Access Barriers Experienced by Adults in Distance Education Courses and Programs

2009 ◽  
pp. 444-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Zirkle ◽  
Edward C. Fletcher Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Access Barriers ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Barriers To Access ◽  
History Of ◽  
Education Courses ◽  
Future Landscape

The proliferation of distance education components to courses and entire programs at institutes of higher education have been the focus of discussion within the last decade. Educational constituents have sought to explore the implications of distance education practices on teaching and learning. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the literature on barriers to access, particularly for adult learners, in distance education programs and courses. Prior to discussing access barriers, a brief history of distance education is articulated. Further, strategies that individuals or institutions utilize to overcomethese barriers are presented. Concluding the chapter are trends and issues shaping the future landscape of distance education.

Developing an Effective Online Evaluation System

2011 ◽  
pp. 1079-1084
Author(s):  
Martha Henckell ◽  
Michelle Kilburn ◽  
David Starrett
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Traditional Education ◽  
Quality Education ◽  
Upward Movement ◽  
Academic Administrators ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Education Courses

As with any new program, the chance of failure runs high and distance education, in comparison with the longevity of traditional education, is considered relatively new. Still, distance education appears to be here to stay. In fact, a 2000 market survey found that over 94% of all colleges were either offering or planning to offer distance education courses (Twigg, 2001). With this much interest and popularity, the need for policies to regulate distance education program practices should be recognized by all participating institutions of higher education (Czubaj, 2001). While students appear to be more focused on the conveniences that distance education provides, universities are more attentive to the need for offering a valid learning alternative. Higher education enrollments have shown upward movement and this has, to a degree, been attributed to the adult learners’ interest in, and availability of, distance education (Boettcher, as cited by Worley, 2000). Change in the enrollment demographics and the offering of distance education programs stimulates the need for new decisions by academic administrators for quality and accreditation purposes (Shea, Motiwalla, & Lewis, 2001; Tricker, Rangecroft, Long, & Gilroy, 2001). One of the first steps toward ensuring success of distance education programs is identifying the requirements of all those involved. Student needs are to receive a quality education; faculty needs are to have at their disposal (and to use) the knowledge and means to provide this education; and institution needs are to assess that students receive a quality education and to provide faculty with the resources for student educational needs to be met. One of the problems that could harm distance learning or prevent it from being all that it can be is the lack of a good evaluation system. The focus of this article will be to identify and describe, from the literature, the components of an effective evaluation system. Armed with this information, administrators will be able to make better program decisions.

Doctoral Student Experiences in an Online Degree Program

2013 ◽  
pp. 287-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward C. Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Doctoral Students ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
History Of ◽  
Online Degree ◽  
Educational Delivery

With the proliferation of distance education as a common educational delivery mode in higher education, increased scrutiny and criticism has seriously challenged its merit. Despite the widespread hesitancy to embrace distance education as a legitimate component of the higher educational system, the access it affords to adult learners pursuing graduate education is undeniable. To that end, this chapter briefly discusses the history of distance education; reviews the distance education literature; presents findings from a study exploring the experiences of doctoral students regarding the benefits and challenges of pursuing an online degree; discusses emerging trends for distance education; and concludes with recommendations for administrators, faculty, and students in higher education.

scholarly journals Leveraging IT for Distance Education: An Interdisciplinary Graduate Program on the Internet

10.28945/2362 ◽  
2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep Onay
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Graduate Program ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Teaching And Learning Environment

Distance education through the Internet represents a paradigm shift in higher education. The implementation of an information technology (IT) enabled teaching and learning environment necessitates the redesign of conventional structures. This paper addresses some of the issues involved in the design and delivery of an Internet-based interdisciplinary graduate program in Informatics at Middle East Technical University in Turkey. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the development of a number of guidelines for leveraging the use of IT in distance education programs at universities.

The experience of distance education in system of higher education in Azerbaijan

2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (05) ◽  
pp. 136-139
Author(s):  
Məryəm Rasim qızı Məmmədli ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Distance Education ◽  
Distance Learning ◽  
Education System ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Higher Education Institutions ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sudden Transition

The purpose of this study is to study and analyze the experience of distance education in the higher education system of Azerbaijan. This study is a qualitative study that explores distance learning practices, and document analysis of quality methods has been used. The study identified the history of distance education, the world's first distance education schools, higher education institutions. At the same time, during the pandemic, statistical indicators of the change of the form of education and the transition to distance education and the number of students were determined in connection with the suspension of the teaching and learning process in Azerbaijan. The decisions of the Ministry of Education regarding the introduction of distance learning were commented in the study. During the pandemic, the difficulties encountered in starting distance education were identified. Complex events held in educational institutions were discussed. It reflects how distance education is applied in higher education institutions and a number of measures taken by the Ministry of Education to adapt to this form of education, which is a sudden transition for students and educators. Key words: distance education, higher education, pandemic, education system,educational platforms

The Medium and the Message: Interactive Television and Distance Education Programs for Adult Learners

1996 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia E. Garland ◽  
Ann Loranger
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Interactive Television ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Mature Students ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of New Hampshire ◽  
Education Courses

Distance education programs are expanding to meet the needs of a growing population of adult learners. The interactive television (ITV) classroom, a relatively recent technological innovation made possible with compressed digital video (CDV) transmission, has been found to be an effective teaching tool with mature students. A review of the literature suggests that ITV, although in its infancy, has the potential to overcome the pedagogical difficulties inherent in more traditional distance education technology based on audio alone. The results of a recent study conducted in graduate education courses by the authors at the University of New Hampshire indicate that adult students have generally positive attitudes toward their ITV classes. Essential to the success of distance education programs which use ITV is the training of both professors and students who will be involved in this emerging technology.

scholarly journals The Personalized System of Instruction: Review and Applications to Distance Education

2003 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyle K. Grant ◽  
Robert E. Spencer
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Distance Teaching ◽  
Personalized System Of Instruction ◽  
History Of ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Personalized System ◽  
Based Instruction ◽  
Basic Features ◽  
Key Terms

<P class=abstract>The present paper (a) outlines the basic features of the Personalized System of Instruction (PSI); (b) provides a brief history of PSI; and (c) describes the application of PSI to distance education. Some common misconceptions about PSI are also addressed. PSI is presented as a helpful universally applicable set of instructional practices that are well suited to distance teaching and learning.</P> <P class=abstract><B>Key Terms:</B> Personalized System of Instruction, distance learning, computer-based instruction, mastery-learning, self-pacing, higher-order objectives, scholarship of teaching, proctors, tutoring.</P> <p>

Widening Access to Higher Education – An Australian Case Study

2003 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-212
Author(s):  
Glen Postle ◽  
Andrew Sturman
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
History Of Higher Education ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Diverse Student ◽  
History Of ◽  
Australian Case ◽  
Open And Distance Learning

In this paper the authors trace the development of equity within the Australian higher education context over the latter part of the last century. In particular they focus on the ways different perspectives (liberalist-individualist and social democratic) have shaped what has been a dramatic increase in the number and diversity of students accessing higher education in Australia. The adoption of a specific perspective has influenced the formation of policies concerning equity and consequently the way universities have responded to the pressures to accept more and different students. These responses are captured under two main headings – ‘restructuring the entry into higher education’ and ‘changing the curriculum within higher education’. Several examples of current programs and procedures based upon these are explained. The paper concludes with the identification of three ‘dilemmas' which have emerged as a result of the development and implementation of equity processes and procedures in higher education in Australia. These are: (a) While there has been an increase in the number and range of students accessing higher education, this has been accompanied by a financial cost to the more disadvantaged students, a cost which has the potential to exacerbate equity principles. (b) For one of the first times in the history of higher education, a focus is being placed on its teaching and learning functions, as opposed to its research functions. The problem is that those universities that have been obliged to broaden their base radically have also been obliged to review their teaching and learning practices without any budgetary compensation. (c) A third consequence of these changes relates to the life of a traditional academic. Universities that have been at the forefront of ‘changing their curriculum’ to cope with more diverse student groups (open and distance learning) have seen the loss of ‘lecturer autonomy’ as they work more as members of teams and less as individuals.

Online Education Programs for Adult Learners in Higher Education

2014 ◽  
pp. 250-274
Author(s):  
Victor X. Wang ◽  
Valerie A. Storey
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Adult Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Online Education ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Student Population ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Future Technology ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Technology Trends

To serve a significant portion of the student population, adult learners, in the academy in the 21st century, this chapter argues that online education (e-learning) has the potential to open wider the door to greater access and advancement for learners across their life spans than the traditional four walled classroom. Some of the major issues revolving around online education and adult learners, such as policy, access, completion, and equity, are addressed in this chapter. The purpose of this chapter is to identify future technology trends, and then show how we can rely on practice and research to harness the great yet untapped potential of online education to promote online education programs, especially among adult learners. Policy, access, completion, and equity must be well addressed if online adult education is to be employed effectively and efficiently.

Open Universities Australia

2013 ◽  
pp. 83-98
Author(s):  
Michael Crock ◽  
Janet Baker ◽  
Skye Turner-Walker
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Open Access ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Technological Innovation ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Student Loans ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
History Of ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Future Plans

This chapter analyses the history of, and future directions for, higher education studies undertaken through Open Universities Australia (OUA), Australia’s unique higher education conduit. Founded to provide open access to units that allow individuals to undertake individual units or achieve qualifications from leading Australian universities, and supported by a federal government student loans scheme, OUA’s experience and future plans provide significant insight into the potential and pitfalls of the technological innovation in both higher education distance, and increasingly, on-campus, teaching and learning. The need for an ongoing emphasis on innovation, adaptability, and cooperation in an extraordinarily rapidly changing environment is highlighted.

The Cost of Convenience

2014 ◽  
pp. 308-332
Author(s):  
Jessica Miles
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Academic Success ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Education Courses

Adult education tools have transformed over the years to become very Internet-based. Distance education courses represent one of the fastest-growing sectors within higher education and as an elected form of education for adult learners. Nontraditional students play an important role in the continued growth of this educational modality and are using distance education courses to further their knowledge, skills, and careers. Additionally, this tool is enabling adults who might otherwise be unable to participate in learning opportunities because they are place-bound to have access to a wealth of information and courses available through distance education courses. In regards to adult health, research has identified potential impacts on academic success including sleep quality and external responsibilities, such as work and caretaking. Nontraditional, adult students are increasingly pressured with greater external responsibilities that in turn may affect their sleep quality, creating a sort of chain reaction of potential academic obstacles. Raising awareness of these health issues and impacts is important in setting up adult learners, especially those taking distance education courses, with the greatest opportunities for academic success. This chapter explores distance education.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document