Thoughts on Distance Learning Technology

Today, teaching and learning are no longer confined to the classroom or the school day. There are many technologies that can offer a great deal of flexibility in when, where, and how education is distributed. Distance learning applications, especially in higher education, are growing at a rapid pace. It is hard to believe, but it is now possible to obtain a college degree without physically attending a traditional class! I know that Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis offers an online Music Technology degree.

I really didn't know too much about distance learning until I read up on it. I now realize there are many many benefits to distance learning technologies (DLT). First of all, it is very convenient for both the students and instructors. Many of the technologies, (internet, videotape, telephone) are easily accessed at home. Others (desktop video-conferencing) can be distributed from a single point to multiple remote sites. DLT also provides flexibility in that students have the option to participate whenever they want to. They aren't required to do things at a certain time and they don't have a time limit. For example, some students may want to review a video in the early morning while another student may want to do so in the evening, and they have all the time to do so.

There is a wide variety of distance learning technologies. Because of this, it can meet everyone's learning preferences (well, at least part of the time). For example, some students learn from visual stimuli, such as video, and others learn best by interacting with a computer program. If distance learning courses are well designed, they will likely offer learners a wide range of choices, thereby providing the optimal combinations of interaction and media.

I remember during my undergraduate studies when one of my professors was out of town. Rather than hire a substitute or have his TA's teach, we watched a prerecorded video of our instructor on a large projector screen, teaching us the day's lesson. Not only was it an efficient way of delivering to us the materials we needed to know, but it was also very flexible. We could pause the videotape when we needed to or rewind the tape if we wanted to review the lesson again. If any of the students had questions, all we needed to do was send an e-mail to our instructor and he would provide us with feedback. I remember thinking to myself, wow, our teacher had become a "virtual professor!"