Design Effective Distance Education, Research Paper Example

There are essentially two different approaches that you can adopt for designing distance learning curricula.  These are classified as the behavioural approach, and that of the constructivist approach.  In both approaches, there is a common interest in outcomes.  That is the difference in what they can achieve at the end of the instruction, from that of the start.  The behavioural approach focuses upon a framing the instructional goals in terms of specific, behavioural and observable terms.  It differs from the constructivist approach where the learning results are derived from activities that are meaningful to the learner.  It places emphasis on the specification of learner problems to be addressed. (University of Washington, 2003).

There are essentially five dimensions of learning ” Dimensions of Learning is a comprehensive model that uses what researchers and theorists know about learning to define the learning process. Its premise is that five types of thinking” (McCrel, 2010). These five dimensions have been defined as: 1) Attitudes and Perception 2) Acquire and integrate knowledge 3) Extend and retrieve knowledge  4) Use knowledge meaningfully 5) Productive habits of the mind.  These do not function on an independent basis but harmoniously as shown in Fig 1.

Figure 1 Dimensions of learning

Proper use of citation systems have enable distance learning users to use the awesome depth of the internet library and in many regards this has improved the quality of research ” Some anecdotal evidence (Kaczmarczyk, 2001) suggests students today cheat less in distance learning than with traditional instruction. This may be because new technologies typically first attract smarter and more motivated users with less reason to cheat.” (Rowe, 2004).

Works Cited

McCrel. (2010). What is dimensions of learning. Retrieved 3 30, 2010, from McCrel: http://www.mcrel.org/programs/dimensions/whathow.asp

Rowe, N. C. (2004, 7). Cheating in Online Student Assessment: Beyond Plagiarism . Retrieved 3 30, 2010, from US Naval post graduate school: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer72/rowe72.html

University of Washington. (2003, 6 16). Creating Distance Learning Courses . Retrieved 3 30, 2010, from University of Washington: http://depts.washington.edu/eproject/constructivist.htm