Asynchronous Distance Educationand the

World Wide Web

Why Online Distance Ed?

• Improved access to I_______–9,300 ISPs in 120 countries–30M+ regular Internet users in U.S.–Additional 55M considering Internet–70M Internet users worldwide

• Changing __________–More than 40% are “nontraditional”–High level of readiness for online educ

Why Online Distance Ed?

• Increased _____ of higher education–Costs doubled in past 15 years–With online ed, students maintain full-time

____ ___ ____ __ ____.–Over 1M DE students in 1997, number

expected to triple by 2000

Why Online Distance Ed?

• Need for constant r_________–By 2000, 95 of all workers will use

information technology in their jobs–Every employee will need training equiv

to 30 credit hours every 7 years–Corporate training moving toward the

Internet

What is the Internet?

• Not a single entity• Network of networks• Communicate through ___-__ protocol• Overall coordination by....

–Boards and task forces established under international agreements

–Internet Society has oversight

Structure of the Internet

• National Access Points (NAPs)• National Backbones

–CompuServe, IBM, MCI, Sprint, etc.

• Regional Networks• I________ S_______ P_______• Consumer and Business Market

Source: Rickard (1997)

How Does Message Get There?

Internet Protocol (IP) Address....How to read --

129.186.42.250

Iowa State My computer

MacKay Hall

Reading an Internet Address

Domain Name System (DNS)

mikealbr@iastate.edu

User ID Domain

Host Top-Level Domain

Top Level Domains

com Commercial

edu Education

net Network

gov Government

org Organization

mil Military

int International

International Top Level Domains

ca Canadauk United Kingdomjp Japangr Greece

ke Kenyatw Taiwanaq Antarctica

Shifting Paradigms:Mission and Purposes

I_________ Paradigm

• Provide instruction

• Transfer knowledge -faculty to students

• Offer courses

• Improve teaching

L_______ Paradigm

• Produce learning

• Elicit discovery and construction of knowledge

• Create powerful learning environments

• Improve learning

Shifting Paradigms:Teaching/Learning Structures

Instruction Paradigm

• T___ held constant, l________ varies

• 50-minute lecture, 3-credit hr course

• Covering material

• Degree equals accumulated credit hours

Learning Paradigm

• L_______ held constant, t___ varies

• Learning environments

• Specified outcomes

• Degree equals demonstrated knowledge and skills

Shifting Paradigms:Learning Theory

Instruction Paradigm

• Learning t______-centered, controlled

• “____” teacher, “l___” students required

• Classroom/learning competitive and individualistic

Learning Paradigm

• Learning student-centered, controlled

• “______” learner required, but not “live” teacher

• Learning environments c_________, supportive

Shifting Paradigms:Nature of Roles

Instruction Paradigm

• Faculty are primarily _________

• Faculty and students work ____________ and in isolation

Learning Paradigm

• Faculty are designers of learning _______ and environments

• Faculty and students work in t_____ with each other and other staff

AsynchronousLearningNetworks

(ALNs)

ALN Definition #1“...a people network for learning that is largely

asynchronous. It combines self-study with substantial, rapid, asynchronous interactivity with others. In ALN learners use computer and communications technologies to work with remote learning resources, including coaches and other learners, but without the requirement to be online at the same time.”

-- ALN Web Site

ALN Definition #2

“....any technology-enabled collaborative learning environment using remote resources that can be accessed from anywhere at anytime and yet create a community of learners who are actively interacting, sharing ideas, learning, and helping each other learn.”

-- Odin (1997)

ALN Summary• O______ learning environment• ___________• Learner-centered• Highly interactive and collaborative• Computer-based but may involve other

technologies• Remote learning resources• Instructor takes role of _____• May be distance education, may not be

Advantages of Internet-Based Courses

• Courses could be available to ___ qualified individual in world

• Course components available 24 hrs/day• Students work at own ____• Distributable across multiple computer

platforms• Technology relatively easy to use• L______ _________ available across entire

Internet

Advantages of Internet-Based Courses

• Online course materials easy to u_____ or modify

• Internet promotes ______ learning and student intellectual involvement

• Internet provides variety of learning __________, accommodates differing learning styles

• Students learn Internet skills that improve employment options after graduation

Limitations of Internet-Based Courses

• No ________ access to Internet and computers

• Traffic congestion on the Internet

• Courses labor-________ to develop

• Instructors must accept new teaching paradigm

• Many students are technophobes

• Many students conditioned to be _______

Limitations of Internet-Based Courses

• Courses may attract ___-________ participants

• C_________ violations are in plain view

• Bandwidth limitations restrict use of advanced technologies

• Students must take more responsibility for their own learning

• Responses, feedback may be delayed

• Support infrastructure often __________

Tools ForTeaching and

LearningOn the Internet

Tools for Teaching and Learning on the Internet

• Computer Conferencing (Non-Web)

• Teaching with the World Wide Web

Computer Conferencing (Non-Web)

• Synchronous Systems• A___________ Systems

Computer Conferencing (Non-Web)

• Synchronous Systems– Text-based systems

• Chat

– Other systems• Online audioconferencing

– Microsoft NetMeeting

• Online videoconferencing– CU-SeeMe

• Groupware (Lotus Notes)

Computer Conferencing (Non-Web)

• Synchronous Systems• Asynchronous Systems

– Electronic Mail– Internet Mailing Lists– Usenet Newsgroups

Teaching with the WWW

• The web as a learning resource– Web sites– “Push” technology

• PointCast

• Conferencing tools for the web• Integrated web course systems

Teaching with the WWW

• The web as a learning resource• Conferencing tools for the web

– WebCaucus, CommonSpace, Allare Forums

• Integrated web course systems

Teaching with the WWWTeaching with the WWW

• The web as a learning resource• Conferencing tools for the web• Integrated ___ ______ _______

– LearningSpace, FirstClass, Pathlore, TopClass, Web Course in a Box,

World Wide Web Course Tools (WebCT)