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Distance Education and its whole success is dependent on technology. If the technology fails than the course fails with it. This is probably the biggest disadvantage of having so much reliability on something that has a high likelihood of having difficulties and therefore interrupting the learning experience due to technical hitches.
The Disadvantages of Distance Education has the ability to affect a lot of different groups, including teachers, institutions, society and students. The focus at the moment will be on the disadvantages students face because of Distance Education.
Students may start to feel isolated due to the fact that they are learning by themselves with no peer support at all. This is a positive if they need peace and quiet to get some study done, however if they do not understand something, sometimes it is good to have someone there that is at the same level as the student so they do not feel dull. (Pearson Education, URL 3).
Also learning by yourself can influence a bout of procrastination. That idea that I will study later, I’ll do that assignment later and never getting it done is something that can definitely happen as there is no teacher guiding the student because they are doing it all on their own. Staying on track without that structured classroom is also a very difficult feat to do when the student is relying on their own motivation to study and learn. (Morehead State University, URL 2)
Focusing on the actual technology being used is in itself a bit of a problem. Firstly, it can be difficult to sometimes reach other classmates or even tutors and lecturers even if a student just needs a question answered. (Pearson Education, URL) Another issue regarding technology is that if students (are) uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the technology (they) will either avoid the course or focus on the technology to the exclusion of the content (URL 1).
The actual quality of the course online does not necessarily depend on who made it, but more on the students system. If some courses have a large number of video and audio material as well as large graphics to download, some students may not have a computer that has a quick enough internet connection to view these materials and therefore would be disadvantaged compared to those that do have a higher connection speed.
Another issue with Distance Education is that there is a loss of direct interaction between teacher and student; this also means there is no feedback between them either. Feedback from a teacher to a student is another way of learning, it is the best way a teacher can show a student what they believe the student’s strengths and weaknesses are and the areas to improve in. A teacher also can receive feedback from a student in there different teaching techniques and which one the class felt they most benefited from.(URL 1).
URL 1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance Learning over Traditional Instruction. Retrieved October 24, 2005, from http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~mcguire/advantages_disadvantages.htm
URL 2. Morehead State University, office of Distance Learning. The Advantages of Internet and World Wibe Web Delivery in Distance Learning. Retrieved October 20, 2005, from http://webct.prenhall.com/public/dist_learn_hand/Student_DL_Handbook.htm
URL 3. Pearson Education. Student Distance Learning Handbook. Retrieved October 24, 2005, from http://webct.prenhall.com/public/dist_learn_hand/Student_DL_Handbook.htm
Stephanie Shield 11:08, 28 Oct 2005 (EST)
