What it is:
Fast
Interactive
Flexible in fitting into complex lifestyles and responsibilities of today’s learners
Evolving
A continuum
Separated by distance (is this what they mean by an out-of-body experience?)
Accessible to underserved populations
A shift in paradigm from university as institution that provides instruction to university as an institution that produces learning. University no longer transfers knowledge, but creates environments that prepare students to discover and build knowledge for themselves.
Educational process between people
What it does:
Challenges the traditional classical classroom environment
Redefines the roles of teachers and students
Shifts responsibility for learning from instructors to students
Enables people to learn individually at any time or place
Facilitates interdependence
Resolves distance, time and some financial aspects of education
Empowers individuals to take an active role/participate in self improvement and career development
Provides accessible programs
Challenges traditional role of students as receptacles of information that educators provide through lectures and other directed learning experiences
Changes role of teacher from disseminator and manager to designer, moderator, guide and coach.
Is influencing present-day classical education standards and pedagogy
Along with potential for creating learning without boundaries, DE creates the obligation to evaluate its effectiveness.
