|
A new learning environment The concept of Internet-enhanced instruction referred to in this paper is not synonymous with Internet-based distance learning, although the two have much in common. The latter has evolved from a model of traditional distance education that has been around in various forms for many years, usually as correspondence study through postal mail. Some distance educators have adopted newer technologies such as audiotape, videotape, and closed-circuit or broadcast television. Learner convenience has been the primary driving force for distance education, while student isolation is often cited as the major shortcoming (Eastman, 1995). The Internet, with its ability to minimize the barriers of time and space, has become the new medium of choice for distance learning. Electronic mail, or e-mail, is both faster and less expensive than what enthusiasts refer to as "snail mail." The dramatic rise in power and drop in cost of today's computers is making the Internet accessible to growing numbers of students and educational institutions. By the year 2001, according to one projection, more than 75% of traditional US colleges and universities will be using distance-learning technologies (Zastrocky, 1997). For those not interested or ready to make the leap to distance education, many of the same Internet strategies can be integrated into existing campus-based courses. In fact, using today's technologies, it is more accurate to describe distance instruction and face-to-face instruction as the ends of a continuum rather than as mutually exclusive practices. Anyone planning a distance education course has to decide whether to incorporate real-time (synchronous) events or whether to use only non-real-time (asynchronous) activities. Synchronous events imitate or extend live classroom sessions using technologies such as videoconferencing and Web-based conferencing. Asynchronous activities do not require the students and instructor to participate either at the same location or at the same time. Examples of tools that can support asynchronous instruction include e-mail, discussion lists, bulletin board systems, and newsgroups. Because of tight budgets, lack of training, and staff resistance, many educational institutions are not yet in a position to support a wholesale transition to the new technologies. Therefore, it makes sense for each instructor to determine what level of Internet integration he or she is comfortable with. Moving too quickly can lead to frustration for both instructors and students. Waiting too long can mean lost opportunities for expanding or even maintaining the institution's customer base.
Next: |