Distance education changed my life (and it can change yours too!)

A Little Bit of Backstory

    As I started my post-secondary education, I was under the impression that I needed to have in-person teaching and lecturing to be the most successful student. After all, I had just graduated from 12 years of previous in-person learning from public school. It made sense. As I progressed through my educational journey, I found myself struggling more and more in in-person classes. I found that if a subject was not interesting to me, I would be present, but my mind would wander and before I knew it, the class or lecture was over. This caused me to be ineligible for my chosen program and I had two choices: change my major or transfer to another institution. 

     I took a chance, chose the latter, and am so happy that I did. Although I was a little nervous about transferring, after meeting with my advisor, I was completely at ease. My advisor informed me that a majority of the program was online (which meant I didn't have to travel) and that I was only missing 2 electives from being admitted into the education program.    

Considering the Possibilities

After graduating and beginning the second year of my career, I considered other possibilities about furthering my education. I have always been a passionate proponent of technology use in the classroom. Luckily, a local university was offering a Masters degree in Education AND Technology Integration (with a discount for in-service teachers too!) It was a deal too good to pass up. 

    I joined the program (which was online) and flourished with my learning. I  was reassured more and more that distance education was MY learning style. 




Distance Education as a Vehicle

    In chapter 3 of Teaching and Learning at a Distance: Foundations of Distance Education, the author mentions that the following quote is used often throughout the text, "the best current evidence is that media are mere vehicles that deliver instruction but do not influence student achievement any more than the truck that delivers our groceries causes changes in nutrition…only the content of the vehicle can influence achievement.” (Clark, 2012) In my opinion, this quote verifies what I’ve already known, student success in distance education is dependent on two factors: student drive and the quality of materials given.

According to The Effect of Distance Education on Self-efficacy towards Online Technologies and Motivation for Online Learning, “learning motivation can be defined as a comprehensive incentive for students to perform behaviors and learning activities to achieve desired goals. Motivation plays a key role in developing and maintaining a sense of community in addition to ensuring learning and achievement in online contexts. It has also been found that students' behavior is related to their motivation in online learning environments,” (Özüdogru, 2022). This sentiment is most notable in distance education because it requires students to use both of these traits to the fullest extent. Although there is an instructor grading assignments, giving instruction, and “checking in” with students, the burden of completing the course and communicating any needs while enrolled in the course relies heavily on the student.

This way of thinking was made clear to me when I began taking a majority of online classes for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. I found that no one was standing over my shoulder to make me complete an assignment or turn it in, but saw that it was solely my responsibility to make sure that all class and assignment requirements were met and that instructional items were turned in on time.

Consider this thought for a moment, if a student has all the perseverance in the world, but the materials being used were outdated or not in the best condition, has the student gained any knowledge to move forward? When contemplating the counter scenario, the student has access to the best and highest quality materials available, but does not have the motivation to pursue the educational endeavor, has the student gained any knowledge or experience?

 According to chapter 12 of Distance Education for Teacher Training: Modes, Models, and Methods, quality digital materials have the following characteristics: flexibility, interactivity, customizability, availability in multiple formats, accessibility, connected learning, and price. All of these traits help to engage the student and maintain their motivation because it makes the information more accessible. 

When distance education courses have both qualities of student drive and the quality of materials, they come together to benefit the student and garner the most positive outcomes.



Resources: 

Burns, M. (2023). Distance Education for Teacher Training: Modes, Models and Methods. (2nd Edition). Washington, DC: Education Development Center.


Özüdogru, G. (2022). The Effect of Distance Education on Self-Efficacy towards Online Technologies and Motivation for Online Learning. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age, 7(1), 108–115.


Simonson, M. R., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of Distance Education. Information Age Publishing, Inc. 

Comments

  1. JustAPostTechJune 10, 2024 at 7:57 PM

    Hi Jennifer, I believe there is a direct correlation between success in distance education and student motivation. Motivation is a driving force behind my ability to effectively organize my time and stay on top of my coursework. Zhou et al. (2023) state how motivation significantly impacts learning outcomes, particularly for students in distance learning. The significance of motivation cannot be overstated, as it helps students persevere and continue their efforts. Students must have the correct level of readiness to succeed in distance education ( Simson and et. al, 2024).

    Tomeka Jones

    Simonson, M. R., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (8th ed.). Information Age Publishing, Inc.

    Zhou, Z., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation in Distance Education: A Self-Determination Perspective. American Journal of Distance Education, 38(1), 51–64.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kevin Wolfe-HughesJune 11, 2024 at 7:58 AM

    Motivation is undoubtedly a huge factor in student success in face-to-face and distance education. Simonson and Zvacek (2024) offer several suggestions for increasing student motivation in distance education. They suggest creating opportunities to interact with peers to build social connections. Increasing the relevancy of course activities by connecting course assignments to current events, events that interest students, or the student's professional goals are other ways of increasing motivation. Incorporating activities where students can see the teacher and each other via video can also influence motivation through feelings of connectedness.
    Motivation has been shown to positively affect student interactions, with the greatest impact observed on student-teacher interaction (Çebi, 2023). Another mitigating factor in motivation is the students’ e-learning readiness, which refers to their preparedness and comfort with online learning environments. Çebi (2023) suggests incorporating a training module within the course management system to help students “determine their current e-learning readiness and improve their e-learning readiness” (p. 2957). This could involve self-assessment quizzes, tutorials on using online learning tools, or resources for time management and self-regulation. Increasing the skill set students need to be successful in distance learning increases their motivation, which can lead to improved learning experiences.

    References

    Çebi, A. (2023). How e-learning readiness and motivation affect student interactions in distance learning? Education and Information Technologies, 28(3), 2941-2960.

    Simonson, M. R., & Zvacek, S. (2024). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (8th ed.). Information Age Publishing, Inc.

    ReplyDelete

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