Role of health-promoting behaviours for on-campus and distance education students

University students are likely to experience high rates of stress, which has the potential to negatively affect academic performance and their experience of study. Research with on-campus students has found positive benefits of health-promoting behaviours such as stress reduction and academic achievement; yet no research has examined these relationships with distance education students (and in comparison with on-campus students). Distance education students are a growing cohort in Australia higher education and elsewhere. This paper aims to redress this imbalance by comparing the relationships between stress, strain and coping, academic outcomes, and health-promoting behaviours in tertiary students (on-campus and distance education students). The study involved 242 on-campus and 399 distance education students at a regional Australian university. A path model was developed comparing both cohorts, and relationships were found to be similar, indicating no significant difference. Online interventions for distance education students which could be used to enhance coping are discussed.     

高职教育与远程开放教育互动机制初探

高职教育与远程开放教育的特点与共性决定了远程开放教育与高职教育互动机制建立的必要性。高职教育和现代远程开放教育的发展已经具有互动结合的良好基础。只要在办学理念整合,建立教学资源共享体系,补充开发适用高职学生的电大在线网络平台,创立学分银行等方面实施系统化管理,做到高职教育与远程开放教育优势互补,形成一套新的独特的互动管理机制,这在全国的高职教育系统,都将是一个创新,是一个亮点。     

Distance education for aboriginal communities in Canada: Past experience and future potential

Abstract

Past experience with an industrial, classroom‐based educational model for aboriginal students has revealed severe limitations that have resulted in secondary graduation levels far below those of the Canadian population in general. Distance education has the potential to redress many of the traditional model's inherent weaknesses, including the reduction of problems associated with cultural assimilation. Distance education also has the potential to enhance the multimedia resources of band‐controlled schools, schools that have shown good promise in raising retention and attainment rates. This article reviews the current situation pertaining to education in Canadian aboriginal communities, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of two distance education programs for aboriginals, and concludes with key guidelines for future distance education endeavors.     

Examining distance education in Turkey

This article describes the distance education program at Anadolu University in Turkey and compares its problems and solutions with similar distance education programs in other Asian countries. A brief history is presented, enrollment figures are given and future directions are described. Conclusions suggest that open education is accomplishing the goals of the country's 1981 reforms and can continue to be helpful in the country's quest for modernization.     

论远程教育的起源与发展

本文认为 ,远程教育模式的产生和发展 ,是随着社会发展而发展 ,是同社会发展规律和受教育者自身发展有着本质的联系并受其发展规律所制约。至今 ,远程教育发展走过了古代、近代、现代三个不同历史时期 ,经历了五代、五种发展模式 ,并不断向前发展着。它就像冉冉上升的“朝阳” ,将成为未来人类教育彻底变革的主要教育模式     

Idiographic roles of cooperating teachers as mentors in pre-service distance teacher education

This study aims to define the roles of cooperating teachers as mentors in the context of distance-learning teacher education. The participants included 358 cooperating teachers who mentored 4th-year student teachers in a Distance English Language Teacher Training Program in Turkey. To determine the roles that were perceived as mentoring roles by the cooperating teachers in the distance practicum, an inventory of 10 primary mentoring functions was constructed. These functions included five primary mentoring roles: ‘self-trainer’, ‘networker, ‘social supporter’, ‘academic supporter’, and ‘psychological supporter’. The results will contribute to an increased understanding of how cooperating teachers perceive their mentoring roles during distance practicums.     

Critical Issues in Distance Education: A report from the United States

Distance education has grown rapidly in the United States in recent years. Both private‐ and public‐sector organizations have embraced the practice of reaching their clients, employees, and students at a distance via new technologies afforded them by the telecommunication and computer nexus. Distance education is grounded on technology, and its practice would be difficult, if not impossible, without it. However, reducing the idea to its technological foundations, and losing sight of its social science base has led to a conceptual confusion in the field. This article will illustrate the growth of distance education in the United States, describe the social science paradigm of distance education, demonstrate the empirical evidence of this paradigm, and analyze its ramifications for the field in general, as well as for students, educational organizations, and instructors.     

国外远程教育中的合作学习初探

合作学习是开放大学的主要特征之一,存在于远程教育的方方面面。笔者在研究印度、英国、法国、美国、瑞典、土耳其等国远程教育现状的基础上,对国外远程教育的相关理论、合作学习的必要性、合作学习内容和形式、成功合作学习所需的条件及当前存在的主要问题等方面进行了文献梳理与比较分析,希望能为我国远程开放教育合作学习的进一步开展提供一些参考。     

Studying computer programming externally: Who succeeds?

Learning computer programming is difficult for many students. Distance education students in particular often have problems as the difficulty of the course content is compounded by the problems of isolation from other students and their tutor. This paper reports an investigation of distance education student performance in an introductory computer programming course. The aim of the study was to develop a better understanding of the factors associated with academic success, withdrawal or failure and to attempt to identify students at risk of non‐completion. Some implications for teaching computer programming externally are discussed.     

远程教育与学校教育的互补发展

由现代教育技术带来的远程教育导致了教育的革命，引起了教学模式、教学方法的改革，使学生的学习方式、教师的角色定位等发生了一系列变化，推动了教育的前进；与此同时，远程教育也存在缺乏人文关怀、质量不高等问题。只有将传统学校教育与远程教育相结合，取长补短，才能更好地推动现代教育的发展。     

Some trends in distance education in Africa: An examination of the past and future role of distance education as a tool for national development

Distance education figures prominently among strategies recently proposed to assist African countries escape from educational crisis. Africa has already made considerable use of distance education to extend access to formal education, although most public institutions have often been severely constrained by lack of finance and manpower. Case studies of Zambia, Kenya and Zimbabwe suggest that critical factors for the effectiveness of distance education are the provision of adequate resources and firm political backing. It is probable that distance education will continue to be used to strengthen formal education by training primary teachers, extending access to secondary education and by providing tertiary education although, so far, few African countries have attempted degree level studies at a distance. In order for all these programmes to be effective, more resources must be forthcoming and integration of distance education with the formal system is desirable. Otherwise distance education may remain at the periphery, its potential under‐used.     

Critical thinking in distance education: Developing critical communities in an audio teleconference context

Distance education has long been associated with independent study and delivery of prepackaged learning materials. These characteristics effectively deny distance education students the opportunity to participate in communities of inquiry and, perhaps, opportunities to develop their critical thinking skills. This paper reviews the theoretical impact of socially situated learning, critical thinking and their implications for distance education. It then presents the results from a study of learners' perception while enrolled in two different models of audio teleconferenced, university courses. The study reports quantitative results from a mail survey of these students and the qualitative results from interviews and classroom observations. The impact of the instructional design used by the delivering institution resulted in two distinct models of audio teleconference delivery with significant qualitative and quantitative differences in student perception. The paper concludes that learning communities, which support the development of critical thinking skills, can be created at a distance and that they provide a mechanism for improving the quality of higher level distance education.     

Distance Learning: The U.S. Version

Distance learning in higher education has developed differently in the United States from the way it developed many other countries. Driven by the developments in technology and fueled by partnerships with industry, distance education in the U.S. is charting unmapped waters. For over a century, universities have relied on students coming to them. Now they find that they must go to the students. This article examines some of the history, technology, research, and trends in distance education and raises key questions. What part does the profit motive play in the corporatization of education? How can traditional universities adjust to meet the needs of a changing population, and who will be the gatekeepers? The opportunity is here to improve on existing educational institutions and add flexibility to the monolithic institutions of traditional universities. Distance educators will need to be vigilant to ensure that the strengths of sound pedagogy are not lost in the race to embrace new technologies.     

贵州省远程教育的发展初探

远程教育是知识经济信息社会背景下,基于计算机网络技术发展而产生的不同于传统教学模式的新型教学模式,远程教育为人们寻求继续教育、终身教育提供了一个更为便捷、有效的途径。介绍了远程教育的概念以及发展远程教育的重要意义,探讨了远程教育发展过程中存在的问题,并提出如何又好又快地发展远程教育的建议。     

Transactional distance and interactive television in the distance education of health professionals

Abstract

Distance education, in which learners are remote from the primary educational institution and the teacher, is increasingly delivered via interactive television technology. Moore (1980) described transactional distance between students and faculty in distance education as characterized by dialogue and structure. He hypothesized that high structure and low dialogue yield “remote” transactional distance and low structure and high dialogue yield “close” transactional distance. The variables in the current study were operationally defined following Moore (1973, 665): “A learner's ‘distance’ from his teacher [transactional distance] … is defined as a function of individualization [structure] and dialogue.” Student volunteers (n = 221) in thirteen public health and nursing graduate courses at the University of Hawaii at Manoa responded to an investigator‐developed questionnaire regarding elements of dialogue, structure, and transactional distance in their courses. Principal components and internal consistency reliability analyses verified the presence of three factors: structure, dialogue, and transactional distance. Dialogue was greater in the distance‐format courses than in the traditional‐format courses. Distance‐format courses did not differ from traditional courses on amount of structure or transactional distance.     

Gender issues in teaching information technology courses by distance education

This paper looks at reasons why women are still under‐represented in tertiary level technological education after 20 years of discussion, and argues that it is important for society to look at ways of not only improving educational access to women but also providing equal benefit once enrolled. Distance education is often seen as a solution to access problems but the particular needs of women in distance education must be considered. Financial, attitudinal and skills barriers may need to be overcome if there is a pre‐enrolment requirement of quality access to computing equipment. Ways of improving both participation and persistence of women in information technology courses are discussed.     

Distance education in the Turkish secondary education system

Conclusion The OHS, although newly established, has created great interest among all the media. It is evident that this interest will continue to increase. This means that the OHS filled a very important niche in the educational structure. It is believed that most of the problems faced at the OHS will be solved in a very short time, and new ways are continually being sought. But at the moment it is necessary to remember that high quality should be maintained, instead of focusing on quantity. This motive prescribes that educational technologies should be transferred to the educational system. To accomplish this, ways should be found to increase the finances of the OHS, and governmental support should be increased to improve the technical quality. In addition, it is necessary to change the regulation of the OHS as a project of the FRTED to allow the OHS to function independently. The resulting organizational structure should be evaluated effectively. Also, it is necessary to improve the structural effectiveness of local representatives of the OHS for authorization and duties. At the same time, it is essential to use the local high schools to provide face-to-face education for distance education students. If the critics are correct, the OHS will be an original secondary-school-level distance education institute and can be a good example for other countries.     

Reflective learning in distance education

This article addresses one of three major challenges which it is argued, currently face distance education, namely its claimed over-reliance on behaviourist approaches to teaching and learning. In particular, the derivation of principles of course design which can be applied irrespective of difference of context, content and learners, has not proved to be a realistic and effective way forward. Fortunately, the practice of distance education has not been limited to applied behaviourism only, and has included approaches which draw upon social constructivist and cognitive approaches to learning. These have worked well in combination with regular feedback to students in programmes at undergraduate level at the UK Open University (UKOU). Other conceptualisations of learning have also begun to make an impact, notably the experiential and the relational. The former emphasises reflection on direct experience and the transformation of existing knowledge. The latter reveals the shaping influence of students conceptions in these areas. Distance education already has many examples of activities and projects which require students to process existing and new experience in relation to course concepts and goals. A number of courses at the UKOU are also encouraging students to review their own learning approaches and to be proactive about their study methods. A case study of two courses is introduced, as an example of teaching approaches which foster reflection on experience, integrated with conceptual learning, and reflection by the learner on their own learning process in parallel with the study of course content. Evidence is provided from evaluation of the extent to which these learning process oriented course materials, have affected the learned outcomes students identify for themeselves. The integration of a reflective component into assessment of the course has been especially effective. Students report changes most frequently at the level of general awareness of purpose of study and learning transfer, rather than in the area of detailed study skills.     

Financial aid and student persistence in online education in the United States

Distance education has historically had lower completion rates. Several models of persistence, for on-campus students, indicate that students’ financial status affects their decision to persist. This study involved providing distance education students’ financial aid in the form of institutional scholarships (N = 545) at Penn State University in the United States. The recipients were students who were not overachievers and not at-risk of failing, but somewhere in the middle. The purpose of the study was to test if receiving financial aid was related to students’ persistence. Using logistic regression and Chi-square analysis, this study found that scholarship-receiving students with higher financial need were two times more likely to persist in their studies than those with lower financial need. Results suggest that there is a positive relationship between providing even small financial aid to students with high-financial need and their persistence in their studies.     

Student perceptions of support services and the influence of targeted interventions on retention in distance education

To improve student retention in distance education, Simpson suggested in 2003 that institutions analyse their own retention characteristics and ‘spot the leaks.’ In 2008 the Centre for Distance Learning at Laidlaw College, New Zealand, employed two part‐time academic support coordinators in an effort to improve student retention and success. This study compares the retention statistics for first‐time student outcomes across two semesters, one without and one with specific course retention interventions. Results are benchmarked across national data. Interviews with students who were retained revealed that students frequently attribute their success to their own efforts. Student support services in distance education might therefore be perceived by its beneficiaries as a ‘hygiene’ factor (Herzberg, 1968, 2008) in that their presence is not generally appreciated by students. However, their absence is noticed. The similarity of this finding with Shin’s institutional transactional presence (2002, 2003) is also explored.