DELIVERING DISTANCE EDUCATION BWR108

Want to teach People How to Learn through Home Studies?



Learn to deliver education through distance education modes, including paper based correspondence courses, on line training, video courses, telephone conferencing and e-learning.

Learn to Teach People by Distance Education

Different people learn better in different ways; according to their psychological make up. There are various theories that attempt to explain or model alternative learning styles.  A person's learning style is their natural pattern of acquiring and processing information.  Individuals are all different in how they learn, so the idea that each individual had their own learning style was developed in the 1970. This greatly influenced how distance or any other education should be delivered. 

Supporters of the learning styles models argue that educators should assess the learning style of their students and adapt their classroom methods to suit each student’s learning style.

Neil Fleming’s VARK/VAK model is one of the most common categorisations of learning styles. It was developed from earlier neurolinguistic programming models.  Fleming argued that learners have a preference for the way they learn. He discovered that learners can be divided into Visual, auditory and tactile/ kinaesthetic learners. 

  • Visual learners prefer to see, so they think in pictures and prefer diagrams, hand outs, slides, overhead projections, any form of visual aid. 
  • Auditory learners prefer to learn through listening, such as listening to podcasts, online discussions, cds, audio eBooks, lecture notes etc.  
  • Reading/writing learners – take notes, read books, summarise with writing. 

Tactile/Kinaesthetic learners prefer to learn through the experience of touching, doing, moving things. So they may prefer science projects and experiments for example. 

Considering learning styles can help teachers to prepare and deliver courses that the different learning styles are catered for.

 

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS

There are nine lessons in this module as follows:

  1. Scope and Nature of Distance Education
    • Trends in Education
    • Changes in the World and their Impact on Distance Education
    • Growth in Distance Education Industry
    • Advantages and Disadvantages of Distance Education
    • Forms of Distance Education
    • Traditional Distance Education (paper-based education)
    • Mentor guided projects or research
    • Video or audio courses
    • Real Time Conferencing
    • Online
    • E Learning
    • Blended learning
    • What Style of Study Works Best
    • Adapting Teacher-Learning Models to Distance Education
    • Exposition Model
    • Behavioural Model
    • Cognitive Development Model
    • Interaction Model
    • Transaction Model
    • Comparing Online Education with Traditional Distance Education
  2. Getting the Student Started
    • Profiling Students who are New to Distance Education
    • Making the Transition
    • Getting Past the First Lesson
    • How to Do Assignments
    • Time Management
    • Writing Style
    • Completing Assignments
  3. Supporting Students
    • Introduction to Nature and Benefits of Support Services in Distance Education
    • Types of Support Services
    • Guidelines for Counselling New or Prospective Students
    • Guidelines for Completing Assignments
    • Help with Research
    • Student Feedback
  4. Real Time Support
    • Introduction
    • Dealing with Practical Work
    • Telephone Conference
    • Online Chat
    • Video Conferencing
    • Mentoring
    • Workshops and Attended Events
    • Conducting Structured Exercises in Small Groups
    • Listening Skills
    • Empathic Listening
    • Conflict
  5. Managing Resources
    • Scope of Resources
    • Cost of Resourcing
    • Considering Resourcing Options
    • PBL Project to manage resources for a specified distance education course.
  6. Assessment
    • Introduction
    • Various Approaches to Assessment
    • Grading
    • Types of Assessment for Distance Education
    • Submitting and Processing Assignments
    • Marking Exams
    • Exam Procedures and Processes
    • Plagiarism
    • Practical Examination
  7. Student Administration
    • Introduction
    • Advice for Prospective Students
    • Enrolment Procedures
    • Student Records
    • Managing Feedback and Course Improvement
  8. Communication Skills
    • Introduction
    • Interpersonal Communication Skills for Distance Education
    • Classroom Education does not Suit Everyone
    • Understanding What Impairs a Student's Focus
  9. Supporting Graduates
    • Cost Vs. Benefit
    • Alumni
    • Direct Support
    • Assistance with C.V.'s
    • Networking Services
    • Career Advice
    • Ongoing Use of Student Services
    • News Bulletins

 

Duration: 100 hours

 

Aims

  • Identify differences between various modes of distance education and other forms of education.
  • Determine appropriate methods for communicating with, and motivating action from, new distance education students.
  • Provide effective support services to students undertaking distance education studies.
  • Explain the ways that teachers and students can work together by using effective listening skills, problem solving techniques, empathy and other interactive strategies to maintain effective and meaningful relationships in the learning process.
  • Manage physical and human resources within a distance education program to achieve appropriate benefit for cost expended.
  • Conduct effective assessment of distance education students.
  • Conduct effective administration of distance education students.
  • Improve students' and teachers' ability to communicate effectively in a distance education environment.
  • Provide support for graduates upon or following completion of a distance education course.

 

ARE YOU THINKING "YES, I WANT THIS!"

Get started today and make a difference.

Simply click on the ENROL NOW icon at the top of this page