Thank you very much for your study group reports and for all your efforts that made this exercise happen. You were asked to do the following study group work
Please imagine the following situation:
You are a member of a team of distance education experts and you are
asked to brief your boss, your company or a custumer with an overview on distance
teaching institutions from all over the world. Your team is expected to compile
a minimum of 15 short descriptions of distance teaching institutions (5 from
North America, 5 from Europe, 5 from other continents). Each description should
cover the following aspects:
1. on history and mission (or overall goal) of the institution or unit
within an institution
2. on its distance teaching/training program(s)
3. on the methods of development and delivery of the respective content
4. on the kind of interaction with students
5. on special services offered to the learners
The descriptive task asks for comparable information about a wide range
of practices across borders. This task needs many hands to compile a large number
of cases. Each member of the study group should contribute with 3 short descriptions
to the compilation (one from North America, one from Europe and one from any
other continent). Please avoid overlapping.
I have now assembled eight study group reports from students in both sections of our Foundations of Distance Education class. Many hands have fulfilled the wish of your "boss" to get a first overview over distance teaching institutions from all over the world:
Group
1
Group
2
Group
3
Group
4
Group
5
Group
6
Group
7
Group
8
After clicking from one group report to the other she is overwhelmed. The questions she raises now is: "Is this all reliable information? There are some without any reference and other descriptions with just a link to the Website of the respective institution. Isn't this kind of information PR stuff? Did you prove anything?" Now, being more than skeptic she exclaims: "I doubt that this is a list of distance teaching institutions! It's hodgepodge!"
The working group feels uncomfortable. It's quiet for a moment... The boss calms down and shows her comprehension: "I think it is a great list to detect such distance teaching institutions that stay for good practice - that's the category of distance teaching institution I am really interested in!"
We have to bring the role play to an end. Let's now do the next step with students
of the Foundations of Distance Education course. In this first course you learned
about the history, principles, pedagogy, theory, and about institutionalization
of distance education. Please apply this gained knowledge to define good practice
in distance education and relate this to the five criteria you used in describing
your three selected institution:
1. on history and mission (or overall goal) of the institution or unit within
an institution
2. on its distance teaching/training program(s)
3. on the methods of development and delivery of the respective content
4. on the kind of interaction with students
5. on special services offered to the learners.
What may happen: You define "good practice" and the institution you selected as the example to be described does not match the bunch of your criteria in all respect. In such cases, please analyze the situation and show in which respect your institution is an example that stands for "good practice" and in which respect you are missing good practice. You won't find an institution that is perfect. They are human made.
As this task will be your assignment task # 3 I urge you to seek reliable information about the selected institution.This means at least: Whenever you cite the literature or a Website or any contribution to the discussion please refer to the source in such a way that this can be traced accurately. The application of the APA style is now highly recommended. Please find further details for assignment task # 3 in the respective main topic.
I think you are well prepared for the final mandatory step in this course. You have done a great job in serving with the overview on various distance teaching institutions around the world. It's impressive.
In order to widen the already wide horizon I attach to your list the list of institutions described by students of the first Foundations of Distance Education class in Spring 2000. You may be curious to see what has been listed a year ago. Please note that the list of your fellow students from Spring 2000 does also not contain any graded or otherwise proven information. It's just compiled in alphabetical order and formatted. Nothing else has been done with the content to ensure its reliability. It's up to you now to make best use of this overview to finalize on your decision which institution you select to serve as an example of good prtactice in distance education.
Good luck and my very best wishes for your last assignmet task in this course.
Kind regards,
ULI