International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Dr. Melese Mekasha Woldeyes
Abstract: Across the globe it is an accepted fact that Distance education, open learning and correspondence education are often used interchangeably, but have different meanings. Distance Education has been defined in many ways by various scholars. Keegan, for example, defines it “as a method of imparting knowledge, skills and attitudes to learners, using high quality materials for those learners who geographically departed from their teachers” (1986:39). Similarly, Moore (1973:6) defines distance teaching as instructional methods in which the teaching behaviours are executed apart from the learners. The definition of distance education has been explained as “instruction through print or electronic media to persons engaged in planned learning in a place or time different from that of the teacher or instructors” (Keegan, 1986:39). As new technological advancements develop, the traditional definitions of distance education gradually started being reconceptualised by different scholars and educators. Distance Education, nowadays defined more as Open and Distance Learning, dates back to 1800s. Once considered as using non-traditional approaches and delivery methods compared to conventional campus-based education, distance education now has become a mainstream form of education increasing its popularity and use in the 21st century. Distance education has taken various forms and different definitions have been adopted depending on the age it has been developed. Technologies and pedagogies of the age along with the societal circumstances have influenced how distance education is viewed and practiced making way for different generations of distance education one of the strengths of this definition is that unlike Keegan’s definition, it includes the three domains of learning: 1) cognitive (thinking), 2) affective (emotion/feeling), and 3) psychomotor (physical/kinaesthetic) (Wilson, 2016). However, like Keegan, this definition incorporates the existence of a supporting organization. According to Holmberg, distance education is “the form of education in which there is a geographical separation between the teacher and the student” (1985:331). He further notes that “distance education is a form of study which is not at all under the continuous supervision of tutors, and the tutors are not present with their students in lecture rooms.” Holmberg suggests that learners and tutors can be “on the same premises, but which, however, can benefit from the planning, guidance and tuition of tutorial organization’’ (1985:330). It is evident that no developing country, using traditional methods of education alone, can hope to make education universally available in order to train the qualified human resources needed. Therefore, many countries around the world have developed distance education to increase access to higher education. To ensure that this mode of provision meets the required needs, quality measures have been built into its provision. From the available data, the following table indicates the number of countries on different continents and the number of institutions involved in distance education around the world
DOI: http://doi.org/
