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| What
is distributed learning?
Distributed
learning is an instructional model that involves using various information
technologies to help students learn. Also known as computer-mediated
instruction, it encompasses technologies such as video or audio
conferencing, satellite broadcasting, and Web-based multimedia formats.
Distributed
learning can be implemented in various forms and scales. Here are
some examples to demonstrate different points on a distributed learning
continuum:
A.
Course Enhancement
At this
level, instructional technologies can be embedded in traditional
classroom settings to enhance residential learning. For example,
a professor who teaches an introductory level biology course may
use images from her plant biology image database during her PowerPoint
lectures. These lectures may be available for students to consult
before or after class sessions via the course Web site. This component
of the course model would make learning less dependent upon time
and location, and allow students to go through the lectures at their
own pace.
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EXAMPLES:
The
Victorian Web, Professor Landow, Brown University
Provides
extensive information about the Victorian era and serves as a
resource for Victorian literature courses.
African
Art at University of Central Oklahoma, Professor. Hommel,
University of Central Oklahoma
This
interactive exhibition of traditional art from West Africa supplements
a Web-based course offered by Professor Hommel.
Cambodian
Music, Professor Sam-Ang Sam, University of Maryland
Presents Cambodian music and dances and includes images and audio
clips of instruments and ensembles, demonstrating interactive
playing of instruments and construction of ensembles.
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B.
Hybrid Delivery
At a
more advanced level of distributed learning implementation, a faculty
member might present the introductory materials, such as terminology
for a biology course, as a Web-based multimedia lecture. Students
would be required to view these online lectures before attending
a particular class session. These multimedia dictionaries can also
be made available for use in other courses by other faculty, multiplying
their usefulness as teaching tools.
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EXAMPLES:
The
Biology Project: Biochemistry, Bill Grimes and Rick Hallick,
University of Arizona
Offers tutorials and interactive quizzes covering basic chemistry,
metabolism, enzymes, and molecular structure (part of The
Biology Project)
The
Virtual Factory, Institute for Learning and Research Technology,
University of Bristol
Helps
students apply business studies theory to a real world business
situation by looking at all the major business functions, including
production, accounts, and marketing.
The
Fashion & Textile Design Toolbag, RMIT University Library,
Australia
This
library tutorial supports undergraduate research in fashion and
design. It includes information on finding, evaluating, and citing
online materials.
Virtual
Foliage, Professor Clayton, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Created within the context of an introductory botany course, this
site includes a compendium of thousands of pictures of plants
and plant structures.
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C.
Virtual Classrooms
The next
level of distributed learning realizes the "any time, any place,
at any pace" principle of distributed learning. At this level,
learning is independent of time and place, and different students
often absorb the material at different times. For example, the aforementioned
biology course can be packaged on a CD-ROM, including the prerequisite
online lectures and the PowerPoint presentations coupled with audio
for distance learners. In this form, the course will lend itself
to both residential and distance delivery.
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EXAMPLES:
The
Work Ethic Site, Professor Hill, The University of Georgia
Designed
for educators and human resource professionals, this Web site
provides a central resource for materials related to the work
ethic, work competencies, and employability skills.
Big
Ears: The Original Online Ear Trainer, Michael Ossmann, Computer
Consultant, Colorado
The
tutorial is designed to help students improve their ability to
recognize musical elements, such as melodic intervals or chords,
by ear.
Sheep's
Brain Dissection, Jim Spadaccini, The Exploratorium, Palace
of Fine Arts, San Francisco
This animation presents the dissection of a sheep's brain as an
interactive process, with a focus on learning about memory. Includes
audio and video clips, and textual descriptions.
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