Moore and Kearsley (Moore & Kearsley, 1996) identified three types of interactions. They are student-content interaction, student-teacher interaction, and student-student interaction. This fundamental distinction provides a basis for analyzing the relative significance of different interaction in an education program.
With distance education technology moving toward multi-media systems, it integrates a combination of technologies both synchronous and asynchronous (McIsaac & Gunawardena, 1996). A further distinction needs to be made between synchronous and asynchronous interaction. This distinction between immediate and delayed interaction is very important because it determines the "feel" of the distance learning experience. In synchronous interaction, students must participate at a fixed time, while in asynchronous interaction, students respond to each other according to the students' own schedule.
This difference has major implications for the design and delivery of distance education. It also has important implication for the study requirements of the learner. Sometimes, learning might rely on real time interaction, while sometimes it can be accomplished asynchronously. There are advantages to both forms.
There are four crucial advantages to the asynchronous media. First, it provides the desirable flexibility. The access to the teaching material can take place at any time and any places. Second, it has time advantages. The asynchronous systems allow the learner time to ponder over ideas, check references, refer back to previous messages and take any amount of time to prepare a comment. Third, it creates a situated learning environment. Learners can easily integrate the ideas being discussed on the course with the working environment, or they can access resources on the Internet as required on the job. And forth, it is cost-effective. It requires low end computers to operate so global access is more equable.
There are four equally compelling advantages to synchronous systems. First, it helps stimulate motivation. Synchronous systems focus the energy of the group. It provides motivation to distance learners to keep up with their peers and continue with their studies. Second, it encourages cooperation and group cognition. Real time interaction helps to develop group cohesion and the sense of being part of a learning community. Third, it offers good feedback. Synchronous system provides quick feedback on ideas. It supports consensus and decision making in group activities. And forth, it has the pressure of pacing. Synchronous events encourage students to keep up-to-date with the course. It provides a discipline to learning which helps people to prioritize their studies.
There are many distance teaching programs that are entirely asynchronous. For example, some programs use print plus computer conferencing, and others may use the Web for both course delivery and interaction. There are also some programs that are (almost) entirely synchronous. For example, videoconferencing might be used for delivery and interaction. However, the trend is very much towards combining synchronous and asynchronous media in an attempt to take the advantages of both modes. The various combinations of media use and the amount of interactions included are almost as varied as the number of institutions providing distance education. Here are just a few examples:
1. University of Twente, the Netherlands, has an advanced level course about tele-learning developed and taught by Dr. Betty Collis. It consists of some face-to-face meetings as well as extensive use of the Web for resource material, for collaborative activities and for discussion. In 1996, for example, the course had two students participating from outside the Netherlands, and all 33 students operating in their second or third language. (http://www.to.utwente.nl/ism/online96/campus.htm)
2. Nova Southeastern, Florida, has an M.S. and Ed. D program in instructional technology and distance education. It uses electronic mail and bulletin boards, and audio conferences and face-to-face 'summer institutes'. They claim to have graduates in 50 states of the US and 35 foreign countries. (http://alpha.acast.nova.edu/)
3. George Washington University, Washington D. C. is a member of the Mind Extension University (ME/U). It has a cable television network dedicated to distance education. The universities affiliated with ME/U offer undergraduate and graduate courses in a range of subjects, using cable and satellite television and text-based asynchronous conferencing. Students outside the US are sent video recordings. (http://gwis.circ.gwu.edu/)
4. The Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, North Carolina, offers a global executive MBA. It uses multiple international program sites for residential meetings. It also uses email, bulletin boards and streaming audio on the Web. Desktop vdeoconferencing and CD-ROMs are used occasionally. (http://www.fuqua.duke.edu/programs/gemba)
5. CALCampus, New York is an international online learning center offering high school and vocational courses through he Internet. Two formats are provided: directed independent study (using text-based material sent electronically or by post) and live format (using real time chat systems). (http://www.calcampus.com)
6. School of Industry and Technology, East Carolina University, has an M.S degree in Industrial Technology. It uses real-time chat, email, listservs, the Web and CUSeeMe interactive video. (http://ecuvax.cis.ecu.edu)
7. OnLine Education, University of Paisley, Scotland, supplies course materials both in hard copy and on a computer. A modem and printer are delivered and set up in the student's home. Live events take place both face-to-face and by teleconference. Students (in Hong Kong) communicate with their local tutor and with students in Scotland by email. (http://www.online.edu/online/online.htm)
8. Birkbeck College, part of London University offers a global Web-based course on the Principles of Protein Structures. It includes the use of a MOO to provide real-time interaction. (http://www.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/PPS/index.html)
9. The Sloan School of Management, MIT, Massachusetts has combined satellite videoconferencing (to Singapore and China) and Web materials and email communication with MIT students and faculty.(http://web.mit.edu/sloan/www/)
In summary, when applying the different approaches, personal learning
styles and the larger educational context determine what is most appropriate.
The pressures of modern life make most people demand programs to allow
them to fit their studying in many other commitments. However, it is also
true that most people find synchronous interaction very beneficial for
their learning. Obviously synchronous interaction will have more problems
in global education than in asynchronous distance education, because of
the vast differences in time zones worldwide.
1. Moore, M.G. & Kearsley, G. (1996). Distance Education: A systems View. Wadsworth Publishing Company.
Online
McIsaac, M.S. & Gunawardena, C.N. (1996). Distance Education. In D.H. Jonassen, ed. Handbook of research for educational communications and technology: a project of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. 403-437. New York: Simon& Schuster Macmillan. (http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac/dechapter/)