The Benefits of Distance Education

The 1980s introduced educators to the benefits of technology in the classroom, and current research reveals how calculators and computers influence the learning process. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) stated: “Students should learn to use the computer as a tool for processing information and performing calculations to investigate and solve problems.”

The National Research Council (NRC) issued a similar response, asserting that “by carrying out much of the computational burden of mathematics homework, calculators and computers enable students to explore a wider variety of examples; to witness the dynamic nature of mathematical processes; to engage realistic applications using… data; and to focus on important concepts rather than routine calculations.”

Following the discovery of technology’s enhancement of the classroom environment, we quickly learned that some educators were not equipped with sufficient instructions to use educational technologies. Although this lack of instruction does not negate the power of technology to enhance learning, it does impede the pace at which technology is implemented on a larger scale. Once teachers and professors realize the positive impact of technology on learning behavior, they become advocates of educational technologies.

As with calculators and computer software in the 1980s, distance learning (education) made strides in the 1990s as a more advanced form of technology. Indeed, distance learning represents a network of technologies that can connect public school systems, colleges and universities, private industries, and governmental facilities, amongst others. As with most new forms of technology, it has so far been slow to impact learning in public school and university classrooms at a level of which it is capable. It has been proved that distance learning can produce the following benefits: greater motivation, higher achievement, and reduced learning time. Other researchers concur, and cite additional benefits.

Surely no educator would argue against a legitimate teaching method that highly motivates students to learn the subject matter, promoting student interaction in the process. To witness students achieve increased mastery of ideas while setting greater expectations for themselves would be the fulfillment of our dreams. I was fortunate enough to enjoy such an experience in my statistics class for non-science majors. Through the use of technology, students who normally had phobias about mathematics found comfort and success. As we explored a broad range of statistical problems, concepts became clearer to them, and learning time was reduced considerably.

Universities themselves can use distance education as a recruitment tool. Generally speaking, some universities witness a large fluctuation in the number of students who enter certain disciplines, such as physics and geology. To boost enrolment in such areas, distance learning may become another tool to be used creatively in advertisement. At all institutions, recruitment should begin on the elementary level, because students need to be exposed to career opportunities at a young age, as they need to know that their educators are concerned about their well-being.

So how do we use distance education to capture their attention and interest? We establish distance education sites at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Through these sites, we offer them activities leading to a career in their chosen field. Assuming that students continue to live in the same school district throughout high school, they can easily be tracked by distance education, increasing the probability that at the end of their senior year, the student will matriculate at the university. Even though a web page can introduce a university and its programs, there is something special about the personal contacts.

Universities can also implement in-service programs for teachers who find traveling to a classroom impossible. I recall visiting an eighth-grade teacher and her students located in a rural area in the state of Virginia, where I introduced technology as a tool for aiding students to learn algebra more efficiently. I traveled a great distance for several weeks. Distance education would have been the ideal tool for bringing instructions to a remote place.

What factors may hinder distance education? Lack of vision and money are two major factors. Just as many teachers at one time lacked experience and training with calculators and computer software, too many administrators lack the experience, knowledge, and thus the vision to conceive the improvements that distance learning can bring to the classroom or business. Attending workshops and seminars is an appropriate means of learning about distance education. Although equipment can be expensive, prices will decline as such technology becomes more popular. Approximately two years ago, the cost of establishing a site was approximately $44,000; to this, institutions and administrators must remember to add the cost of personnel.

With cameras available for PCs, distance education is expected to flourish into the new Millennium, becoming as prevalent as the cellular phone or as an internet address. Imagine students collaborating with each other, sharing research ideas or forming a study group for a calculus exam. Through the technology of distance learning, third world countries can be brought to modernization, so as to become productive and inventive. Distance education is a must!

Author
R. Winbush
Virginia Union University

Science / Engineering courses / colleges