Distance Education:Higher Education

AndThe Literature

Michael Simonson, Ph.D.Program Professor

Instructional Technology and Distance EducationFischler School of EducationNova Southeastern University

Florida, USAChange Our Thinking

http://www.nova.edu/~simsmich/

Teacher as SkeumorphTeacher as Skeumorph

Staggering Growth of DE

What do we

know?

Best Practices?

Face to FaceInstruction

Distance DeliveredInstruction

TeachingTeaching

Equivalency Theory of Distance Education

“Learners, distant and local, should be provided equivalent (v. equal) learning

experiences in order for them to achieve similar learning outcomes”

Best PracticesBest Practices

• Logical and Intuitive Organization:Chunkning• Multimedia Use to Present Content• High Quality Production Standards• Content-Rich Design• Meaningful, Quick and Meaningful Interaction• Self Pacing Apparent• Continuous Evaluation and Revision

• Logical and Intuitive Organization:Chunkning• Multimedia Use to Present Content• High Quality Production Standards• Content-Rich Design• Meaningful, Quick and Meaningful Interaction• Self Pacing Apparent• Continuous Evaluation and Revision

Rules of ThumbRules of Thumb

For a typical 3-credit course• > 90 to130 hours of student involvement• 10 – 25 students/instructor• Clear organization ~ 45 topics, 15 modules,

and 3 units• Build Communities >5 <10• Grade often and everything• <1 instructor posting to 4 student postings or >

For a typical 3-credit course• > 90 to130 hours of student involvement• 10 – 25 students/instructor• Clear organization ~ 45 topics, 15 modules,

and 3 units• Build Communities >5 <10• Grade often and everything• <1 instructor posting to 4 student postings or >

What do we know?

Important IssuesImportant Issues

QRDE• Theory Driven• Case Studies• Diffusion Processes• Generalizable• Data Supported but

Applied

QRDE• Theory Driven• Case Studies• Diffusion Processes• Generalizable• Data Supported but

Applied

DL• Practitioner Relevant• Clearly Relevant• Case-based• Interesting and

Informative• Visual

DL• Practitioner Relevant• Clearly Relevant• Case-based• Interesting and

Informative• Visual