my definition of distance learning has changed to the dimension of quality. Not all online content is quality content. Unfortunately, most online learners cannot discriminate quality design from poor design (Moller et al., 2008). Before my instructional design courses, I did not realize that an e-learning course differed from a face-to-face course recorded and posted online. Fortunately, instructional design research has demonstrated that distance learning has working models that differ from the traditional classroom. Designers must incorporate multiple interactions, technologies, and strategies to promote generative learning for students learning at a distance (Moller et al., 2008).

As a result of my reading this week, my definition of distance learning has grown to include a formal, well-designed education that is accessible over both time and space. In addition, any future description of distance learning needs to incorporate the changing world around us. For example, the Covid19 pandemic pushed the boundaries of online communications by forcing the mass use of video conferencing. Video interactions have the potential to bring back face-to-face communications that may or may not enhance the e-learning experience.

For example, a 2022 study on distance learning and video conferencing during the Covid19 pandemic found that video technology's perceived ease of use positively affected students' sense of its usefulness in the classroom. However, that same study found that although students perceived video conferencing as useful, they did not perceive it as significantly affecting their learning outcomes (Bailey et al., 2022). This study demonstrates that not all new technologies enhance the distance learning experience. Still, it also reminds us that adopting new technologies can be slow, and there may be more to learn as video conferencing technology develops.

New technologies, ideas, and personal experiences will lend themselves to my growing definition of distance education. However, I already feel enriched by my improved definition. Distance learning is not simply being online. It is also more than recorded lectures and tests of recall. Instead, it is a quality education created by people who recognize developing theories in education and can combine theory with technology to promote a generative learning experience that puts the learner first.

References

Bailey, D. R., Almusharraf, N., & Almasharraf, A. (2022). Video conferencing in the e-learning context: Explaining learning outcomes with the technology acceptance model. Education and Information Technologies, 27, 7679-7698. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-10949-1

Evans, T., & Jakupec, V. (2022). Classic Theories of Distance Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0351-9_7-1

Moller, L., Foshay, W., & Huett, J. (2008). The evolution of distance education: Implications for instructional design on the potential of the web (Part 1: Training and development). TechTrends, 52(3), 70-75.

Simonson, M., Zvacek, S., & Smaldino, S. (2019). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (7th ed.) Information Age Publishing.