| Distance education is a field of teaching that | | | | Research indicates that the instructional format |
| focuses on technology and instructional system | | | | itself of interactive video and distance education |
| design that aim to deliver education to students | | | | vs. videotape vs. live traditional instructor has little |
| who are not physically on-site, in such programs | | | | effect on student achievement as long as the |
| teachers and students may communicate at | | | | delivery technology is appropriate to the content |
| times of their own choosing by exchanging printed | | | | being offered and all participants have access to |
| or electronic media, or through technology that | | | | the same technology. Other conclusions drawn |
| allows them to communicate in real time. Many | | | | from this line of research suggest that |
| courses of study have currently adapted some | | | | achievement on various tests administered by |
| sort of use of non-traditional technology to assist | | | | course instructors tends to be higher for distant |
| students in their studies from non-campus based | | | | as opposed to traditional students (Souder, 1993), |
| locations. | | | | yet no significant difference in positive attitudes |
| Many professions in both the medical and nursing | | | | toward course material is apparent between |
| field are now beginning to catch up with other | | | | distant and traditional education (Martin & |
| fields in developing on-line study and review | | | | Rainey, 1993). |
| program utilizing new distance education | | | | Without exception, effective distance education |
| technology, with newer developing distance | | | | programs begin with careful planning and a |
| education, students may not be required to be | | | | focused understanding of course requirements |
| present in a classroom. Older models of distance | | | | and student needs. Appropriate technology can |
| education utilized regular mail to send written | | | | only be selected once these elements are |
| material, videos, audiotapes, and CD-ROMs or | | | | understood in detail. There is no mystery to the |
| other media storage format, such as SD cards | | | | way effective distance education programs |
| given to the student and to turn in the exercises. | | | | develop. They don't happen spontaneously; they |
| Today's distance education course makes use of | | | | evolve through the hard work and dedicated |
| E-mail, the Web, and video conferencing over | | | | efforts of many individuals and organizations. In |
| broadband network connections for both wired | | | | fact, successful distance education programs rely |
| physical locations and wireless mobile learning. | | | | on the consistent and integrated efforts of |
| Often the material is supplemented by television | | | | students, faculty, facilitators, support staff, and |
| and radio programming. | | | | administrators. Many vocational healthcare fields |
| Distance education programs are sometimes | | | | are now beginning to explore the use of internet |
| called correspondence courses, however in most | | | | based distance education technology in basic level |
| courses of study this term has been replaced by | | | | instruction and review programs. This is the case |
| distance education and expanded to encompass | | | | in a program that was developed by St. |
| more sophisticated virtual technologies and | | | | Augustine Nursing Assistant School to provide |
| internet based delivery methods. Many educators | | | | students with an introductory working knowledge |
| ask if distant students learn as much as students | | | | to enter basic level healthcare occupations. |
| receiving traditional face-to-face instruction. | | | | However, students should consult with local |
| Research comparing distance education to | | | | governmental regulatory agencies and potential |
| traditional face-to-face instruction indicates that | | | | employers or future schools to assure scuh |
| teaching and studying at a distance can be as | | | | programs will meet their needs and ultimate goals. |
| effective as traditional instruction, when the | | | | The quality of distance learning has greatly |
| method and technologies used are appropriate to | | | | improved in the past few years, as both students |
| the instructional tasks, there is student-to-student | | | | and educators have become more comfortable |
| interaction, and when there is timely teacher-to- | | | | with the technology and will without doubt play a |
| student feedback (see: Moore & Thompson, | | | | major role in the education of many healhcare |
| 1990; Verduin & Clark, 1991). | | | | professionals in the future. |