VOLUME 5, NUMBER 1, 1991
Editorial
Towards an American Council
Michael G. Moore
Articles (for abstracts,
click here)
Computer Assisted Language Learning at a Distance: An International Survey
Dominique Abrioux
Empowering the Learner through Computer-Mediated Communication
Lynn E. Davie and Rosalie Wells
Identifying Predictors of High Risk among Community
College Telecourse Students
Brian Dille, and Michael Mezack
Marketing the Telecommunications-Based Adult Continuing
Education Program
Kenneth S. Rudich
Adult Learner Motivations and Electronic Distance
Education
C. Wynn Wilkes and Byron R. Burnham
Technologically Mediated Staff Development: A Retrospective
Case Study
Christine S. Jones and William M. Timpson
Grass Roots
Use of Interactive Television for Outreach Nursing Education
Marilyn B. Major and Donea L. Shane
Interview
Speaking Personally with Betsy Powell
Von Pittman
Software Review
Math Type: A Reasonable Option for Mathematical Equations and Formulas
K. Celeste Campbell
Book Review
Distance Education: A Spectrum of Studies
Edited by B. N. Doul and Janet Jenkins
Tony Bates
Symposium Report
Regulation and Accreditation in Distance Education
Daniel Granger
EDITORIAL
Towards an American Council
Michael G. Moore
The following is part of my report on American distance education given at the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE) Executive Session at the World Conference in Caracas in November last year.
"As has been the case throughout history, distance education in the United States is so heterogeneous that almost any summary is inevitably an oversimplification. The first point to emphasize is exactly that. There is no national system. Indeed there is no system of any kind, but instead a plethora of activity on the part of thousands of organizations, employing every medium from the simplest instructional letters produced by desk-top publishing to the most exotic new combinations of personal and mainframe computer, satellite, microwave, fiber-optic and video-disc; from courses written and taught by individuals with virtually no support, to multi-million dollar integrated text/television/audiotape/computer conference/classroom projects that apply the most sophisticated principles of instructional design.
The second point is that never before has distance education been a topic of such general interest as it is at the present time. It is higher than ever before on the agendas of not only "non-traditional" educators such as those employed in university extension departments including correspondence study, but is a topic that has seen rapid growth in the corporate training departments, the armed forces, university departments, elementary and secondary schools, state and federal administrations and legislatures, and even in that most conservative institution, the college of education.
Among the reasons for this ferment of interest is an anxiety about the quality of American schooling and training combined with a common view that human problems can be solved by advanced technology. In education this view results in a concept of distance education (often, unfortunately, called "distance learning"), that is still little more than adding new telecommunications media to traditionally organized classroom instruction. While administrators, teachers and policy makers turn to increasingly affordable devices such as personal computers, satellite transmitters/receivers, microwave transmitters/receivers, interactive video-discs, audio and audio graphic systems, many have not yet appreciated the consequences for program design, instruction, and organization of using these media. With this still immature conceptualization of distance education, there is still much amateurism in program design and instruction. Only gradually is there growing an awareness of distance education as a revolutionary change in the way programs and courses are designed, of fundamental changes in the role of face-to-face instructors, and the redistribution of educational resources away from conventional schools and other traditional institutions.
The challenges for scholars, researchers and experienced practitioners of distance education include bringing existing knowledge to bear on decision making at every level, from classroom to White House, to work for more cooperation, rationalization and consolidation, and to increase understanding through study and research. To accomplish these goals, high priority must be given to communication among people in the various parts of the field. These are among the objectives of the proposed American Council for Distance Education and Training (ACDET).
A decision, in principle, to form The American Council was taken by approximately 40 representatives of the universities, corporations, armed forces, schools and other government agencies at a meeting in Phoenix, Arizona convened by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in June 1989. In conformity with its policy to encourage the establishment and development of regional councils having linkages to the International Council, ICDE has given a small grant to help in setting up the American Council. ACDET will have both individual members, and a Congress of organizations. It aims to provide a meeting ground for the many disparate elements that make up the fragmented field described above, and to influence the development of policy as well as practice and research in American distance education. It will also facilitate communication not only within the United States, but between the U.S. and overseas, and especially with ICDE members around the world and the Secretariat."
If anyone wants further information about ACDET they should contact either Gary Miller at the University of Maryland, at (301) 985-7811 or Stephen Brown, at (512) 545-2128.
Computer Assisted Language Learning
at a Distance: An International Survey
Dominique Abrioux
The article presents the results from a survey of sixty-five distance education institutions around the world, summarizing the use of computer-assisted language learning in their courses. The article presents and analyzes statistics about the languages taught and the applications used at the institutions. The general categories of applications included are: Computer Assisted Language Learning (remediation drills, tutorials, games, simulations, etc.), Computer Conferencing, and Computer Managed Instruction (marking of assignments or exams, exam item banking, record keeping and tracking, placement testing, etc.). (16 references)
Empowering the Learner Through Computer-Mediated
Communication
Lynn E. Davie and Rosalie Wells
The article discusses features of computer-mediated communication that can support learner empowerment. It focuses on the instructors' role, group interaction, the implications of text-based dialogue, and the presence of a permanent transcript. Finally, the article discusses the pedagogical use of transcripts and suggests possible transcript-based assignments. (20 references)
Identifying Predictors of High Risk
Among Community College Telecourse Students
Brian Dille and Michael Mezack
A descriptive study was conducted at a southwestern community college during the spring of 1989 to relate selected aspects of retention and academic success in the community college telecourse students to locus of control (using the RIELC Scale), learning style (using Kolb's LSI), and selected demographic data. The sample was composed of 151 students enrolled in four lower-division telecourses. Based on the data, the profile of a "high risk" telecourse student is the following: the younger (25 or younger) student, divorced, with fewer than 30 college credit hours completed, with a GPA lower than 3.0-2.9, with a higher-than-average Rotter score (above 7.5), a higher-than-average (25 or above) Concrete Experience score, and a lower-than-average (below 5) AC-CE score. This information can be used by counselors in the advisement process to lower telecourse attrition rates. (7 references)
Marketing the Telecommunications-Based
Adult Continuing Education Program
Kenneth S. Rudich
The article stresses the importance of marketing and customer satisfaction in telecommunications-based adult continuing education programs. Further, the marketing roles of instructors and other stakeholders are discussed, and finally, the article describes a three-stage marketing strategy that comprises a situational analysis of the market, development of a marketing plan, and implementation of the plan. (4 references)
Adult Learner Motivations and Electronic
Distance Education
C. Wynn Wilkes and Byron R. Burnham
The article reports a motivation study of 156 students enrolled in the Utah State University's electronic distance education system (COM-NET). The courses examined were taught via audio coupled with electronic writing boards. Both audio and graphics were transmitted via telephone lines. The independent variables in the study were the motivational orientation of the participants (E.P.S.), demographic data, and course data. The dependent variables were the participants' perceptions of the learning environment in the areas of satisfaction (LEI), material environment, involvement (CUCEI), and extension. The article concludes that there appears to be little practical relationship between motivational orientations and participants' satisfaction. (14 references)
Technologically Mediated Staff Development:
A Retrospective Case Study
Christine S. Jones and William M. Timpson
Colorado State University has utilized telecourses for ongoing, effective, site-based development since 1982. These materials are in modular format with texts; handbook; and individual, thirty-minute pre-recorded videotapes for each lesson (14). While attrition has been high, completers report increases in knowledge, skill, and self-confidence as well as appreciation for the convenience and flexibility. When participants study in groups, they also report increased collegiality. Given the evidence of factors promoting change-adaptation to local conditions, involvement of a significant number of local staff-these telecourses offer some distinct advantages over campus-based instruction. (5 references)
