Distance education has become popular during the last decades. It covers needs of individuals, the public and private sectors, and the society in general. Generally speaking, research studies have shown that distance education provides advantages. However, problems or difficulties have also been pointed out in various research studies. Therefore, it is useful to determine the requirements that would enhance the offered advantages of distance education and/or decrease the reported problems or difficulties. The determination of such requirements would provide guidelines for the successful implementation of distance education programs. This is the subject of the chapter. The discussed requirements cover all aspects of distance education such as the education institution, the program of studies, the content, the e-learning platform, learners, tutors, and the development of relations.
In this chapter, an approach to the design of an educational program for teachers is proposed. Three main steps are necessary in the design of such a program. The first step is to determine the goals of the program and connect them with the subsequent teaching goals of teachers. Further on, the knowledge and skills required in order to fulfill the goals set need to be determined. The final step concerns the selection of appropriate pedagogical methods and ICT tools that will assist teachers in their teaching. In the specific program, the goals set are based on Habermas' theory of cognitive interests and Schön's theory of the reflective practitioner. The TPACK model is used to categorize the desired knowledge that teachers will acquire from the program and the knowledge required by the instructor of the program. Wikis are used to support the selected pedagogical methods.
Wiki technology has become very popular during the last years and is used in many fields. It enables the collaborative creation and management of content retaining the history of changes. There is abundant wiki-based content on the web covering a large number of subjects. A significant contribution of wikis involves education. Under certain conditions, technology may enhance the learning process due to the unique features it encompasses. In this context, wikis may prove very helpful as they provide the infrastructure for collaborative learning approaches and the development of online learning communities. This chapter discusses main features of wikis, wiki features specifically required in education, and typical uses of wikis in education. Representative examples of successful wikis are presented. Future research directions are also outlined.
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