Distance Learning (electronic classes)

Distance Learning

Technology has proved to be one of the greatest influences in people 's lives today . It has made communication , travel , and even everyday tasks simpler but more improved . The ease it brings to people 's lives made it the reason they rely on it so much . Almost everyone has mobile telephones and music players nowadays and there are those who cannot leave their houses without them . Technology has also made it possible for television shows to be recorded and played back so that people can watch anytime they like p

The importance of technology is undeniable and can be seen especially in the workplace setting . Companies rely on the Internet to obtain information , communicate with each other , and improve their systems Even academic institutions use the Internet for promoting their campuses and communication among students and professors . The most useful advancement and contribution of technology in the academic setting however , is Internet-based learning or distance learning

Distance education involves a student body who never see each other or the instructor , who communicate via e-mail , phone , or chat , and who hand in assignments via e-mail or via posting to a common work group area (Howard , Schenk Discenza , 2003 ,

.178 . It differs from traditional learning because students and their instructors do not meet in a physical classroom and everything is done digitally through the Internet or phone . Although this is the ideal way of doing distance learning there are still universities who make their students to go to the campus to take exams or submit certain requirements . Statistics for distance learning education indicates that one-third of all postsecondary schools offer distance learning courses eight percent of postsecondary schools offer college-level degree or certificate programs completely through distance learning and the top three technologies used to deliver courses involved Internet-based , two-way interactive video , and one way pre-recorded video (Education Center Online , n .d

Distance learning has several types including audio-based , video-based and Internet-based . The audio component of a distance-learning course can be as simple as a telephone call , or it can be as complex as an audioconference with microphones , telephone bridges , and speakers (Barron , Orwig , Ivers Lilavois , 2003 ,

.183 . It can either be one-way or two-way depending on the school or instructor . Audio-based courses are beneficial , especially those that are pre-recorded , because students will be able to listen to it whenever or wherever they are and can be repeated in case they want to listen to it again to verify information . Even though distance learning do not require students and teachers to meet physically , video-based courses , which can either be pre-recorded or live two-way interaction , are still offered . Although correspondence courses have played a larger overall role , instruction delivered through video has been a mainstay in distance learning since the early days of the black and white educational film (cited in Moore Anderson , 2003 ,

.315 . Web-based courses can be considered the most popular among the three because an Internet connection is the most essential requirement for students to obtain...