Distance Education in the New Millennium – ICT Offers a New Approach

Abstract

The rapid development in the area of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the new millennium opens new possibilities for acquiring skills for learning technicalities and computer pedagogics in producing CD-ROM based teaching materials & self- instructional materials (SIM) developed through soft ware for multimedia programs & virtual training studio and accessing the internet using e-mail and list servers, handling Learning Management System (LMS) / e-learning plat forms, searching information on the World Wide Web (WWW) for distance education. This paper provides an overview of the usage of these ICT tools in distance learning. The ICT tools that can be used in the distance learning can be classified into stand-alone application tools and on-line application tools. Computer programs that run without telephone, television, satellite or other electronic transmission are known as stand-alone application tools. These programs have received the greatest use in distance learning to date. Programs are available on floppy disks, CD-ROM (compact disk−read only memory) and flash drives and can be used at computer workstations or cyber cafes. Using word processing and desktop publishing soft ware, distance educators with limited computer skills can create teaching materials, professional-looking newsletters, booklets and teaching materials to meet diverse needs. The Self- Instructional Materials (SIM) developed through soft ware for multimedia programs and virtual training studio allows the educators with multimedia computers to enhance their presentations. Virtual training studio is a tool drag and drop designed to develop an interactive low band with documents which is suitable to preview in local computers or even in web. Computer programs that require telephone lines, satellite transmission or network wires or other electronic transmission are known as online application tools. The use of online applications by the educators is just emerging. With a computer that can communicate with other computers through telephone lines, satellite transmissions or network wires, the educator can enter cyberspace or the global information highway. Lessons and information can be exchanged by using electronic mail (e-mail), Internet and other computer networks, the World Wide Web, electronic data bases, electronic bulletin board system, e-learning plat forms or Learning Management System (LMS), video conferencing and interactive non-commercial television. Networking tools, also known as utilities, allow users to explore and locate valuable resources. One of the better known tools, the World Wide Web (WWW), provides access to text, graphics, pictures, sound and video. WWW now has millions of users and the number of documents is increasing rapidly Electronic databases are collections of information, usually covering a specific subject, that are arranged to facilitate efficient retrieval and use of information. Electronic Bulletin Board systems provide access to publication, bibliographies, software, calendars, bulletin and other resources on specific subjects. Learning Management Systems (LMS) or e-learning plat forms are referred as Course Management Systems (CMS) − software designed to help educators who want to create and manage online courses in distance education. They are also referred as Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). They take classroom and lecture metamorphoses into the web. Few examples of these LMS are: Moodle. Com, Claroline.net, Blackboard.com and Ping pong. With computer conferencing, several people can communicate with each other at a designated time by logging on to their computers and typing to each other. (Chat). Video conferencing which can link two or more persons requires an on-line satellite or telephone wire transmission and it is being effectively used in distance learning. The use of interactive television (ITV) for educational system is growing. ITV offers great potential for distance learning in public health and nutrition. The uses of ICT for distance learning are being evaluated. Series of workshop to make educators about the basic principles of Distance Learning (DL), writing for distance learning using ICT tools, evaluation of ICT tools and Power point and Virtual Training Studio as vehicles for developing and delivering self-instructional material (SIM) are utmost important. Some of the issues under study include Cyber space access, ease of using and learning the system, aesthetic appeal, clarity of feed back, error handling, control for parallel and serial group communication and costs. Self- Instructional Materials (SIM) for the external degree programs that are conducted in Sri Lanka particularly in North East universities can be developed through software for multimedia programs and Virtual Training Studio and supplied in CD-ROMs. Distance education mode of external degree programs in these universities can be operated through Learning Management System (LMS) or e-learning plat forms. To date, only a limited number of stand-alone programs have been developed and evaluated and participation of educators in on-line applications has been minor. While ICT is a powerful tool which can enhance the efforts of educators, all forms of communication can be effective and in some situations other means may be more appropriate. Finally, it is important to remember that new technology will not guarantee greater success. Programs will be successful only if they are designed to reach out to people.