Educational Technology/Distance Education

Appending Asynchronous Technology to Traditional Teaching

An integrated approach has different characteristics than those of either a conventional classroom or an asynchronous distance education environment implemented individually. It is the combination of asynchronous (computer technology-based) and and synchronous (classroom, in-person) interaction that produces added value and some interesting characteristics, some of which are described below."

Characteristics of an Integrated Approach

"Creating opportunities for continuous interaction, increased time and location independence, greater student control over learning, and reflective discourse."

"Retaining the ability to change materials and information made available to an entire course population."

"Increasing student control of pace and mastery while working with course content."

"Changing the characteristics of group discussion to allow for improved equality, focus and reflection."

"Opportunities for increased interaction and increased student control over learning increase student responsibility."

"Providing natural opportunities for making student work more 'authentic' and motivating."

"Technology literacy becomes a natural outcome of learning in an integrated approach environment."

"Changing the ephemeral nature of course interaction."

Issues Arising from Using an Integrated Approach

"Transitioning a course to an integrated approach requires substantial work and might be compared to preparing an entirely new course."

"Shifting education from instructor-centered toward student-centered provides students with new opportunities for engagement in learning but can challenge instructors with change."

"An integrated approach can increase or alter the nature of instructor workload for teaching."

"An integrated approach puts instruction at risk of technology-related failures and requires increased level of technical support, infrastructure and preparation."

"Instructors retain traditional degrees of ownership of course content while the institution may have ownership of software environments used to deliver content and support interaction."

Conclusion and Future Developments

The technologies we use in the evolution of teaching must serve [the] fundamental goal [of 'good teaching']. They must not become the central focus of our attention or become the central goal themselves.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY/DISTANCE EDUCATION TASK FORCE