CourseAdvisor - Your Source for Education and Training

by CourseAdvisor

Distance learning encompasses a range of educational methods in which teachers and students are not in the same place at the same time. Correspondence courses by mail were the earliest form of distance education but today, distance learning is usually in electronic format and delivered via the Internet, CD-ROM, video, radio, mobile devices, and wireless servers. Distance learning is used in high school, higher education, corporate training, and government agencies, including the military.

An educator who teaches classes via distance learning is a Distance Learning Specialist. This may seem like a good example of stating the obvious, but being a distance learning specialist is not as easy as it sounds. Adapting a traditional lecture or discussion format for electronic delivery involves creativity, a high degree of proficiency with technology, and an understanding of electronic media in the context of the visual learning style. The distance learning specialist excels at creating an electronic learning environment that engages students in the absence of face-to-face interaction.

When developing a distance learning program, teachers and distance learning specialists:

• Identify learning objectives of the educational program
• Select the delivery method(s)
• Develop the materials to be presented
• Facilitate online forums and classroom chat rooms
• Consult with students via email or text-message
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the program

A distance learning specialist requires at least a bachelor's degree in education or instructional design. Knowledge of information technology is important as well. Because of the rapid growth of online learning, many master's degree in education programs offer a distance learning specialist concentration.

Let the CourseAdvisor Wizard match you to the right program:
CourseAdvisor Wizard