Types of Distance Learning Education

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

24 Oct 2008 11:18 AM

Distance learning or distance education is sometimes also considered home schooling. And while the two can overlap, they are really two different things. Usually home schooling is considered as instruction at home with a parent or tutor(s) and not associated with a school. With distance education, there is usually an outside instructor (as part of a formal school) that gives lessons, grades assignments and tests and sometimes interacts real time with a student, depending on the type of distance learning education course. This is the teacher mediated option (TMO), although the independent study option (ISO) is also considered distance learning.

Distance learning is popular for adults, as seen by the successful and for-profit Phoenix University. But more and more families are choosing it for their children, too. Usually, distance education involves lots of technology. Some school districts may make this technology, which can include computers, CDs, DVDs, and even Internet connections, available for free to students who are part of distance learning education.

Here is a brief run down of the different types of distance learning, according to Wikipedia:

• Correspondence conducted through regular mail • Internet conducted either synchronously or asynchronously • Telecourse/Broadcast, in which content is delivered via radio or television • CD-ROM, in which the student interacts with computer content stored on a CD-ROM • PocketPC/Mobile Learning where the student accesses course content stored on a mobile device or through a wireless server • Integrated distance learning, the integration of live, in-group instruction or interaction with a distance learning curriculum

What does a typical day look like for a student using distance education? This really depends. There are programs that practice real-time teaching, in which all students connect to a virtual or physical classroom at the same time and go through lessons as they might if they were physically present. Other programs allow students to work at their own pace and their own hours as long as the work is completed.

I practiced distance education to receive a certification in technical writing. As part of the class, I had reading assignments, lesson plans to follow, auditory and video instruction, forum discussions and more. I worked with fellow students all across the country on joint projects. This was for only one course of study made up of multiple classes.

Do you have any experience with distance education? Please leave a comment about your thoughts or experiences.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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surcnc (5) 11 Nov 2008 12:46 PM

Online tutoring companies that provide real-time tutoring by live tutors are becoming increasingly popular these days. Being associated with an online tutoring provider ClickandClimb.com myself, I feel that online tutoring also falls under the broader umbrella of distance education. Such tutoring companies are a mix of the 2 options you suggested- teacher mediated and independent study. While online tutors teach, give tests and worksheets, grade assignments, they still follow the curriculum students follow in their schools and teach at each student's learning pace.

Although students don't get any credits for taking classes at such online tutoring companies, they have access to live help in the form of a virtual tutor. As you pointed out, many school districts are also trying to make such affordable options available to their students by providing technological support.

Samual (11722) 11 Nov 2008 02:47 PM

We have The Open University in the UK, which is an online university where you can take virtually any degree, obviously the majority of the material is online and in textbooks and you do work in your own time. Then a few times a year the groups meet up with lecturers for a few days and carry out work together, experiements too if they are needed for your degree.

Andilei (70) 19 Nov 2008 08:30 AM

Distance learning has always been intriguing to me. While some learners are great at studying and doing things on their own, others are not so good at it. I have taken a few online classes myself and it was not always successful. I am much more comfortable with actually going to a class and having an actual teacher their to help me. Not to mention, with online classes you lose the social interaction with your fellow peers.

Mary Ann Romans (26791) 19 Nov 2008 09:58 AM

I would love to hear from families who are currently practicing distance learning in their homes.

deedee1231 (4030) 19 Nov 2008 10:27 AM

We homeschool our children, and we were looking into different options for our two oldest for this school year. We thought about the CLASS program offered through Christian Liberty Press. It seems like a good program for people who are interested in a school at home program with supervision.

The student mails in their assignments and grades are mailed back. The CLASS option offers report cards and transcripts, and a high school diploma at the end of 12th grade. We didn't use it, because it is so supervised, but I probably would have tried it a few years ago before we became so set in our hs routines. Here is a link http://www.homeschools.org/index.html