Many people have
distance courses for many reasons; for example, they live far from the school
they want, so they have to find another way to continue studying. However,
students must adapt to virtual environment because is not the same as traditional
way of learning, face-to-face classes. In the same way, teachers have to be
capable to teach in online courses for the reason it involves many process; creation
of contents and activities of the course, and even to find appropriate
techniques to create a good environment between his/her students. Therefore,
teachers need to take in account that not all have the same characteristics, as
result not everyone learns with the same techniques.
A good virtual environment is not as easy as it sounds.
First, in contrast to the face-to-face classes students and teacher see each
other, consequently is easy to have communication among them. In the other
hand, in virtual environment they only stay in contact with written messages or
video calls. Even though, Distance Education must have certain aspects as motivation,
indications of being valued, intrapersonal relationships, sharing goals, and
clear and open communication (Delivering
Digitally - Managing the Transition to the Knowledge Media, 2002) . This feature is
crucial because with the experience students have in the Distance Education
influences in taking another course in a future.
Communication in the virtual environment is very
important for the reason students can learn more. In addition, communication between
and among students and teacher is helpful to clear doubts that are very common,
especially interpreting the teacher’s instructions. Sharing their doubts is not
the only purpose of the communication; also expressing their expectations in
order for the teacher knows how to help him/her out. In my opinion, when
learners feel motivating in the course, they do not think is a waste of time,
stressful, or just seeing the course as a grade for their curriculum. However,
the learning environment has to be well organized, so students can become
autonomous to acquire structure themselves, not because teachers are pressuring
them to do it.
In the other hand, teachers must give support to students
for the reason not all learners have the same skills. For example, a student
can only read the material and develop the exercise; meanwhile, others need to ask
to the instructor for further explanations otherwise they will lose the way.
But how a teacher will know how much help the student will need? Well, teachers
must gradually let go, so they start to become independent of their learning;
students will develop skills and confidence in each stage. Probably, is not an
easy task but it will have amazing results in a future; as exploiting
opportunities for working in group as well in working alone.
The structure of the contents of the Distance Education
has to be structure as well than face-to-face classes. The time spent by
teaching staff in the design and development of courseware needs to be
recognized in the same way as classroom teaching (Delivering Digitally - Managing the Transition to
the Knowledge Media, 2002) . Many students think
is an easy task in developing contents and activities, but the reality is that
teachers have to prepare all the lessons plans. In addition, students have the
opportunity to use other methods to do the assignments, but with results and
aspects an instructor specifies before the deadline.
Other important factors in contents and activities are
evaluations on them. Teachers have to make the course kind of challenge, so
students can become competent and autonomous. Competencies are helpful for the
reason students and instructor can realize if the learner has correct skills or
attitudes for the activities to access to the next step.
Distance
education requires autonomous learners which take responsibility for their own
learning, are motivated to learn, gain enjoyment for their learning, are
open-minded, manages their time well, plan effectively, meet deadlines, are
happy to work on their own, display perseverance when encouraging difficulties
and are low in procrastination (Macaskill & Tylor, 2010). Those are
characteristics with the purpose of meaningful learning in students. Occasionally,
some people have the idea in enter to the Distance course only to have freedom
in time, but the reality is not all are able to manage the stress or requirements
on it and they drop-out.
In
summarize, Distance Education requires several aspects to be efficient. Good environment
develops with plenty of communication between and among students and teachers. However,
teacher’s role has to be a facilitator in giving them resources, but not with
all the answers the idea is to make students analytic and competent step by step.
Teachers have to engage in online delivery of learning materials and to support
communication among students without having to rely on instructional design or
technical staff to support them (Delivering Digitally - Managing the Transition to
the Knowledge Media, 2002) . In the same way,
activities and contents have to be organized as well than the any regular classes;
instructors must have necessary skills and knowledge to maintain efficiently a
Distance course. Learners’ personalities have to be mainly responsible, mange appropriately
their own time in order to succeed in Distance Education. In my opinion, if students
feel motivating they will search for more information than the teacher gives to
them, look for more resources, be aware of what they learning; in other words,
being autonomous in their learning.
Bibliografía
(2002). En A. Inglis, J. Vera, & L. Peter, Delivering
Digitally - Managing the Transition to the Knowledge Media (págs.
105-108). Britain: Kogan page.
Pilgrimage Achieving Autonomous Learning. (s.f.). Obtenido de
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYArXEwx5Uo
Student Autonomy in Distance Education. (2013, 10 6). Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpMhaOt6rHs
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