Technology-based methods of educational delivery and effectiveness

¶ … technological explosion of the past few decades has taken mankind to heights never before imagined. Today, with the click of a mouse, one can purchase travel tickets, manage stocks, shop, and chat with people around the world. The changes that technology have made possible are almost limitless. In addition to the changes in daily life, advances in technology have had a significant impact on the field of education. The field of education has been impacted in many ways by technology, including the method of delivery for education. The delivery of lessons in the field of education used to be handled with one method. Students came into a classroom and a teacher provided the lessons, and the feedback. For younger students, parents were given a 15 minute conference once a year to hear about their student progress. The delivery of education was a single method and it was used for more than one hundred years. Today, with the technology available there have been many new methods of delivery developed in the field of education. These methods include, Email, Internet Courses, Distance Learning, Chat Rooms and Faxes. Each method has positive and negative aspects to it. This paper addresses those methods and evaluates their effectiveness.

INTRODUCTION

The use of technology for the purpose of educational delivery is a relatively new trend. With millions of homes having computers, and most classrooms having them as well, it was only a matter of time until the field of education expanded to the point of using it as a method of delivery.

Using email, chatrooms, internet courses, distance learning or faxes for the purpose of education has had very little research thus far because it is so new, but there have been some studies and articles written about its use. Education is an all encompassing venture. It includes the smallest child who wants to learn to read, to senior citizens interested in learning again. Education can include the basic courses, such as reading, writing, science, and math, or it can expand to include elective courses, advanced courses and interactive courses. Using technology to deliver education creates many advantages. Some of those advantages include:

Not having to provide classroom space with some methods

Being able to reach a wider range of students

Students with life interference can participate

No need for transportation to a classroom

Different method of interaction

With those positive aspects there are also negative aspects of educational delivery through the use of technology. Five more common methods include email, chat rooms, internet courses, distance learning and faxes. Each of these methods provides an opportunity for education to be disseminated and delivered. Each method has similarities and differences and each method provides the world with one more way for people to learn. Whether they are better or worse than a traditional classroom is open to debate, but many believe they are the answer to problems in education that have dated back to the beginning of the nation.

SEARCH STRATEGIES

Searching out information on this topic included the use of the computer and the Internet as well as researching periodicals and other print avenues. The search used various keywords and they were entered into a data base or a search engine. Once the search engine was given a keyword and articles were brought forth, the articles were read and reviewed to see if they met the criteria for becoming a tool to write this research paper.

One method of searching included the use of Electric Library. E-Library provides full text copies of thousands of already published articles that are able to be read online or printed out for later reading. The keywords that were used in the search included:

Email AND classrooms

Faxes AND classrooms

"Distance Learning"

Internet AND Courses

"Chat Rooms" and teaching

Using the AND as well as the quotation marks allowed the search to be narrowed, therefore brining forth articles that were based in the topic requested. To use a wider search method would have the potential to bring up many articles that would be of little use to this research. Internet search engines such as Yahoo, Dogpile and Google were not used to search out information for this research. Internet sites are not regulated and there is no way of knowing how accurate, or many times how old the information is that one retrieves. Using only published articles of reputable publications, helped to insure that the information being put into the research would be accurate and timely.

INTERNET

Another technological tool that is currently being used for the purpose of delivering educational materials is the Internet course. Internet courses are courses that do not require a classroom and they are offered to anyone who has the ability to get online. Internet courses have several advantages. One of the most important reasons to offer educational delivery through an internet course is the fact that it does not require classroom space. The use of an internet course allows the student to work from home or anywhere else that he or she has access to a computer and an internet service. The instructor can place the materials on the site and is not tied to a classroom or waiting for students to arrive to begin teaching the material. Students are able to check in and see the material and get the assignments within their personal time frame. Some students study best first thing in the morning while other students do better if they wait until evening. This is an important aspect of using an internet course instead of a traditional classroom.

"CIT's department of information technology is one of few learning institutions anywhere in the world to offer introductory Internet courses online. With people around the world accessing the course, there's no doubt it has filled a niche. Among the high-profile organisations using it to train their staff are the U.S.-based Hewlett-Packard and NASA Jet Propulsion (Courses, 1996). Demand has been so strong that the course is now offered by 38 overseas universities with many more in line -- Mr. Brown is approached by three or four institutions a day wanting to offer the course. Other clients include students taking business computing at other universities. Mr. Brown's original idea was that learning institutions around the world would share their Internet teaching packages, but so far the exchange seems to have been largely one-way. Not that he's unduly bothered by that. The future lies in establishing a presence in a global sense, and the fact that CIT's chief executive could go to an international conference on education on the Internet and see CIT's course software "up" on many computer terminals would suggest the institution already has an international "name (Courses, 1996)." "

'Imagine sleeping in every morning, not walking to class and not fighting traffic driving to school. Imagine rolling out of bed, walking to a computer and attending class via the Internet. This could be reality for University of New Mexico students in the not-so-distant future. Members of the University's central administration created an Internet Pilot Project that will examine the possibility of Web-based courses for students."UNM is entering its first exploratory phase with how Web-based courses might benefit students," said David Stuart, associate vice-president of Academic Affairs. "During this two-year period, 24 courses will be created and taught adjunct with classes already established (Chanez, 1999)."

Stuart said students would either attend class via web chats with a professor or attend live classes. The Internet course would not supplement course material. Students would either choose one or the other. Internet-based graduate classes could begin as early as the Spring 2000 semester, when 10 courses will be available during registration.

Chris Garcia, interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, said the project's results will help UNM determine whether the courses benefit students. He said the University cannot rush into Internet courses without knowing UNM's capacities for distance education (Chanez, 1999)."

"This is a carefully controlled experimental project for successful distance education, and to see how students like it," Garcia said.

Stuart said the ultimate goal for the project is to see how well the Internet works in four subject areas, including:

- A master's degree in educational administration. - A master's degree in public administration. - A bachelor's and master's degree in nursing. - A bachelor's degree in University Studies with a social science concentration.

Stuart said the bachelor of University Studies was added to reach students who have left UNM with 60 to 90 credits. He said distance education might benefit students who moved or left school to work.

Most major universities have developed courses for the Internet, such as Penn State University and North Carolina State University. Stuart said some universities have spent millions of dollars for these courses, but UNM is not prepared to spend that amount of money. He said a modest amount is being appropriated for the project.

UNM hired the firm, Blackboard of Washington, D.C. To give technical support for the project. Stuart said Blackboard's role would be a modest one; UNM will use its software and hardware for servers for the courses. He said Blackboard would provide a 24-hour help desk for students.

"CIRT will help create support on the Internet to mimic what you get on a regular campus," Stuart said. CIRT will provide bookstore, financial aid and other on-campus services on the Internet.

John Sobolewski, associate vice-president of CIRT, said he expects additional use for computer pods as well as heavy use of CIRT's dial- up access service from home. He said the Pilot Project indirectly affects CIRT through e-mail use.

"Students will have to communicate with each other and faculty," Sobolewski said. "Since 95% of students have e-mail accounts, we expect an increase in e-mail usage."

Although Blackboard provides a help desk, the CIRT help desk is already handling questions about the project, Sobolewski said.

UNM junior Sarah Gaussoin said if the University decides to use Internet courses, it probably would not work for her.

"I think I would miss class too often because I would feel compelled to sleep in, especially if all I had to do was get on the Internet, " she said. "It might work better for other students though. I think it's still important to try though, because we don't want to be the only University that does not have it."

Stuart said he prefers classroom instruction and the interaction with students, but said the world is changing and UNM needs to look into Internet courses.

Denise M. Chanez, Online courses wave of the future at U. New Mexico., University Wire, 10-19-1999.

DISTANCE LEARNING

'Wired for learning': Lessons from a distance learning partnership.(the East Texas Learning Interactive Network Consortium) (Technology Information)

Date: 06-01-1998; Publication THE Journal (Technological Horizons In Education); Author: Meathenia, Peggy

In 1992 a group of educators in East Texas "shook hands" and formed a collaborative known as ET-LINC. The East Texas Learning Interactive Network Consortium began defining the needs of small, rural schools for the coming century. Looking toward the digital age that is rapidly changing the way people live, the schools wanted to utilize the broadband fiber optic cable that was being laid by two independent telephone cooperatives in a 125-mile swath of East Texas. In order to do so, they had to develop a process "to build a distance learning partnership" and "to train educators in the distance learning environment." A model emerged from this process that enables educators and community members to design networks and to determine the uses of a digital broadband telecommunications network. The success of the distance learning partnership is being used to change communities and the way we learn and teach in East Texas.

A series of grant awards have allowed the distance learning partner schools to implement innovative programming. The award of each grant can be attributed to the partnership building activities and the training of educators in the distance learning environment.

The schools have focused their attentions on "building distance learning partnerships" and "training educators to utilize the networks in creative and innovative ways." The model used by ET-LINC is applicable to any group of schools and communities wishing to determine the uses and benefits of distance learning networks. As broadband telecommunications become more available to public schools an understanding of the build- out process is critical. Additionally, the process draws upon a large body of research dealing with change and on becoming a change agent as a member of a distance learning partnership.

Results of the Collaborative Building Process:

Success Number 1: ET-LINC's work was accelerated when the partnership received a 1994-95 Planning Grant from the Texas Education Agency to pursue their vision of solutions that advanced switching technologies could provide for the rural and small communities Fiscal agent consortium, Gladewater Line Independent School District, received the 1994 Project for Educational Technology planning grant award of $25,000 from The Texas Education Agency. The award allowed the consortium schools to begin the multi-year process of identifying the uses and applications of the digital broadband fiber to link schools in numerous northeast Texas counties. The TEA grant provided the impetus to strengthen the process to build partnerships for distance learning networks and to provide training for educators as well as for community members, students and parents. From tips alliance, the participating schools and university members drew up a comprehensive partnership plan.

Success Number 2: The outcome of the planning grant was the award of the 1995 Implementation Grant Award from TEA -- Projects for Educational Technology, East Texas schools partnered in the Implementation Award Grant, known as "Creating Connections." Twelve East Texas school districts received funding for installation of the multi-media, distance learning classrooms. Other schools in the East Texas area participated in the training component. An additional seven school districts from Limestone, Hudspeth and El Paso counties joined the consortium to participate in the wining for teachers. The schools in the Central and Far West Texas schools either had video conferencing systems or were planning for full-motion audio-video networks. Their need focused on training. The final estimated total of the project including contributions from all partners including the two telephone companies was over $6,000, 000. TV 12 East Texas schools now have state of The art technology in the classrooms and access to full broadband services, including audio-video, Internet and data services. Texas A& M. University -- Commerce built its classroom along with Jarvis Christian College. The addition of the universities to the partnership had been sought from the early days of planning.

The award for training and classroom build-out provided the teams of students, community members and educators the opportunity to articulate the many needs they had that could be addressed through the telecommunications network. They were among the first in Texas to think about the telecommunications technology in non-traditional ways.

Success Number 3: The "partnership building process" continued and resulted in another award. The ET-LINC schools and Texas Alliance for Education and the Arts planned together over an 18-month period. It was agreed that The Texas Alliance would be fiscal agent for a project to utilize the distance learning network as a means of providing innovative programs for students in the elementary grades. The partnership with the Texas Alliance for Education and The Arts was designed to provide staff development to teachers in the distance learning environment in grades 2-6. The teacher-training component included use of the multi-media environment to integrate math, reading, and the fine arts. A Meadows Foundation Award provided for elementary teachers to receive training online in the two-way, real-time, interactive classroom. During this three-year initiative, students in these grades will be involved in a variety of special projects in which the arts are infused into the core academic