There are adequate literatures about distance education, but there are limited studies about computer-based distance education

Are Higher Education Institutions Ready for Asynchronous Education in the 21^st Century? Dr. Bizhan Nasseh Ball State University February 1999

Introduction:

The penetration of technology in life, work, and social interaction has been changing the traditional assumptions and operations in societies. This penetration has affected our political, economic, social, and educational systems not only at the local and national level, but also at the global level. Higher education institutions are recognizing that providing the opportunity for lifelong learning is vital, asynchronous education is here to stay, web-based delivery and resources are a reality, cooperation and collaboration is the only way, and global education beyond of traditional geographic limit is the hallmark of learning in the 21^st century. To prepare for the journey of the 21^st century, higher education institutions must ask themselves these basic questions.

Do we have adequate knowledge about new generation of learners; the Internet generation and adult learners?

Do we have educational culture, processes, and resources that are globally accepted, pedagogically sounded, and institutionally supported?

Do we have needed vision, commitment, collaboration, and cooperation for surviving in this tough global education?

Do we have adequate knowledge and resources for development of the computer-based distance education?

The answers to the above questions start with how rich is our knowledge base of the computer-based distance education. Unfortunately, there is very limited knowledge in our knowledge base to help us in this tough and challenging journey. There are tremendous needs for research studies in order to discover, develop, generate, and share new knowledge in the computer-based distance education. The following discussion and report are based on the two computer-based distance education research studies in 1996 and 1998. The respondents were faculty who taught computer-based distance education courses, and students who participated in the computer-based distance education classes.

Discussion and Report:

In the first study, from six different higher education institutions, seventeen faculty members from ten different disciplines and fifty-nine students from nine different disciplines participated. In the second study, from ten different higher education institutions, twenty faculty members from nine different disciplines and sixty-three students from fifteen different disciplines participated. In the both studies, web-based teacher and student questionnaires were utilized to collect data. The main focus of studies were the teachers’ and students’ competency in the computer and communication technologies, training and support programs, objectives of the participation, problems and advantages of this method of education, and teacher’s new roles in the computer-based distance education.

Our student body graying with age and diversity, and our traditional assumption about the student body and campus culture is changing rapidly. In these studies About 60% of students were married and over 60% were 30 years and older. Today’s majority of students have family, job, and social responsibility. Our new generations of students, particularly working adults are expecting quality online educational opportunities that satisfy their objectives of participation and are independent from time and place. Only over 60% of students had some kind of training or orientation about computer and communication technologies. Over 70% of students indicated that there should be evaluation for students’ competency before participation in the computer-based distance education course. Only 45% of teachers indicated that their students had on-campus orientation. About 65% of teachers indicated that level of competency of students should be evaluated before their participation in the virtual courses. In this educational method, adequate knowledge of technology is a must for learners in order to participate, communicate, collaborate, and access learning resources. In addition, in this method not only computer and communication technologies are the only means of delivery and communication, but also this method has the following characteristics.

Student-centered education.
Outcome-oriented education.
Global education.
Time and place independent education.
Interactive multimedia educational resources.

In this model institutions are in the business of learning, which is global, competitive, and must satisfy learners’ objectives of participation. If higher education institutions are in the business of learning, then support system is the first step in the satisfaction of the clients (students). About 50% of students work on the assignments during evening and late night. Over 60% of students indicated that they do not have access to support services during evenings and weekends. Over 65% of faculty indicated that their institutions did not have off-hours technical support and service program. Over 60% ask their teacher for help with technical questions and problems. The new sociocultural context has obligated lifelong learning for every member of society. This obligation is initiated with the need for new knowledge and skills in order to preserve current status or advance from the current status. The success of computer-based distance education is related to the availability of computer and communication technologies, instructional delivery, effective training and support programs, and the competency level of both teacher and student. Providing opportunity to develop these baseline skills is a new challenge for higher education institutions.

The saturation of computer and telecommunication technologies in life, work, entertainment, communication, and social interaction has obligated members of information society to learn and to adapt information technology. In the 1996 research students had significantly higher concerns and problems than the 1998 research. For example, in the 1996 research, 98% had concerns about teacher and student communication, 75% interaction among students, 91% student access to campus resources, and 87% computer cost. In the 1998 research, 17% had concerns about teacher and student communication, 28% interaction among students, 25% access to campus resources, and 24% computer cost. The two results are strong indication of the advancement in the computer and communication technologies and acceptance of information technology by general public.

The new expectations, demands, and advantages will direct higher education institutions to asynchronous, outcome-oriented, flexible, and student-centered education. The benefit of new model is not only for social prosperity of citizens in the tough global economy, but also to ensure the survival of higher education institution in the tough global education. Some of the indicated advantages of computer-based distance education were: 77% indicated as a new opportunity for distance education, 54% teacher’s role as facilitator, 77% student-centered education, 90% flexibility of time and place, and 90% variety of learning resources. Students saw computer and communication technologies as a positive force for participation in the computer-based distance education.

For centuries, observation and listening were the only way of learning, as lecture and practical demonstration were the only way of teaching. In the last ten years the development of the Internet as a global network and the World Wide Web as a delivery medium brought new directions and possibilities for teaching and learning beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. But the key for success in this new model is teacher’s development and support programs.

About 60% of teachers had some training in computer and communication technologies and applications. Only 45% had some kind of training in the development of new pedagogy for computer-based distance education. The effectiveness of computer-based distance course has direct relation with the teacher’s ability to prepare quality resource, to develop effective pedagogy, to communicate with students, and to deliver digital instructions. About 55% of faculty indicated that institutions’ training programs were fair or poor. About 30% had training in course design on the web and 45% had training in the course development tools. Only 35% indicated that their institutions had off-hours technical support for evenings and weekends. About 50% indicated support program for students and faculty were fair or poor.

For the centuries, teachers were expected to be experts in their subject matter, share knowledge, provide learning resources, and evaluate students’ learning progress. Today, in addition of subject matter, teachers are expected to have adequate technology-based competency in order to be designers, developers, problem solvers, and innovators in the developing technology-based learning environment. Thus, teachers need to change the culture, purpose, style, role, and pedagogy. The question is can teachers really accept, adapt, execute, and succeed in this new model? The answer is yes, because teachers have the ability, desire, responsibility, intelligence, knowledge, commitment, and dedication to adapt this new model. But the bigger question is—can higher education institutions provide the necessary environment for this paradigm shift? These studies did not answer positively to this question.

Over 70% indicated that they answer students’ questions in the evenings and weekends. About 25% indicated that the number of technical questions is the same or more than questions related to subject matters. About 20% indicated that they spend more than four hours weekly to prepare themselves for technical questions. Faculty’s multiple responses to how to be rewarded included; 55% extra compensation, 65% promotion and tenure, 55% reduce load, and 60% assistance in teaching.

Teachers in the 1996 research had significantly higher concerns and problems with computer-based distance education than the 1998 research. For example, in the 1996 research, 94% had concerns with teacher and student communication, 94% interaction among students, 64% students access to campus resources, 94% students’ computer competency, 64% training programs by universities, and 70% computer cost. In the 1998 research, for example, 15% had concerns with teacher and student communication, 50% interaction among students, 25% students access to campus resources, 30% students’ computer competency, 35% training programs, and 35% computer cost.

In the both studies, teachers had very high remarks for advantages of the computer-based distance education. For example, 100% indicated that computer-based distance education created new opportunities for adult education, 82% saw this model is a student-centered education, 64% indicated teacher role as facilitator, 94% indicated the flexibility of time and place, and 87% variety of learning resources.

Conclusion:

Computer-based distance education students see the teacher as a partner who facilitates learning processes and activities. They see the institution, as a place to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to prosper in their jobs, lives, and social interactions. They see technology as a tool to provide additional possibilities for learning and communication. They see learning process and activities as innovative, outcome-oriented, and student-centered. They see education as remedy for better life in the challenging and tough global economy and society. Online education is a mass market beyond of the traditional geographic boundary. The new generation of learners sees higher education institutions as providers of a market-driven education. Commitment to a quality technology-based education, supporting students and teachers, and providing needed training should be a major strategic business investment for higher education institutions. The following are some of the new learners’ expectations form higher education institutions in the 21^st century.

Expect quality digital infrastructure and resources.
Expect opportunity for asynchronous learning even for residential students.
Expect adequate bandwidth, computer power, and training and support programs.
Expect digital communities with openness and knowledge sharing.
Expect partnership in the design of process of teaching and learning.
Expect policies and procedures that encourage, motivate, and facilitate learning.
Expect adaptable processes that can help them to personalize learning based on their needs, talents, styles, and abilities.
Expect integration of technology in business operation and instructional delivery.
Expect digital communication, collaboration, and resources for cognition.
Expect outcome-oriented education to satisfy their objectives.
Expect empowerment in the learning activities.
Expect to be treated as client in the business of learning.
Expect to be partner in the accomplishment of the task of learning with teacher and institution.

Today’s technology can help communication and collaboration in the asynchronous education, but cognition has a direct relation with the teacher’s ability to utilize technology’s power and possibilities in the design of teaching and learning resources, processes, and activities. Teacher must have needed training, support staff, and development tools in order to prepare quality teaching and learning resources and design effective pedagogy for computer-based distance education students. Technological and educational changes have initiated dramatic changes in the instructional delivery and student body. The direction of changes in the social structures, global economy and education will redefine structures in higher education institutions. Teachers’ new roles and contributions are related to the ability of institutions to reengineer academic operations. The following are some of the suggestions for teacher development in the 21^st century.

Provide opportunity to learn educational technology’s potential and possibilities.
Provide opportunity to learn and practice appropriate pedagogy.
Provide opportunity to learn how to be a facilitator, and partner in the accomplishment of the task of learning.
Provide opportunity to learn distance education practice, tools, and resources.
Provide development labs with knowledgeable support staff.
Provide off-hours support system and program.
Provide a climate, culture, and reasons for teachers to participate in the computer-based distance education.
Provide award systems in the form of grants, promotions, and tenure for teacher’s new responsibilities, contributions, and innovations.
Provide digital learning communities.
Provide a global orientation for computer-based distance education courses and resources.
Redefine the importance of the computer-based distance education for leadership and campus communities.

Finally, for higher education institutions the journey to the 21^st century can be exciting and rewarding, but they must understand that the infusion of technology is deeply influencing their educational systems. They must recognize and support changes in the leadership, infrastructures, cultures, teachers’ roles, students’ objectives, and society’s expectations. Higher education institutions have a critical role in the preparing citizens for the challenge of global economy and society. Higher education institutions have technology, knowledge, resources, and opportunity to contribute and to lead society to a prosper 21^st century.

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