Theoretical Framework for Distance Education
A Theoretical Framework for Distance Education-Desmond Keegan
Keegan suggested that electronically linking students and instructor at various locations creates a virtual classroom. Keegan suggested three questions had to be answered before one could develop a theory. Those three questions are 1.) Is distance education an educational activity? 2.) Is distance education a form of conventional education? 3.) Is distance education possible, or is it a contradiction in terms? These 3 questions lend to the statement Dr. Saba made stating, “A theory is a guide or a map to help us practice”. (Saba, 2012). If the theory does not have knowledge of the profession it is asserting an interest in it cannot be valid. It must have a useful set of principles and concepts for use by the Instructor or Learner and be effective in the learning process. Keegan concluded that six major elements define a distance education program.
■ The separation of teacher and learner, which distinguishes it from face-to-face learning;
■The influence of an educational organization, which distinguishes it from private study;
■The use of technical media, usually print, to unite teacher and learner and carry the educational content;
■The provision of two-way communication so that the student may benefit from or even initiate dialogue;
■The possibility of occasional meetings for both didactic and socialization purposes; and
■The participation in an industrialized form of education which, if accepted, contains the genus of radical separation of distance education from other forms. ( Keegan believes that in distance education the instructor is linked to the learner by two way communication to further foster dialogue and enrich learning. This is what Dr. Paige spoke of when class first began. We were given as rubric of what constituted great, good and minimal discussion in our course. He also comments on each of our post in three to four of the rubric’s category to, recreate in
Keegan suggested that electronically linking students and instructor at various locations creates a virtual classroom. Keegan suggested three questions had to be answered before one could develop a theory. Those three questions are 1.) Is distance education an educational activity? 2.) Is distance education a form of conventional education? 3.) Is distance education possible, or is it a contradiction in terms? These 3 questions lend to the statement Dr. Saba made stating, “A theory is a guide or a map to help us practice”. (Saba, 2012). If the theory does not have knowledge of the profession it is asserting an interest in it cannot be valid. It must have a useful set of principles and concepts for use by the Instructor or Learner and be effective in the learning process. Keegan concluded that six major elements define a distance education program.
■ The separation of teacher and learner, which distinguishes it from face-to-face learning;
■The influence of an educational organization, which distinguishes it from private study;
■The use of technical media, usually print, to unite teacher and learner and carry the educational content;
■The provision of two-way communication so that the student may benefit from or even initiate dialogue;
■The possibility of occasional meetings for both didactic and socialization purposes; and
■The participation in an industrialized form of education which, if accepted, contains the genus of radical separation of distance education from other forms. ( Keegan believes that in distance education the instructor is linked to the learner by two way communication to further foster dialogue and enrich learning. This is what Dr. Paige spoke of when class first began. We were given as rubric of what constituted great, good and minimal discussion in our course. He also comments on each of our post in three to four of the rubric’s category to, recreate in
References: Keegan, D. 1988b. On defining distance education. In Distance Education: International Perspectives, eds. D. Sewart, D. Keegan, and B. Holmberg,6-33. London: Routledge. Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and learning at a distance: Foundations of distance education (5th ed.) Boston, MA: Pearson. Simonson, M. (Writer), & Saba, F. (Writer) (n.d.). Theory and distance learning [Web]. Retrieved 03/07/2012from http://sylvan.live.ecollege.com/ec/crs/default.learn?CourseID=6493362&Survey=1&47=8884161&ClientNodeID=984650&coursenav=1&bhcp=1.