Roles of the Students and Teachers

in Distance Education
Aytekin İşman, Fahme Dabaj, Zehra Altinay and Fahriye Altınay
 

Abstract

Distance Education is a new, global technology-based education to facilitate

easy, immediate learning and interaction for communicators, teachers, and
students in education programs. Distance Education can provide mass-
education for everyone. It leads people to learn individually and shifts
responsibility for learning from instructors to students. It facilitates student
selection of courses and content to reflect their needs and motivations. It
provides creative and qualified ideas and information to motivate students
from diverse backgrounds.

To be effective, distance education programs need to redefine the roles of

teachers and students in the learning-teaching process.

Introduction

Technology changes every life style and human activity to become fast,
global, and time-critical. The computer facilitates speedy access to useful
information. Social, global, cultural, and educational competitiveness are
influenced by educational technologies that positively affect style, duration
and method of learning for groups and individuals. Technology
impacts where we learn. Distance learning in homes, offices, and libraries
complement classical learning in classrooms (Clark, 2001).

Distance Education refers the interactive, educational process between

student and teacher separated by physical distance (Harry et al., 1993,
p.32). It adapts to individual differences and the way students react to
media. Personality, intellectual abilities, cognitive and learning styles are
important concerns in distance education (Harry et al., 1993).

Distance education is expanding rapidly as it gains worldwide acceptance by

students, educational institutions, employer organizations, and the public at
large. It makes education accessible to underserved populations, and flexible
in fitting into complex lifestyles, schedules, and responsibilities of today’s
learners. The quality of Distance Education is no longer in question, and
focus has moved beyond defining what it is to determining what it can do.
Instead of traveling to attend regularly scheduled classes at a teacher-
centered campus, students can access internet courses virtually anywhere.
Despite the physical distance between students and teachers,
communication technologies offer many opportunities for interaction. These
same communication technologies facilitate rapid dissemination of new
concepts in disciplines such as science and technology. Distance learning is a
positive influence for change and global implementation in all disciplines.
Pedagogy in traditional institutions of learning has been affected by distance
education.

For societal development; education should be a leader in providing easy

access to knowledge, effective ways to learn, and growth opportunities for
qualified people. Distance education enables people to learn individually at
any time or place. They learn from computer assisted programmes,
interactive multimedia, and internet discussions rather than from lectures
and classroom methods of instruction. Distance Education is really related by
the discovery of truth for gaining antithesis sides of the thoughts to get the
exact knowledge (Willis, 2002).

Distance educators refer to three distinct applications of computers in the

off-campus study environment: Computer Managed Instruction, Computer
Aided Learning, and Computer Conferencing.

Computer Managed Instruction facilitates management and

administration of the learning process. It provides opportunities for
electronic counselling of students, on-line registration, institutional record
keeping, evaluation, and tracking student progress.

Computer Aided Learning includes software applications to teach students

different subjects and concepts through pre-structured and programmed
materials. Courseware either replaces or supplements material that students
are expected to learn through other media (print, video, audio cassette).
Lesson formats range from tutorials to simulations. Students can also use
Internet resources for exploration and research.

Computer Conferencing uses the electronic network to enables individuals

to communicate via computers at the same time (synchronous) or delayed
time (asynchronous), either as a group or between two individuals. Typical
formats include email, bulletin board, threaded discussion, net meeting (with
the possibility of audio, video, and shared “blackboard” displays), and
databases.
Distance Education requires alternative learning process, roles of teacher
and students (Clark, 2001). People roles in distance education can be
categorized in four subtitles;

1. Students: In distance education, students have role to learn. In that process,

student has difficult and different roles according to traditional learning process.
2. Teacher: The main role of the teacher is the design of the course and setting the
needs of students. Teacher has role to guide the students.
3. Designer Groups: These persons determine goals, content, delivery systems,
interaction, and evaluation. Usually it is a team of subject matter experts, educators,
instructional designers, and production personnel. They design the cyber and digital
environment for the effective teaching and learning.
4. Directors: In the all institutes, there are people who direct planning,
implementation, and evaluation of the education process.

Interdependence, distance and interaction interplay with the roles of

students and teachers. There are three types of interaction within the
distance education:
1. Learner-content interaction
    

2. Learner-instructor interaction
    

3. Learner-learner interaction
    

These three types of interactions play a key role in distance education. As in

face-to-face communication, they share ideas through email and chatting
(Harry et al., 1993).

In summary, distance education is evolving based on changing economical

and social contexts. Knowledge has become one of the most important
economic forces; knowledge is rapidly expanding and its useful life time
becomes increasingly shorter. To survive in the market, companies need to
change, to train and retrain their employed; unemployed workers also need
to be retrained. Investing in the human resources seems to be the only way
for a sustainable development (Mario and Heinze, 2001).

The pace of change, the need for lifelong learning, and diminishing
educational budgets are pressuring educational institutions to create
alternative efficient ways to learn through distance education.
 

The Aim of Research

Distance Education is a form of education in which course content is

delivered and interaction provided by the technologies and methodologies of
the Internet. The online environment allows people to interact with others
asynchronously or synchronously in collaborative environments; to gain
access to remote multimedia databases for active, resource-based learning;
and to manage self-paced, individualized learning in a flexible way.
Moreover, the Internet allows students to enroll in courses from anywhere in
the world at almost any time.

There is a new vision developed during the past 15-20 years, strongly
influenced by the social and cognitive sciences. The educational system now
focuses on learning rather than on teaching. The focus of learning theory has
changed to learning styles and perception. Knowledge is considered as
socially constructed through action, communication and reflection involving
learners (Huebner and Wiener, 2001).

To design effective distance education programs, it is important to

understand how learning occurs and the factors that influence motivation,
communication, perception, and learning. Learning strategies may consider
1) cognitive learning strategies 2) metacognitive activities for planning and
self-regulation 3) learner’s goals and motivation. Cognitive strategies can
not be divorced from learner’s purpose in using them. Therefore, learner
goals and motivation highly influence the cognitive strategies. The distance
education requires intrinsic motivation to support skill development,
intellectual interests, challenge or personal growth consistent with the
results of relevant research (Gibson, 1997).

Moore and Kearsley have enumerated design considerations for distance

education:

1.  Good structure
2.  Clear objectives
3.  Small units:
4.  Planned participation
5.  Completeness
6.  Repetition
7.  Synthesis
8.  Stimulation
9.  Variety
10.  Open-ended
11.  Feedback
12.  Continuous Evaluation                 (Moore, Kearsley, 1996,
p.122).
Reflection in distance education means engaging individual students to
explore their experiences to lead to new understanding and appreciations.
Holmberg (1995) handled the guided didactic conversation between teacher
and student as pervasive characteristic of distance education;

1. Those feelings of personal relation between the teaching and learning

parties promote study pleasure and motivation.
2. That such feelings can be fostered by well-developed self instructional
material and two way communication at a distance.
3. That intellectual pleasure and study motivation are favourable to the
attainment of study goals and the use of proper study processes and
methods.
4. That the atmosphere, language and conventions of friendly
conversation favour feelings of personal relation.
5. That messages given and received in conversational forms are
comparatively easily understood and remembered.
6. That the conversation concept can be successfully translated, for use
by media available, to distance education.
7. That planning and guiding the work, whether provided by the teaching
organization or the student, are necessary for organized study, which
is characterized by explicit or implicit goal conceptions (Holmberg,
1995, p.47).

Learner autonomy should be the goal of distance education. It is good for

students to be self-directed, motivated, evaluative, and responsible for their
own learning. This changes the traditional role of the teacher from
disseminator and manager to designer, moderator, guide and coach. Learner
autonomy is realized when distance learners participate in setting learning
objectives, implementing their program of study, and evaluating their
personal learning and performance. Instead of face-to-face instruction,
distance educators design learning environments that stimulate productive
learning activities. Students use these activities to achieve course goals and
meet their individual needs.

Learning environments range from teleconferences to interactive multimedia

via the Internet. They are designed to engage the learner. For example, in
audio conferencing there are four major strategies for the teacher:

1. humanizing and relating to the learner

2. participation and interaction
 3. message style presentation of information
4. feedback to determine effectiveness of learning and teaching

Television and computers are tools used by educators to disseminate and

manage instruction. It is important for educators to know the values and
limitations of different communication media and techniques.

The coordinator of distance education should establish competence,

continuity, control and confidence. Large group one-way communications
should be supported by small group activities and interactive computer
experiences. Even in distance learning, there may be a need for individual
tutoring with real time interaction between students and teachers, or peer
learning where students work together and support each other. Students
need guidance, encouragement and reassurance; constructive criticism and
advice, fair and objective grading, and timely response from the instructor.

For the most part, distance education students are adult learners. Compared
to school-age students, they are self-reliant and responsible for their own
learning. They should be encouraged to assume responsibility for setting
objectives, self-direction, personal responsibility, personal experiences,
making decisions, learning to solve problems, and maintaining intrinsic
motivation (Moore, Kearsley, 1996).

Research in distance education encompasses the changing roles of teachers

and students, the role of interactive technologies, and its global impact on
traditional and underserved populations of learners. It describes distance
education as synchronous and non-synchronous, anywhere and anytime,
and learner focused. It adds a vocabulary of technical terms related to
computers, television, and interactive multimedia.

Some studies compare the quality of learning; others examine the quality of
the learning experience. For example, a study of Ohio’s distance education
courses via microwave television compared student perceptions based
demographic variables (İşman). “The level of student satisfaction in the class
was not high. More than 50% of the observational data indicated that
students did not agree that they learned as much in the interactive television
class.” Test results revealed no relationship between gender and students’
perceptions. Age and college classification were strongly related to
perceptions of interactive television courses. Less significant relationships
were found between academic major and graduate/undergraduate
status (İşman).

Teachers should share their knowledge and experience with students by

providing consulting, helping, directing, and advising. Distance Education
embraces whole of the student activity, responsibility and willingness for
formulating and asking relevant questions and seeking answers. Many
Distance Education programmes use discussion and question-answer type
media, or decisions based on short scenarios or simulations. The main
consideration is here to define and measure role effectiveness of teacher-
student communication on learning at a distance (Willis, 2002). Distance
education is new technological power for developing a dynamic self-concept
for students. The constructivist approach changes the role of educators.
Distance Education emulates this approach by leading the students (learner)
to develop his or her own strategies, objectives, evaluation, implementation
under guidance of a teachers (Gibson, 1997).
 

Importance Roles of Students and Teachers

Distance Education, or earning a degree online is a rapidly growing industry

already slated to be worth billions. While many people waste countless hours
surfing on the net, others invest the same time and technology to improve
their education. Higher education institutions, business, industry,
government, health care, and more recently K-12 schools are embracing this
new opportunity for learning.

Distance Education resolves distance, time and some financial aspects of

education. Distance learning empowers individuals to participate in self
improvement and career development.
 

Related Research

Wilson, et al. (1991) describe the development of a distance education,

professional development program for teacher education that promotes two-
way communication between tutor and student through use of the
telephone, electronic mail, and facsimile transmission. In 1986, McGill
University in Montreal began by offering education courses to five teachers
in remote areas, with enrolment expanding to 320 by 1991. Educational
computing and media courses were adapted for distance education,
representing the department's first major venture in developing specific
instructional materials for distance learners. Additionally, the geographical
area served grew to include all of Quebec, the Northwest Territories, the
Yukon, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and parts of Newfoundland and
Labrador.

It is noted that, although the relationship between teacher and student

in distance education seems to imply a form of learning that is remote,
impersonal, and indifferent, students of the McGill program praise the
courses for their "human" atmosphere and the "warm" interaction.” It is
concluded that the McGill University program is a success, and will continue
to establish more substantial programs in continuing education for
professionals. It is also expected that future research will find immediate
application in establishing new guidelines for tutor training. It is important to
understand the real interaction among the students and teacher with their
roles.

Clark (1993) describes a study that was conducted to examine the

receptivity of faculty at two-year and four-year colleges and universities to
distance education. It examines attitudes toward distance education, the
influence of previous experience with distance education and educational
media, and barriers to distance education.

Garrison, Anderson (1999) contrasts large distance education programs

in industry with an approach called "little distance education" that is
consistent with the traditional goals and values of creating knowledge
through a critical community of learners. It discusses meeting the needs of a
new market for continuing distance professional education. The effects of
distance education and its shortcomings are evaluated.

Levin (2001) examines distance education in postsecondary institutions,

specifically in community and technical colleges in the United States, as an
educational domain where information technologies have a central place.
Looks at characterizing features of distance education management through
a group of distance education managers; it explores their role as
professionals to identify what, to them, are critical issues in distance
education. It reflects perceptions from the management and its influence on
the program.

Rockwell, Furgason, Marx (2000) describe the participation of distance

educators in a Delphi study to identify and rank future research and
evaluation needs/issues. The study focused on planning for distance
education; structuring decisions required for distance education; the
implementation process; and evaluation needs in documenting outcomes.
Four themes emerged: cooperation and collaboration among institutions;
designing the educational experience for the distance learner; teacher
preparation; and educational outcomes.

Giltrow (1997) discusses the role of distance education for K-12 as

enrolment increases in the next 10 years. He notes distance education
development needs, obstacles to addressing large-scale educational
problems using distance education, and necessity for a three-part analysis of
America's distance education. When investigating effectiveness, it is
important to evaluate alternatives and negative aspects of distance
education.

Merisotis (1999) discusses the Outcomes of Distance vs. Traditional

Classroom-Based Learning. It embraced the question “What's the difference
between distance learning and traditional classroom-based instruction?” This
question has become increasingly prominent as technology has made
distance learning much more common. A web site maintained by Thomas
Russell at North Carolina State University (and a recently published
companion book) is called The No Significant Difference Phenomenon, and
compiles various articles, papers, and research studies on distance learning.
This site is important because evaluates and compare relative strengths of
traditional and distance education.

Dominguez (2001) illustrated a new, parsimonious model that

investigators interested in distance education can use to ask meaningful
questions about the relative quality of distance education courses
(Dominguez & Ridley, 1999). The approach moves the emphasis from
student-level data to course-based data. Sample data comparing online and
traditional higher education courses covering nine disciplines were reported.
These data revealed that preparation for advanced courses was statistically
equivalent whether the course prerequisites were online courses or their
traditional classroom counterparts. The article further explored the
usefulness of this framework for identifying a significant discipline-related
difference in the relative effectiveness of online and traditional prerequisites
as preparation for advanced courses.

Jones (2000) wrote an article which was about that these Australian

educators, the ongoing American debate over distance education reported in
the daily press, The Chronicle, and Change, is surprising because the
essential debate is long over in Australia. Respected Australian universities
have been awarding indistinguishable degrees to on-campus and off-campus
students for decades. Nearly 14 percent of university students study at a
distance. When we look, as Australians still occasionally do, toward Britain,
we see Open University degrees recognized as representing a rigorous,
thorough British education. This article is important to see the alternative
view on distance educational disciplines.

The above reviews of research define distance education in relation to

information technology and Internet based access in education. They define
the roles of teachers and students, different management perceptions,
communication models and communication barriers.
Findings and Comments

Distance Education requires an individualized learning process where the

learner can access knowledge from computer-assisted programs and/or
other technologies such as television. With development of high technology,
learners look for fast, easy, any-time, anywhere education opportunities.
They expect high educational standards based on global competition.
Distance Education may serve as an alternative to traditional on-campus
instruction or “blended” to combine distance with on-campus courses.

The changing roles of students and teachers in distance education are

influencing classical education standards and pedagogy. According to
research findings on the roles of the students’ in distance education are:

1. Be disciplined and on task

2. Consult with and seek guidance from advisors through required access
methods
3. Assume responsibility for your own learning
4. Develop effective interaction with teachers and counselors (like
classical learning)
5. Evaluate and judge your own performance
6. Combat prejudice and communication barriers
According to research findings on the roles of the teachers in distance
education are:
1. Assume responsibility for preparation and presentation of learning
tasks
2. Immediately consult with students to correct problems and keep them
on task
3. Be aware of student needs and wishes; respond promptly to
communications and tests
4. Build student motivation
5. Combat prejudice of communicational barriers
6. Establish an effective environment for student-teacher and student-
student interaction

Research provides data to compare effectiveness of the teaching and

learning in a great variety of situations. Learning in a high-tech, global
environment presents new roles and responsibilities for both teacher and
learner. In addition; there is a radical change in construction and delivery of
course content. Media to facilitate interaction between and among learners,
teachers, and content increases the opportunity for in-depth and meaningful
learning (Gibson, 1997). Constructivist techniques support learning and
teaching, self-development and self evaluation (İşman, 1999).
Constructivism is an integral part of distance education. The focus is on the
student and his active role in learning supported by technology.

Teacher Role in Distance Education based on Constructivist Approach;

1. Teacher promotes learner autonomy and is aware of individual

differences.
2. Teacher uses relevant and current information to transmit knowledge.
Teacher constantly researches the curriculum and provides concrete
up-to-date examples.
3. Teacher gives importance to the thoughts of students and promotes
student research, evaluation, discussion, and reporting.
4. Teacher is aware of individual student differences when designing
course materials
5. Teacher knows student prerequisite skills and knowledge and uses this
foundation to build new knowledge. In addition, the teacher knows
how learner can learn.
6. Teacher initiates student-teacher interaction, and has communication
and technological skills to effectively implement distance education.
7. Teacher constructs student-centered learning with opportunities for
interaction. Students are responsible for learning and responsible for
contacting teacher when needed.
8. Teacher collaborates with student in self-development and
responsibility.
9. Teacher provides environment, materials, and guidance for
collaborative learning, interactive discussion groups, individual
learning, and research.
10. Teacher provides prompt and accurate feedback to students to
facilitate learning.

Student Role in Distance Education based on Constructivist Approach;

 1. Students use appropriate technology to interact collaboratively with
each other and teacher, and use feedback and consultation to develop
and refine knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
2. Students are self-responsible for their own learning. They should
decide what they want to learn, establish their goal, research and
develop their subject.
3. Students research current data to answer questions and solve
problems
4. Students learn to solve problems by assessment, data collection, and
developing and implementing strategies using relevant information.
5. Students identify communication barriers, their causes, and solutions.
6. Students promote life-long learning and know how to access and use
information when instruction is finished.

The roles of students and teachers under the constructivist approach are
listed above. These roles should be in the consciousness of communicators
to develop effective distance education processes and resolve interaction
difficulties (İşman, 1999). Tearchers and students need to be responsible
collaborative planners, communicators and evaluators in their distance
education roles. Together they can break down communicational barriers
and overcome limitations in the technology and its implementation.
Substantial benefits will result from taking personal responsibility, improving
the process, and solving problems to create a rich interactive learning
environment.

References
Arbour, Dominique (2002) “Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Distance
Education” http://cade.athabascau.ca/vo14.1/7_abrioux.html
Clark, Melody (2001) “The Soft Technology of Distance
Education” http://www.uc.edu/ucitnow/summer_ol/softtech.html
Dominguez, Paula (2001) “Assessing Distance Education Course and Discipline Differences in
Their Effectiveness” http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0FCG/1_28/73535502/print.jhtml
D.R., Jones (2000) “The Distance Education Debate an Australian
View” http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m1254/6_32/67884314/print.jhtml
Harry, Keith, John Magnus, Keegan, Desmond (1993) “Distance Education: New Perspectives”
Rutledge in London and New York.
Holmberg, Bore (1995) “Theory and Practice of Distance Education” Rutledge in New York.
Huebner, Mary Kathleen and Wiener, R. William (2001) “Distance Education in
2001” http://www.afb.org/jvib/JVIB950902.asp
Is man, Aytekin? (1997). “Students’ Perception of A Class Offered Through Distance
Education” Dissertation. Ohio University.
İşman, Aytekin (1999) “The Conceptual Sides of Educational Technology: The Effects of
Constructivism in Education, Instruction Environment” Symposium of Contemporary
Approaches in Teacher Education. Dokuz Eylül University Buca Education Faculty, İzmir.
İşman, Aytekin et al. January. (2002) “The Effects of Constructivism in Science Education”
TOJET (The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology).
v.n.2 http://www.tojet.sakarya.edu.tr/archive/v1i1/p11.html
Jones, Edmund et al. (2002) “Faculty Philosophic Position Towards Distance Education” ERIC
NO: EJ649246
Levin, John S. (2001) “Is Management of Distance Education Transforming Instruction in
Colleges?” ERIC NO: EJ629905
Mario, C. De Norma and Heinze, Toni (2001) “The Status of Distance Education in Personnel
Preparation Programs in Visual Impairment” http://www.afb.org/jvib/JVIB9509903.asp
Merisotis, James (1999) “What is the
difference?” http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m0HCZ/4_26/63323078/print.jhtml
Moore, G. Michael, Kearsley, Greg (1996) “Distance Education System View” Wadsworth
Publishing Company in United States of America.
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Distance: active learning” http://infotrac.london.galeg
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About the Authors

Aytekin İşman is an Associate Professor in computer and educational

technology lecturing in the Department of Educational Sciences of the
Faculty of Education at the Eastern Mediterranean University. He received a
B.A. in educational measurement and evaluation from the Hacettepe
University, Turkey, and M.A. degree in educational communication and
technology from the New York University, USA, and Ph.D. degree in
instructional technology from the Ohio University, USA. His current research
interests are in education, in particular, educational technology and distance
education.

Contact: Aytekin İşman. Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of

Education
Gazimagosa  KKTC, Mersin 10 Turkey. Tel: +90 392 630 2295  Fax: +90
392 630 4044
[email protected]   http://www.emu.edu.tr
 

Fahme Dabaj is a lecturer in the Department of Educational Sciences of the

Faculty of Education at the Eastern Mediterranean University. He received a
B.A. in Civil Engineering from the Eastern Mediterranean University, M.Sc.
degree in Computer Science from the same University, and currently he is a
Ph.D. student in the field of communication barriers in distance education.
His current research interests are in education, in particular distance
education and educational technology.

Contact: Fahme Dabaj, Eastern Mediterranean University, Faculty of

Education
Gazimagosa  KKTC. Mersin 10  Turkey  Tel: +90 392 630 2429   Fax: +90
392 630 4044
[email protected]   http://www.emu.edu.tr
 

Zehra Altınay is a research assistant in the Department of Educational

Sciences of the Faculty of Education at Eastern Mediterranean University.
She received B.A. in Faculty of Communication and Media Studies from the
Department of Public Relations and Advertising at Eastern Mediterranean
University. Currently, she is master student in the field of distance education
in the education department with the subject of students and teachers views
towards online courses and program and their roles at Eastern
Mediterranean University. Her current research interests are in education,
distance education and teacher education in educational technology and
quality in distance education.
 

Fahriye Altınay is a research assistant in the Department of Educational

Sciences of the Faculty of Education at Eastern Mediterranean University.
She received B.A. in Faculty of Communication and Media Studies from the
Department of Public Relations and Advertising at Eastern Mediterranean
University. Currently, she is master student in the http://www.emu.edu.tr

 
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