My Involvement with Distance Learning

Because of my position in Academic Affairs, I work with faculty in a variety of ways. Among these are course scheduling, catalog, web content and most lately, distance learning. Our college is offering more online courses each semester, and with these offerings I'm receiving requests for help with information about podcasts, blogs and video. As technology grows and changes, so will the requests for help.

My observations are a blend of personal experience, faculty comments, and student needs.

Distance learning works for many students because it fits their schedules, their learning styles, and their budgets. Far from feeling isolated by this style of learning, most students I've helped feel as though they're part of a group, and enjoy the opportunity to contact instructors, and other people in their classes outside the traditional class time.

Faculty I've worked with comment that although online courses do create more work, they fill a growing need for flexibility in today's educational setting. The rapid advances of technology are giving them new tools with which to teach, and are creating a space where students from a wide range of areas are able to communicate as never before.

The links I've included on this page come from my brief tour of sites devoted to distance learning. They've provided me with reading, video, and tutorials for hours to come, and I hope some of them will interest you.