Evaluation And Implementation Of Distance Learning Technologies Tools And Techniques

The twentieth century has seen the creation and evolution of technologies beyond imagination a century ago. The computer has enabled the digital presentation of knowledge, and increased the speed with which information can be captured and processed. The acceptance of these technologies has led to a new alternative for providing education and training--distance learning. This book focuses on the processes, techniques and tools that are being used to successfully plan, implement and operate distance learning projects.

This collection of first-hand accounts from experienced and accomplished learning technology practitioners highlights issues in using learning technologies for flexible, distance and open learning. Drawing on their own experience, the authors identify and explore the most practical and complex issues faced and reflect upon the lessons learned. The definition of learning technologies is broad, encompassing not only the tools (print, audio, video, online applications) but their creative and informed application and social effects. Experiences from eight different countries are presented while the themes addressed include policy development, teaching skills, learner guidance, evaluation and reflective practice. Often, busy practitioners argue that they do not have time for reflection but that they do have time to swap stories with colleagues. Using Learning Technologies promotes such engagement through a broad range of first-hand accounts of facing the challenges entailed in using learning technologies. The stories recounted here speak directly to practitioners, researchers and administrators, provide a model for reflection and offer practical guidelines for comparison with the reader's own experience.

In today's technology-crazed environment, distance learning is touted as a cost-effective option for delivering employee training and higher education programs, such as bachelor's, master's and even doctoral degrees. Distance Learning Technologies: Issues, Trends and Opportunities provides readers with an in-depth understanding of distance learning and the technologies available for this innovative media of learning and instruction. It traces the development of distance learning from its history to suggestions of a solid strategic implementation plan to ensure its successful and effective deployment.

With the rapid proliferation of distance education and e-learning courses, the need is growing for a comprehensive, professional approach to evaluating their effectiveness. This indispensable book offers a road map to guide evaluation practice in these innovative learning environments. Providing practical, step-by-step guidelines and tools for conducting evaluation studies—including how to deal with stakeholders, develop surveys and interview protocols, collect other scientific evidence, and analyze and blend mixed-methods data—the work also features a template for writing high-quality reports. The "unfolding model" developed by the authors draws on Messick's influential assessment framework and applies it to program evaluation. Two case studies of actual programs (a distance learning course and an e-learning course) demonstrate the unfolding model in action.

Create a more effective system for evaluating online faculty Evaluating Online Teaching is the first comprehensive book to outline strategies for effectively measuring the quality of online teaching, providing the tools and guidance that faculty members and administrators need. The authors address challenges that colleges and universities face in creating effective online teacher evaluations, including organizational structure, institutional governance, faculty and administrator attitudes, and possible budget constraints. Through the integration of case studies and theory, the text provides practical solutions geared to address challenges and foster effective, efficient evaluations of online teaching. Readers gain access to rubrics, forms, and worksheets that they can customize to fit the needs of their unique institutions. Evaluation methods designed for face-to-face classrooms, from student surveys to administrative observations, are often applied to the online teaching environment, leaving reviewers and instructors with an ill-fitted and incomplete analysis. Evaluating Online Teaching shows how strategies for evaluating online teaching differ from those used in traditional classrooms and vary as a function of the nature, purpose, and focus of the evaluation. This book guides faculty members and administrators in crafting an evaluation process specifically suited to online teaching and learning, for more accurate feedback and better results. Readers will: Learn how to evaluate online teaching performance Examine best practices for student ratings of online teaching Discover methods and tools for gathering informal feedback Understand the online teaching evaluation life cycle The book concludes with an examination of strategies for fostering change across campus, as well as structures for creating a climate of assessment that includes online teaching as a component. Evaluating Online Teaching helps institutions rethink the evaluation process for online teaching, with the end goal of improving teaching and learning, student success, and institutional results.

Though in the past online learning was considered of poorer professional quality than classroom learning, it has become a useful and, in some cases, vital tool for promoting the inclusivity of education. Some of its benefits include allowing greater accessibility to educational resources previously unattainable by those in rural areas, and in current times, it has proven to be a critical asset as universities shut down due to natural disasters and pandemics. Examining the current state of distance learning and determining online assessment tools and processes that can enhance the online learning experience are clearly crucial for the advancement of modern education. The Handbook of Research on Determining the Reliability of Online Assessment and Distance Learning is a collection of pioneering investigations on the methods and applications of digital technologies in the realm of education. It provides a clear and extensive analysis of issues regarding online learning while also offering frameworks to solve these addressed problems. Moreover, the book reviews and evaluates the present and intended future of distance learning, focusing on the societal and employer perspective versus the academic proposals. While highlighting topics including hybrid teaching, blended learning, and telelearning, this book is ideally designed for teachers, academicians, researchers, educational administrators, and students.

Instructional quality can make or break the learning experience, especially in digital environments where the expressional nuances of interpersonal communication are lost. The most effective distance education instructors and experts are those who recognize the educational needs of students and are able to address those needs through creative use of the technological tools available to them. Identification, Evaluation, and Perceptions of Distance Education Experts explores the current and future trends, needs, and priorities that affect the development of distance education in a postmodern world. This premier reference work will be of significance to those interested in online learning, teaching and training, communication, and education across multiple sectors such as universities, colleges, schools, profit/non-profit e-organizations, and e-commerce.

In recent years, distance education programs have grown to allow greater educational opportunities to a diverse set of learners from all over the world. As remote learning becomes a widespread practice, universities too must adapt to this changing educational landscape. Critical Examinations of Distance Education Transformation across Disciplines provides an interdisciplinary look at the development of distance learning in higher education. This reference work bridges the gap between disciplines by offering practical tools and solutions for successful distance education implementation. Educators, administrators, and researchers across academia will find this publication a timely and relevant resource.

This collection of first-hand accounts from experienced and accomplished learning technology practitioners highlights issues in using learning technologies for flexible, distance and open learning. Drawing on their own experience, the authors identify and explore the most practical and complex issues faced and reflect upon the lessons learned. The definition of learning technologies is broad, encompassing not only the tools (print, audio, video, online applications) but their creative and informed application and social effects. Experiences from eight different countries are presented while the themes addressed include policy development, teaching skills, learner guidance, evaluation and reflective practice. Often, busy practitioners argue that they do not have time for reflection but that they do have time to swap stories with colleagues. Using Learning Technologies promotes such engagement through a broad range of first-hand accounts of facing the challenges entailed in using learning technologies. The stories recounted here speak directly to practitioners, researchers and administrators, provide a model for reflection and offer practical guidelines for comparison with the reader's own experience.