What,
if anything, makes distance learning today different from 'open learning'
or traditional correspondence courses?
The differences
between Distance Learning and traditional correspondence courses are profound,
but I think they boil down in the end to support. On correspondence courses
the relationship between the centre and the student is one of academic information
exchange: the centre sends materials, the student studies them and completes
relevant tasks for marking by the centre, which then provides feedback.
In this approach the centre does not need to take an interest in the student
as an individual. The orientation in DL, however, is explicitly educational,
with the focus much more on the student and the student`s development. How
far this interest extends into the student`s development in broad terms
is open to question, but it does promote a much richer learning environment
where it invests time in trying to understand and support the student in
order to offer the best possible educational experience to that student.
Open learning does not have to be at a distance and focuses on different
dimensions of openness (e.g. of access, of progression). DL courses are
often open in many respects, but the focus is on the demands of distance
as well as the possibilities of openness.
What do you see as the characteristics of a successful
distance learner?
I think the ability to work independently, the willingness to seek
out resources on their own, and plenty of motivation. However, in my experience
they come in all shapes and sizes, so to some extent this description is
my own ideal. All sorts of things work - the right combination of characteristics
is probably what matters most, and that varies from person to person.
What difference has technology made to the evolution of distance learning?
Does it depersonalise the learning process or create
new communities of teachers/learners?
Its influence has been profound and a lot depends on the way in which
it`s used. It can depersonalise the process if it`s simply exploited on
a programme in which the focus isn't on the learner. But where it`s integrated
into programmes that are based on interaction with learners and committed
to providing proper support, it can contribute in all sorts of ways to the
development of a rich learning community. It can be very demanding in terms
of time if it`s done properly, though.
How
would you recommend that learners prepare for embarking on a DL course?
Talk
to people who have done courses of this kind, try to read something on studying
at a distance and ask themselves hard questions about motivation, time,
commitment, etc. Try to identify where their strengths and weaknesses might
lie.
In your experience, which types of feedback work
best with DL students?
Quick feedback works best. Beyond that, personalised feedback is important.
I think our audiotaped feedback works well because it is personal and it`s
very much person-to-person in style.
In your opinion, what support systems should be built
into a DL programme to assist students in "staying the course"
and maximising the benefits of the course?
o Regular contact from tutors, updates, etc.
o If possible, group work based on, for example, e-learning (something we're
currently experimenting with in a small way).
o Good quality, encouraging feedback.
How have your own perspectives on learning been changed in recent years
as a result of being at the delivery end of DL courses?
I've come to appreciate the value of technology more (though there are limitations
associated with our situation) and my belief in the importance of support
has been reinforced. I've also become even more convinced of the value of
DL.