A holistic approach to supporting distance learning using the Internet: transformation, nottranslation

Abstract

This is the first of a series of papers describing how the Open University, a large distance education institution, has embraced the Internet as a medium for supporting its students, tutors, academics, and administrators throughout the education process. This paper reports on a holistic approach to integrating technology into the teaching process which addresses how to provide necessary functions in effective formssome traditional, some new. It describes the development and structure of actual systems, which incorporate electronic student registration; electronic assignment submission, marking, and recording; electronic tutorials and other interaction; and electronic examinations. It describes and summarizes some of the findings of the evaluation of those systems, including student, academic, and administrator feedback. Finally, this paper reflects on the benefits of an integrated holistic approach in exploiting the Internet's potential to support distance learning on a massive scale. Subsequent papers in this series will address specific areas in detail: the student experience, the role of the tutor in an electronic environment, and the institutional perspective.

Supporting Distance Students Using the Internet: A Brazilian Experience

“…The British Open University's early experiences revealed that a critical mass of online participants was essential for quality online interaction. The British Open University's experiences also revealed the tutors' central role as an active participant and facilitator, a human factor necessary for successful online learning outcomes (Thomas et al, 1998). Other research carried out at the British Open University (Price and Petre, 1997) indicated that students engaged in the online tutoring sessions, were:…”

An Agent System to Support Student Teams Working Online

“…Benefits may include provision for disadvantaged students as well as cost savings through economies of scale or automation of the teaching processes; also, embracing video, audio and animation may help the learning process (Stephenson, 2001). E-learning is a term applied to systems for distance learning (Rudenstein, 1998), software to support students taking a campusbased course, or simply online documentation for teaching (O'Hagan, 1998;Thomas et al, 1998). Online learners rely on Internet connections to communicate with institutions, tutors and other learners, and there is often a sense of isolation from the support of others.…”

An Agent System to Support Student Teams Working Online

“…Benefits may include provision for disadvantaged students as well as cost savings through economies of scale or automation of the teaching processes, also embracing video, audio and animation may help the learning process (Stephenson, 2001). E-learning is a term applied to systems for distance learning (Rudenstein, 1998), software to support students taking a campus-based course, or simply online documentation for teaching (Thomas, Carswell et al, 1998;O'Hagan, 1998). Online learners rely on Internet connections to communicate with institutions, tutors and other learners, and there is often a sense of isolation from the support of others .…”

“…Indeed technology has the potential to change the ways in which we teach and support students in the traditional university beyond recognition (Laurillard, 1993). There are difficulties in providing online tutorial support for students, and a particular problem is how students online can gain the same learning experiences as traditional campus based students (Thomas, Carswell et al, 1998).…”